I commented on James, Connor, and Emilie's posts.

Act II

        As we've seen in Act II, Nora has come to find out that Krogstad is ready to reveal her secret to Torvald. Of course Nora still is very incompetent and has no way to get the money. The first thing she thinks to do is borrow more money from Dr. Rank, which got her into this position in the first place. Either way she was not bothered about borrowing more money, as long as her husband never found out about her intolerable actions. At first I thought she was just going to be out with it towards Dr. Rank and just ask for the money. Maybe she's turning over a new page in her life. While trying to find a way to keep Torvald from finding out, she decides to stalk him by making him help her "improve" her Tarantella for the party.

        As they begin to talk Dr. Rank begins to profess her love for her and asks, "To have loved you as deeply as anyone else - was that horrid?" (Ibsen 195). She then chose not to ask for the money. Why do you think Nora holds back asking for the money? Could it be possible that she had feelings for him? Dr Rank them says, "You mustn't punish me like this. If you'll let me, I promise to do anything for you that a man can" (Ibsen 195). I believe that he said this because he knew how much he cared for her, but if he didn't then he wouldn't have cared if it was unsaid or not. This little hidden romance is very creepy to me due to the fact that he kept this to himself for so long. How about Nora's decision on ending her life. A little over dramatic, or what? Is she really going to put her family through that excruciating pain over a letter? Would you?

Act 1 Post

        Oh what a "feather brain"! As we've read in Act 1, Nora isn't really your ideal wife. Am I right gentlemen? She loved to play the loving wife that obeys her husband, but is very manipulative to get anything she wants behind his back. She sure knows how to play her cards right. I believe that Nora had trouble telling the truth to anybody because she sees it as no use to her. Therefore she chooses to defy her husband, and sneak around doing things he would never approve of.

        Back in that day it was normal for a husband to have much control over his wife, just as Torvald does to Nora. Therefore it makes it hard for Nora to do anything for herself, such as working. When it came to their vacation to Italy for her husbands health she decided to borrow money from Krogstad, whom Torvald despises. If she were to just listen to her husband she wouldn't be stuck in this predicament she is in now. A quote that stuck out to me was when Torvald said to Nora, "Because an atmosphere of lies like that infects and poisons the whole life of a home. In a house like that, every breath that the children take is filled with the germs of evil" (page 179). I think that when Nora heard her husband say this she wasn't scared for the sake of her family, but more for herself because she realizes that if Torvald finds out, she'll have nothing left. I came to this belief because of another quote which states, "That would be a vile thing to do. [with tears in her voice] I've been so proud of my secret; I couldn't near to have him hear it like that - brutality and clumsily - and from you. It would put me in a most unpleasant position" (page 172). As you can see Nora only cares about what benefits her and what doesn't because in the last sentence she says "me" instead of "my family".