Summary:
The characters of Kristine Linde and Nora Helmer in "A Doll's House" by Henrick Ibsen share similar motivations. They both marry for money and end up "empty and forlorn" by the choices they made. However, they do learn from their experiences.
The similarities of the motives behind the actions of both Kristine and Nora in A Doll's House could be used to compare the similarities of these two characters even though these characters are in reverse roles throughout this play by Henrick Ibsen. Kristine and Nora marry for money, use Krogstad, and learn a valuable life lesson. Therefore, the correlations of Kristine and Nora's motives demonstrate the similarities between these two characters.
Kristine does what she believes is right at the time by marrying Mr. Linde for money instead of marrying him because she loved him due to the fact that her mother was ill and she had two younger brothers who needed financial security for which Kristine herself is unable to provide, being a woman living during Victorian times. Even though Kristine stands behind her reasons for marrying Mr. Linde she has been left, for the past three years since her husband's death and subsequent loss of his business, taking care of her mother and brothers, ensuring their financial security. In that time, Kristine's mother passes away, her brothers become self-sufficient, and her husband dies leaving her nothing; no money, no children, "not even a broken heart to grieve over" (779). However, Kristine has yet to become bitter over her situation; instead she picks herself up and moves on by traveling to visit Nora in hopes of a brighter future. Nora also marries for money however; she does so for selfish reasons; as dictated by the society in which she resides, since a woman is seen in a subservient position during the Victorian Era. Nora was used to being spoiled and treated as Torvald's "doll wife, just as at home I was Daddy's doll child" (819). Therefore, Nora is not bitter over her situation and actually thrives in the knowledge of her secret over Torvald and, her perceived, subsequent brighter future. After ten years, Nora believes she has everything exactly the way she has planned it; enough money to repay her debt, Torvald's never finding out about the loan, and living happily ever after.
Kristine is informed, as she is already aware, that Krogstad was in an unhappy marriage and is now a widow. During act III, Kristine arranges for a meeting with Krogstad where she informs him that she is "like a broken woman clinging to the wreck of her life. Nobody to care about, and nobody to care for" (809). Kristine wants to reunite with Krogstad despite his past for Kristine believes that Krogstad can "[be] a different person", which is the reason why she truly came to town. At the end of this exchange Kristine states: "How things change! How things change! Somebody to work for...to live for. A home to bring happiness into." [. . .] (811) Kristine now looks towards her future as a happily married woman with a ready-made family. Using Krogstad in this manner benefits both Kristine and Krogstad. Whereas during the first act, it is revealed how Nora uses Krogstad to fulfill the need in her life. Nora uses Krogstad's reputation of being a crook to procure a loan without Torvald's knowledge in an attempt to save his life by using the money to take a trip to Italy. When Nora states: "Ah, but when it happens to be a wife with a bit of a sense for business... a wife who knows her way about things, then..." (782) it shows that Nora had a plan when she approached Krogstad for the loan which would suffice the personal need in her life. Again, showing Nora's selfish motives as well as her pride in the manner of obtaining the loan.
In the course of Kristine's conversation with Krogstad in act III it is revealed how Kristine has learned a valuable life lesson. After the death of her husband, Kristine has "learned to go carefully. Life and hard bitter necessity have taught me that" (809) allows Kristine the opportunity to reflect on her choices in life, accept them, and move onto a personally satisfying lifestyle. Nora experiences her life lesson when she realizes that Torvald is not the man she thought he was. After the revelation of Nora's secret to Torvald Nora realizes that "she's not content anymore with what people say or what it says in books! I have to think things out for myself, and get things clear" (820). Thus allowing Nora to reflect back on her choices in life, accept them, and move onto a more personally satisfying lifestyle as an independent thinking woman.
The similarities between these two characters motives result in both women feeling the same way. Kristine and Nora both felt "empty and forlorn" (810) by the early choices they make. Therefore, they both needed a drastic change in their lives if they wanted to be happy in the future. The correlations of Kristine and Nora's motives demonstrate the similarities between these two characters. These women both married for money, used Krogstad and learned a valuable life lesson. Although the later choices these characters make place them in completely reversed roles both women achieve a level of individual happiness when they realize one must be true to thyself to be truly happy.
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