When Nora suggests that Torvald find Mrs. Linde a job,
Torvald again shows his biases concerning women’s proper roles in
society by immediately assuming that Mrs. Linde is a widow. Torvald’s assumption
shows that he believes a proper married woman should not work outside
the home. Also, as Torvald departs with Mrs. Linde, he says to her,
“Only a mother could bear to be here [in the house],” suggesting
that any woman who wants a job must not have children. These words
contain a veiled expression of pride, since Torvald is pleased that
his home is fit only for what he believes to be the proper kind
of woman: a mother and wife, like Nora.
After Nora reveals her secret to Mrs. Linde, Nora’s and
Mrs. Linde’s versions of femininity slowly begin to converge. With knowledge
of her noble act, we see Nora’s character deepen, and we see that
she possesses more maturity and determination than we previously
thought. What prompts Nora to reveal her secret about having saved
Torvald’s life by raising the money for their trip abroad is Mrs.
Linde’s contention that Nora has never known hard work. Although
Mrs. Linde’s accusation of Nora facilitates the pair’s reconciliation,
what motivates the two women here is unclear. Ibsen does not explicitly
reveal whether Mrs. Linde’s irritation at Nora stems from envy,
annoyance, or even concern. Similarly, Nora’s defensive response
could signify that she is hurt, competitive, or simply itching to
tell someone her secret. All that is clear is that both Mrs. Linde
and Nora are proud to have helped those they love by sacrificing
for them. Their common experience of sacrifice for others unites
them even though they come from different economic spheres and forms
the basis for their rekindled friendship.
