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Difficulty: MediumContrasting Characters and Foils

Read the following excerpt from Act I of Henrik Ibsen's 1879 play *A Doll's House* carefully:

NORA: You are just like the others. They all think that I am incapable of anything really serious—
MRS. LINDE: Come, come—
NORA: —that I have never known any trouble in this weary world.
MRS. LINDE: My dear Nora, you have just told me all your troubles.
NORA: Pooh!—those trifles. I have not told you the great thing.
MRS. LINDE: The great thing? What do you mean?
NORA: You look down upon me, Kristine; but you ought not to do so. You are proud of having worked so hard and so long for your mother.
MRS. LINDE: Indeed, I do not look down upon anyone. But it is true that I am both proud and glad when I think that I was privileged to make the end of my mother's life almost free from care.
NORA: And you are proud to think of what you have done for your brothers.
MRS. LINDE: I think I have a right to be.
NORA: I think so, too. But now, listen to this, Kristine. I, too, have something to be proud and glad of.
MRS. LINDE: I have no doubt of it. But what is it?
NORA: Speak low. Suppose Torvald were to hear! He mustn't on any account—no one in the world must know, Kristine, except you.
MRS. LINDE: What is it, then?
NORA: It was I who saved Torvald's life.

Which of the following best describes how the contrast between Nora and Mrs. Linde functions in this scene?

  1. A
    It details the exact sequence of events that led Nora to secure the secret loan and Mrs. Linde to seek employment in the city.
  2. B
    It illustrates a bitter rivalry between the two women, showing that Mrs. Linde intends to expose Nora’s secret to Torvald out of jealousy.
  3. It underscores Nora’s desire for recognition and her romanticized view of her actions, contrasting with Mrs. Linde’s grounded, pragmatic pride in her familial duty.Answer
  4. D
    It shows that Ibsen uses Mrs. Linde's dialogue to explicitly condemn Nora's deceitful nature and advocate for absolute transparency in marriage.
  5. E
    It utilizes Mrs. Linde's dialogue as a narrative device primarily to explain the offstage backstory to the audience rather than to reveal Nora's inner character.

Answer

It underscores Nora’s desire for recognition and her romanticized view of her actions, contrasting with Mrs. Linde’s grounded, pragmatic pride in her familial duty.
The correct answer accurately identifies the foil relationship. Mrs. Linde's quiet, dutiful, and realistic pride in her hard work highlights Nora's desperate need to prove her own maturity and the romanticized, secret nature of her sacrifice, thereby illustrating Nora's inner character traits.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the conversation and identify the character motivations of both Nora and Mrs. Linde.
Nora speaks of her troubles as 'trifles' and boasts of a 'great thing' that saved her husband's life, showing a desire for recognition and a romanticized view of her sacrifice. Mrs. Linde feels a quiet, pragmatic pride in having worked to support her mother and brothers.
Understanding the individual character motivations is essential to analyzing their contrast.
2
Determine how the comparison between the two characters functions within the scene's structure.
Mrs. Linde's grounded, realistic attitude toward duty highlights Nora's comparative immaturity, need for validation, and tendency to view her actions through a dramatic or romantic lens.
This shows how Mrs. Linde serves as a character foil to Nora, revealing deeper aspects of the protagonist's personality.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the one that accurately describes this character dynamic without falling into common analytical traps.
The choice stating that the contrast underscores Nora's desire for recognition and romanticized view while contrasting it with Mrs. Linde's pragmatic pride is the correct analysis.
It directly addresses the function of the foil rather than summarizing plot details or mischaracterizing their relationship.

Key Concept

Character Foils in Drama
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Topics

Contrasting Characters and Foils

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