1. A doll’s house act ii questions

2. 1
Why does Nora refer to herself in Torvald’s presence by the very same nicknames he uses for her? (e.g., “my little squirrel) What is she doing?

3. 2
Discuss the significance of light and dark in Act II. What do they represent? (Think specifically about the conversation between Nora and Dr. Rank.)

4. 3
Dr. Rank is suffering from a terminal illness as a result of his father’s actions, not his own. And at many points, Torvald references Nora’s father in a negative light. If this is a play about inheritance, and in particular children suffering for their parents’ sins, what do you think of that? Do you agree or disagree with the idea that bad parents make bad kids?

5. 4
While Nora and Christine suffer through psychological difficulties, it is also clear that a major source of their suffering is a function of simple economics. How have these two women suffered at the hands of an economic system that makes it nearly impossible for a woman to be financially independent?

6. 5
At the end of Act II, Nora says, “it is splendid to be waiting for a wonderful thing to happen.” What is the wonderful thing that Nora is waiting for? What makes you say so?