Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.

      

Nora:But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness can’t you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him was to live in the south. Do you suppose I didn’t try, first of all, to get what I wanted as if it were for myself? I told him how much I should love to travel abroad like other young wives; I tried tears and entreaties with him; I told him that he ought to remember the condition

I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent to me; I even hinted that he might raise a loan. That nearly made him angry, Christine. He said I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices– as I believe he called them. Very well, I thought, you must be saved – and that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty –

Mrs. Linde: And did your husband never get to know from your father that the money had come from him?

Nora: No, never. Papa died just at that time. I had meant to let him into the secret and beg him never to reveal it. But he was so ill then- alas, there never was any need to tell him

Mrs. Linde: Good heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinion about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It
would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now

Mrs. Linde: Do you mean never to tell him about it?

Nora: (meditatively and with a half-smile) Yes – someday perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now. Don’t laugh at me! I mean,of course , when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have paled on him ; then it may be a good thing to have something in reserve – (breaking off) What nonsense ! That time will never come. Now what do you think of my great secret, Christine? Do you still think I am of no use? I can tell you, too, that this affair has caused me a lot of worry. It has been by no means easy for me to meet my engagements punctually. I may tell you that there is something that is called, in business, quarterly interest and another thing called payment in installments and it is always so dreadfully difficult to manage them. I have had to save a little here and there

where I could, you understand. I have not been able to put a side much from housekeeping money for Torvald must have a good table. I could not let my children be shabbily dressed; I have felt obliged to use up all he gave me for them, the sweet little darlings

Questions

1. Briefly describe what happens before the events in this extract. (3 marks)

2. State and explain any two aspects of style used in this extract. (4 marks)

3. How is Mrs. Linde depicted in this extract? (4 marks)

4. What is the attitude of Mrs. Linde towards Nora? Explain (3 marks)

5. Explain how the 'imprudence' of Nora later complicates the events of the play. (2 marks)

6. Who is a shadow character in a play? In this extract identify one shadow character. What
is his/ her significance in the play? (3 marks)

7. Add a question tag:

A wife cannot borrow money without her husband’s consent. (1mark)

8. Explain the meaning of the following words (4 marks)

i) Indulgent

ii) Thoughtless

iii) Caprices

iv) Devoted

  

Answers


Martin
1. Mrs. Linde comments that a wife is not allowed to borrow a loan. Nora thinks if the woman is business minded it is in order to borrow. Christine does not agree. Nora conceals part of the loan transaction. Nora lies that she got the money from an admirer. Christine thinks of her as mad and imprudent.

2. Flashback. It is through flashback that Nora reveals to Mrs. Linde how she borrowed a loan from Krogstad.
Flash-forward. Nora tells the readers about a time in the future. She says she will disclose the secret to Helmer when she gets old. This reveals the character of Nora as secretive.
Irony. It is ironical that Nora borrows money to cater for expenses aimed at taking care of the health condition of Helmer yet she keeps it as a secret to Helmer himself.

3. Social. She engages Nora in a conversation that reveals Nora’s secretive nature
Critical. She thinks of Nora as imprudent for not informing her husband about the loan issue. She is all questions to Nora.

4. Sympathetic. She sympathizes with Nora who has chosen to clear the loan debt all alone…”poor Nora...”So it has all had to come out of your own necessaries of life, poor Nora?

5. She signs the bond three days after her father’s death. She forges her father’s signature. Krogstad is to use it in the court as it is an illegality. He uses the issue to mount pressure so as to keep his job. He intends to use the press to blackmail Helmer

6. A character who is not present in the lifespan of the play. Papa. His significance is in the plot development. Nora uses him to build her argument on injustices meted on women.

7., can she?

8 i) Lenient/tolerant

ii) Careless

iii) Desires

iv) Committed/dedicated

marto answered the question on April 16, 2019 at 06:27


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    Krogstad:I have never had such an amazing piece of good fortune in my life!

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