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22 Henrik Ibsen
of her children. Did not Helmer tell her that
the very presence of a criminal like Krogstad
poisons the children? And is she not a criminal?
Torvald Helmer assures her, in his male con
ceit, that
"
early corruption generally comes from
the mother s side, but of course the father s in
fluence may act in the same way. And this Krog
stad has been poisoning his own children for years
past by a life of lies and hypocrisy that s why
I call him morally ruined."
Poor Nora, who cannot understand why a
daughter has no right to spare her dying father
anxiety, or why a wife has no right to save her
husband s life, is surely not aware of the true
character of her idol. But gradually the veil is
lifted. At first, when in reply to her desperate
pleading for Krogstad, her husband discloses the
true reason for wanting to get rid of him :
"
The
fact is, he was a college chum of mine there
was one of those rash friendships between us that
one so often repents later. I don t mind con
fessing it he calls me by my Christian name;
and he insists on doing it even when others are
present. He delights in putting on airs of fa
miliarity Torvald here, Torvald there! I as
sure you it s most painful to me. He would make
my position at the bank perfectly unendurable."
And then again when the final blow comes.
For forty-eight hours Nora battles for her ideal,
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