A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen exposes the restricted role of women during Victorian times of its writing and the problems that emerge from a serious variation of power between men and women. Women were expected to act a certain way during this era. Women were expected to please almost everyone around them and this involved making sacrifices. Nora Helmar is the wife of Torvald Helmar and the mother of three beautiful kids. Nora is like Mrs. Linde. Nora may be the wife of Torvald, but Nora doesn't feel like she's playing the role of a wife. Torvald has made it clear where he believes in women's roles. He believes that it is the sacred duty of a woman to be a good wife and mother. Moreover, he tells Nora that women are responsible for the morality of their children. This is impossible to do when Torvald is incredibly overbearing, who treats Nora more like a child than a wife. He calls her silly names and scolds her for eating macaroons.
Nora did a lot for Torvald. She forged her father's signature on a loan bond. This was to finance an Italian holiday, which saved Torvald's life. At the time it was illegal for a woman to obtain a loan with out her husband's consent. At first he's livid. Torvald claims to believe he is a man of "honor," "Nora, I would gladly work for your sake. But no man can be expected to sacrifice his honor, even for the person he loves." And she answers him, "Millions of women have done it" (Ibsen 65). When a woman loves as Nora does, nothing else matters. She will sacrifice herself for the family. Her purpose in life is to be happy occurs when her husband and children are happy. Torvald doesn't know what a healthy relationship means. When he sees that because of Nora's action he needs to sacrifice his reputation and career are at risk, he lashes out. He wouldn't take the blame for her. Only when he finds out that Nora won't be found out does he forgive her. He tries to placate her.