The fact that she couldn't even choose what to eat showed how Torvald was a dictator and controlled what she did. Torvald's actions were much like how a child would play with a doll in a dollhouse, and Nora was the doll. This was no doll's house though; this was life or death. Nora took a huge risk in forging her father's signature to secure a loan from Krogstad so that Torvald could travel to Italy. He needed to travel there to remedy illness caused by overwork. If Krogstad had told the authorities about what Nora did, she would have been arrested. She said "Nonsense! Trying to frighten me like that!--I am not so silly as he thinks. And yet--? No, it's impossible! I did it for love's sake" (Ibsen 1). Nora knew this risk, but went though with the forgery and the loan anyway. By doing this, she saved her husband's life.
Torvald treated her horribly when he received a letter from Krogstad, revealing Nora's "crime." He lashed out at her in an incredibly cruel manner. "What a horrible awakening! All these eight years--she who was my joy and pride--a hypocrite, a liar--worse, worse--a criminal!" (Ibsen 3). He wanted to separate Nora from her children because of her "immorality." Torvald showed no appreciation of the fact that she did what she did to save his life. She was in no doubt about leaving Torvald, who was unwilling to recognize any point of view except for his own. Once Nora found out what Torvalds's true feelings toward her were, she realized that she could never explore her individuality while living with him. Nora left Torvald in an effort to discover herself. In order to see what Nora's life would be like after leaving Torvald, one only needs to look at her childhood friend Kristine's life. As a single woman who had to be self-supporting, Kristine had a very difficult life. Like all Victorian women, Kristine was controlled by men. The death of her father forced her to care for her sick mother and two younger brothers.