There is a little subtlety, Nora not only got this loan behind Torvald's back, but in the legal process of obtaining it, she was forced, due to the circumstances, to forge a signature so that she could get the money in time to save her husband's life. It is impressive that Nora was able to get the loan as Nora's friend, Mrs. Linden, remarks "a wife can't borrow [money] without her husband's consent" (Ibsen 848). This implies Nora is not completely a money loving fiend who just follows every instruction given by her husband, but she is a willing and determined individual who does what is needed for the best of her loved ones.
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The plot of the play becomes increasingly interesting when the audience finds out that now Krogstad is one of the employees of Torvald, and Torvald plans on firing Krogstad. Krogstad knowing now of the forgery, blackmails Nora on the condition that if she doesn't persuade Torvald to not fire him, Krogstad would tell Torvald and everyone else that she forged that signature; in which case it would have legal consequences for Nora. Yet most significant to Nora, knowing Torvald's abhorrence towards dishonesty and debt is her fear of ruining her family's image. The revelation of this secret to the audience completely changes the perception of who Nora truly is, or at least leaves the audience in a state of momentary confusion without knowing how to label Nora. This secret shows the strength of her character to carry with a burden she shouldn't have had to carry on her own. Not only is she paying back for a debt that shouldn't be hers, but she has been paying back by saving half the money she is given for clothes and by doing "a heap of copying" (Ibsen 849) books. It is admirable what is now known of Nora. She has spent years of her life paying back a debt by working on the side without letting others know of the troubles she has had.
