One of the most common motivators in society, it is no surprise that wealth drives the plot of A Doll’s House. Throughout the play, Ibsen’s main characters display complex feelings toward gaining and losing wealth. The characters’ possession of money also represents their attitudes toward one another; in Act I, for instance, Ibsen establishes a clear power dynamic between Torvald and Nora. Nora reveals to Mrs. Linden that her husband has just been promoted, stating that after he “[takes] up his work […] at the New Year”, he will gain a “large salary and lots of commissions” (page 17). However, although Torvald is evidently well-off, he still controls Nora’s spending habits and emphasizes a need to save money. This attitude towards personal finances indicates Torvald’s power over Nora (as well as the rest of his household in general); he seems to be obsessed with keeping appearances and maintaining his reputation, which requires wealth. Of course, Nora cannot earn her own income due to gender inequality at the time, so money is the primary foundation on which Nora and Torvald’s precarious marriage is built.
The two characters’ differing views on wealth also reflect their individual personalities and attitudes towards life. For example, Torvald fears debt and is very cautious about spending money, using it only when necessary or when it benefits his reputation. “There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt,” he advises Nora in Act I (page 12). Symbolically, Torvald’s wealth reflects his use of power and influence: he is overbearing, harsh, and absolute in his control, but he is not extravagant with his spending, nor does he use his authority to lie or trick people. In a way, wealth is the root of all problems in the play: due to Torvald’s hero complex and crippling fear of debt, Nora must use deceit and manipulation to achieve her goals. In contrast, Nora is more carefree with both her personal finances and her use of power: she thinks it perfectly reasonable to splurge on Christmas presents, commit fraud, and manipulate friends, as long as it is in the name of love. She has little autonomy compared to Torvald, but she makes up for it with trickery. For example, in Act II, she attempts to wheedle her husband into keeping Krogstad employed: “Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do what she wants” (page 44).
Wealth acted as the fountainhead of chaos in the beginning, and it comes back in the end to resolve the play’s events. In Act III, immediately after Krogstad’s blackmailing is resolved, Torvald attempts to regain a sense of normalcy. Nora, upon being found out, also experiences an awakening. Settling her conflict with money broke its connection with love and her marriage, allowing her to escape Torvald’s influence, be completely honest about her feelings, and leave all of her obligations to “think over things for [herself]” (page 78).
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