Who was Nils Krogstad?

Nils Krogstad is one of the most controversial characters in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll ‘s House . Although at the beginning of the story he appears as a villain, he later has the opportunity to redeem himself, and regrets his actions. Finally, he transforms into a different person and decides to start a new life with the love of his youth.

About the Author

Henrik Johan Ibsen (1828-1906) was one of Norway’s greatest playwrights. He was born in Christiania, which is currently the city of Oslo. When he was little, his family moved to a farm on the outskirts of the city, and it is there that he spent most of his childhood.

During his youth he held different jobs while studying to be a doctor. However, he did not go on to graduate in that field. Instead, he became interested in literature, especially poetry and drama. His first dramatic works, Catilina (1848-1850) and La tomb del guerrero (1851) demonstrated his rebellious and transgressive style, which years later would become his most characteristic and distinctive artistic mark.

While working at the Det norske theater in Bergen, he premiered various dramatic works, such as Saint John’s Night (1853), and Mrs. Inga of Ostraad (1855). In 1858, he married Susannah Thoresen, with whom he had his only child Sigurd Ibsen.

Some years later he left Norway and remained in voluntary exile for more than 25 years. Most of the time he lived in Italy and Germany. In those years he wrote some of his most famous works, such as A Doll’s House (1879), Spooks (1881), The Mallard (1884) and Hedda Gabler (1891).

In 1891, he settled again in Christiania, Norway. There he died in 1906, after suffering various medical problems, at the age of 78.

Henrink Ibsen was a controversial author in his time, because he questioned the values ​​and morals of the conservative Norwegian society. However, he managed to get some recognition before his death, not only in his country but also internationally.

He is currently considered one of the most influential playwrights, and his works are classics of universal literature.

About Dollhouse

A Doll’s House is a three-act play published by Henrik Ibsen in 1879. It first premiered at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is currently the writer’s most famous play.

The plot takes place in a city in Norway, where a family made up of a couple and their three young children lives. The story centers on Nora Helmer, who fulfills the roles of wife, mother and housewife, but undergoes a personal transformation that culminates in an unexpected and socially controversial ending.

Due to the innovative way in which Ibsen portrayed Nora and the actions that this woman carries out, A Doll’s House received negative reviews, and the most conservative sectors of Norwegian society considered it almost an affront to the traditional values ​​of the time. At the same time, the work obtained great recognition from the most progressive groups in the country. Later, she was also recognized internationally.

Characters

In Casa de muñecas the following characters appear:

• Nora Helmer: is the wife of Torvald Helmer, mother of three children and housewife.
• Torvald Helmer: he is a lawyer in a bank, husband of Nora and father of three children.
• Dr. Rank – He is a wealthy family friend who is suffering from a terminal illness.
• Kristine Linde: She is a widowed woman who is also a friend of Nora’s.
• Nils Krogstad: Employee at the bank where Torvald works.
• The children: they are the children of Nora and Torvald. Their names are Ivar, Bobby and Emmy.
• Anne Marie: She is the children’s babysitter and was previously Nora’s babysitter.
• Helene: is the servant of the Helmer.

Brief Summary of Dollhouse

First act

Dollhouse begins by showing how Nora Helmer prepares everything to celebrate Christmas. Although her husband Torvald Helmer scolds her for having spent more money than the previous year on Christmas shopping, both spouses appear happy and in love with her. In addition, they have another reason to celebrate, since Torvald received a promotion at work from him.

A moment later some visitors arrive. One of them is Kristine Linde, an old friend of Nora’s, and the other is Dr. Rank, a family friend. Kristine confesses to Nora about her financial difficulties and asks for her help in getting a job. In turn, Nora tells her that she went through a similar experience when Torvald fell ill and they had to travel to Italy to receive medical treatment from her. In order to meet the expenses of the trip, Nora obtained a loan illegally, forging her father’s signature. Since then, she secretly saves to pay off the loan.

When the third guest, Krogstad, a co-worker of Torvald’s, arrives, Nora becomes uneasy. She later asks her husband to help her friend Kristine get a job at the bank.

After the guests leave, Nora is left alone, and Krogstad reappears. He asks him to prevent Torvald from firing him. When Nora refuses, Krogstad extorts her into telling her husband about her fraud. She agrees, but fails to convince Torvald.

Second act

Nora continues to try to stop her husband from firing Krogstad, telling him that his colleague may ruin his career.

Dr. Rank visits them again, and Nora decides to seek his help. But instead, Dr. Rank confesses that he is about to die and that he was always in love with her.

Later, Krogstad confronts Nora again, and she explains that she couldn’t convince her husband. Krogstad then tells her that she wrote a letter to Torvald, telling him the truth about the fraud.

In despair, Nora asks Kristine to help her with Krogstad. When Torvald gets home and is about to open his mail, she Nora distracts him by showing him a dance that she plans to perform at a costume party to which they are invited.

third act

Kristine, who years ago had an affair with Krogstad, manages to convince him to stop extorting money from Nora. But she tells him not to look for the letter, so the couple can resolve this conflict once and for all.

During the costume party attended by the protagonists of the play, Dr. Rank says goodbye to Nora because he believes that she is about to die soon. Torvald opens his mailbox and reads his mail.

Nora is ready to run away, but Torvald scolds her because her reputation now depends on Krogstad. He accuses her of being a dishonest and immoral woman who is not worthy of raising her children. He also assures her that they will only stay married to keep up appearances for her.

Later, Nora receives a letter from Krogstad, where she regrets having extorted her and gives her the documents that incriminate her. Torvald burns them and spares Nora. However, she becomes disappointed in her husband and realizes that he never loved her.

Finally, she decides to leave her husband and children to start a journey of personal development. Although Torvald reminds her of her obligations as a wife and mother, she tells him that she also has an obligation to herself. Finally, she leaves, slamming the door.

Characteristics of the character of Nils Krogstad

Nils Krogstad is one of the characters in A Doll’s House who, at the beginning, appears as a villain in the story. He is a bitter middle-aged man who works in the same bank as Torvald Helmer and considers himself a failure. Although they are colleagues, these two men are very different. While Torvald has a spotless reputation, Krogstad has a bad reputation and is about to be fired.

Like the protagonist, Nora Helmer, Krogstad undergoes a transformation throughout the story and performs some unexpected actions that give his character greater complexity.

Krogstad as antagonist

At the beginning of the play, the arrival of Krogstad at the Helmer home interrupts the happiness and apparent tranquility of the family, and triggers the main conflict. He appears as a ruthless and unscrupulous man, who does not hesitate to blackmail a defenseless woman to achieve her goal.

Krogstad’s appearance reveals his own corruption, for he threatens Nora with exposing the fraud she committed with his help, something that until then remained a secret.

Through his extortion, Krogstad intends to keep his job and later a promotion as well. He thus becomes the antagonist of the story, the cause of the despair of the protagonist and, in some way, the catalyst of subsequent events.

The dark side of Krogstad

Krogstad’s cruel behavior can be seen mainly throughout the first two acts, when he continues to stalk and blackmail Nora Helmer.

Krogstad pressures Nora to convince her husband not to fire him. In the face of her efforts in vain, Krogstad grows impatient, angry, and demands more and more from her.

Krogstad pushes Nora over the edge, and she comes to consider suicide to escape her grief and evade the trouble she sees coming. Krogstad notices her and accuses her of being a coward. He also reminds her of the futility of such an action, because even if she were to die, Torvald’s reputation would still be damaged if the fraud became known.

Torvald, unaware that Krogstad is extorting his wife, defines him as a man with a bad reputation, morally ill and corrupt, whose days at work are numbered.

The other side of Krogstad

As the story unfolds, some common characteristics emerge between Krogstad and Nora Helmer that reveal new facets of the characters. The “good” and more humane side of Krogstad appears; and a new image of Nora, responsible and concerned, is also shown.

Both Nora and Krogstad forged signatures to obtain money and had similar motives for committing the frauds. The two were forced into it by her loved ones: Nora to save her husband’s life and Krogstad to support her children as a single parent. Also, at some point Krogstad, like Nora, entertained the idea of ​​suicide to solve his problems.

Nora and Krogstad are also two people who are trying to make amends. Krogstad does this by trying to keep his job at all costs; and Nora, secretly tries to save as much as she can to pay off the loan. Also, both are prisoners of despair and victims of the rigid and ruthless rules of society.

When Krogstad’s motives are discovered, his more human side can be seen. In a way, this also gives a glimpse of a possible positive resolution of the conflict between him and Nora.

Krogstad’s transformation

When Krogstad reunites with his old love, Kristine Linde, they have a conversation that rekindles their feelings and kicks off Krogstad’s transformation. He decides to stop blackmailing Nora and focus on the future.

To end the blackmail, she decides to find the letter and tear it up, but surprisingly, Kristine tells her that she better leave it in the mailbox so Nora and Torvald can talk about it and be done with it. Krogstad accepts, and sends a second letter, where he gives them the evidence he has about the fraud and states that he will not reveal the secret.

Although this change in Krogstad seems sudden, it is the result of a transformation that occurs in someone who does not really have an evil nature, but rather a great need for understanding and affection to direct his life.

In the end, despite the fact that the fraud is not made public, the relationship between Nora and Torvald breaks down and he is revealed as the true antagonist of the story.

Redeeming himself by retracting his actions and ending the extortion, Krogstad is ready to start a new life with the woman he loves.

Bibliography

• Ibsen, H. A Doll’s House . (2018). Spain. Verbum.
• Summaryexpress.com. Henrik Ibsen’s Doll’s House (Reading Guide): Summary and complete analysis. (2017). Spain. Express Summary.
• gradesaver.com. Dollhouse, symbols, allegory and motifs . Study guides. Available at https://www.gradesaver.com/casa-de-munecas/guia-de-estudio/symbols-allegory-motifs
• The source of knowledge. A Summary of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Portalibros.info. Available at: https://portalibros.info/resumen-de-casa-de-munecas/