Mrs. Linde, as she is generally known to the other characters, is an old friend of Nora's. She is a woman whose marriage was loveless, and based on a need for financial security, and who doesn’t have any children. She and Krogstad had been in love at the time, but he was too poor to support her family. She arrives in town in search of a job in order to earn money and survive independently. In this way, she is a fairly modern woman; towards the end of the play, she explains to Krogstad that she finds joy and meaning in work. However, in other ways she is more traditional. She tells both Krogstad and Nora that she is miserable without other people to take care of, thereby fitting into the traditional role of women as caretakers and nurturers. It is this conviction that causes her to marry Krogstad towards the end of the play. She believes very deeply in honesty and stops Krogstad from taking the letter he wrote to Torvald back, thereby ensuring that Torvald find out about Nora’s secret. Although this at first seems like a betrayal of Nora, it turns out to ultimately be a decision to Nora’s benefit as it is after Torvald finds out about the debt that Nora is able to see the true nature of her marriage. This twist confirms Mrs. Linde’s belief that honesty is always better than deceit, even if Mrs. Linde's expectation was that it was Nora's deceit that needed to be exposed, not the shallowness of Torvald's feelings.
Kristine Linde Quotes in A Doll's House
The A Doll's House quotes below are all either spoken by Kristine Linde or refer to Kristine Linde. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act Three
Quotes
What else is there to understand, apart from the old, old story? A heartless woman throws a man over the moment something more profitable offers itself.
Related Characters:
Nils Krogstad (speaker), Kristine Linde
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Without work I couldn’t live. All my life I have worked, for as long as I can remember; that has always been my one great joy. But now I’m completely alone in the world, and feeling horribly empty and forlorn. There’s no pleasure in working only for yourself. Nils, give me somebody and something to work for.
Helmer must know everything. This unhappy secret must come out. Those two must have the whole thing out between them. All this secrecy and deception, it just can’t go on.
Related Characters:
Kristine Linde (speaker), Torvald Helmer
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Kristine Linde Character Timeline in A Doll's House
The timeline below shows where the character Kristine Linde appears in A Doll's House. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act One
The play opens to a nicely decorated living room. The doorbell rings. Nora Helmer enters though...
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Torvald Helmer calls from his study, asking if Nora has just returned home and calling her...
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Nora suggests they could borrow money and pay it back after Torvald receives his paycheck. Torvald...
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Nora concedes: “just as you say, Torvald.” Torvald, not wanting to see her sulk, gives her...
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Nora shows off the presents she has bought for the children (a doll for her daughter;...
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Torvald says that Nora is looking guilty and asks several times if she went to the...
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Torvald and Nora look forward to the evening, while recalling earlier Christmases when they didn’t have...
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Dr. Rank and an unnamed lady arrive. Torvald says he does not want to receive visitors,...
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Torvald exits to meet Dr. Rank in his study, while the lady, wearing traveling clothes, is...
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Nora asks if Mrs. Linde’s husband left her any money or children, and Mrs. Linde confirms...
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Nora asks to hear about Mrs. Linde’s life, but before Mrs. Linde can say anything, Nora...
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Mrs. Linde says she remembers Nora being a “spendthrift” in their school days, and Nora admits...
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Mrs. Linde says she knows that Nora and Torvald spent a year in Italy, and Nora...
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Mrs. Linde asks about Dr. Rank, wondering if his visit means Torvald is still in bad...
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Nora asks if it is really true that Mrs. Linde did not love her husband, and...
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Nora says Mrs. Linde must feel relieved, but Mrs. Linde says she feels empty and purposeless...
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Nora promises to help persuade Torvald to give Mrs. Linde a job. Mrs. Linde thanks her,...
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Nora mentions that Mrs. Linde is proud of having been able to look after her mother...
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Nora at first won’t reveal how she acquired the money, delighting in keeping Mrs. Linde in...
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Mrs. Linde, worried, asks if Nora has done something rash. Nora says that she saved her...
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Mrs. Linde asks if Torvald ever found out about the money, and if Nora ever confided...
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Nora asks what Mrs. Linde thinks of her now that she knows about her secret, and...
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Nora goes on to explain that she supplemented the savings from her allowance by doing copying...
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The doorbell rings. The maid announces that it is someone to see Torvald, but that she...
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Mrs. Linde asks Nora who it was at the door. Nora replied that it was Krogstad....
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Dr. Rank enters. Nora introduces him to Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde says they came in to...
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Nora, breaking the tension, says that Dr. Rank is as keen to live as anybody. Dr....
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Nora suddenly bursts out laughing and Dr. Rank inquires what she laughing about, asking if she...
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Nora offers Dr. Rank a macaroon. He says he thought they were forbidden in Nora’s house....
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Torvald enters and Nora quickly hides the macaroons. Nora asks if Torvald “got rid of” Krogstad,...
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Mrs. Linde, Torvald, and Dr. Rank all go to leave. As they go, Nora asks that...
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Nora talks to her children, who tell her what they’ve been doing outside. The nursemaid offers...
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The door half opens. Krogstad stands in the doorway, waiting. Eventually he announces himself. Nora jumps...
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Krogstad says that he saw Torvald walking down the street earlier with a lady. Nora asks...
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Krogstad asks in a more polite tone if Nora will use her influence to his advantage....
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Krogstad says he knew Torvald in their student days and is sure he is no more...
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Nora says she cannot help Krogstad; he insists that this is only because she doesn’t want...
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Krogstad remarks that either Nora doesn’t have a good memory or she doesn’t know much about...
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Krogstad tells Nora how dangerous it was for her to admit to signing her father’s name,...
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Nora, alone, tells herself that Krogstad is just trying to scare her. The children stand in...
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Nora decorates the tree, still talking to herself, saying everything Krogstad has said is nonsense and...
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Nora continues to decorate the Christmas tree and tells Torvald she is excited for the Stenborgs’...
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Nora strokes Torvald’s hair and says that if he weren’t so busy she’d ask him to...
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Nora casually asks what Krogstad’s crime was. Torvald replies that it was forgery, and asks if...
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Torvald says a man like Krogstad will forever have to lie, even to his own family,...
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Nora backs away from Torvald, saying she feels hot. Torvald gets up and says he must...
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Nora repeats to herself “it’s impossible.” The nursemaid calls saying that the children keep asking if...
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Act Two
The curtain opens to the same room, with the Christmas tree now stripped and “bedraggled.” Nora’s...
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The nursemaid enters, carrying a large cardboard box. She announces that it is the box of...
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Nora asks how the children are, and the nursemaid replies that they are playing with their...
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Nora begins unpacking the box, but quickly throws it down. She mutters to herself about wanting...
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Nora tells Mrs. Linde she would like her help with her costume for the fancy dress...
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Nora remarks that Torvald knows how to make the home nice, and Mrs. Linde says that...
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Nora explains that Dr. Rank was Torvald’s best friend as a boy and is also a...
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Mrs. Linde chastises Nora, saying she is still a child and that she must stop “all...
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Mrs. Linde points out that Nora’s own husband would be able to cope with the matter,...
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Nora goes to meet Torvald and says she’s been “longing” for him to come back. She...
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Nora stops him, and asks that if “a little squirrel” (referring to herself) asked nicely would...
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Torvald says he hopes Nora is not referring to the conversation they had that morning about...
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Nora insists that Krogstad is capable of great evil, implying he could destroy the peace and...
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Torvald says that there is another reason, separate from Krogstad’s history of bad behavior that makes...
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Nora desperately begs Torvald to get the letter back, for the sake of himself and the...
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Nora, alone and “wild-eyed with terror,” talks to herself, trying to decide whether Krogstad is capable...
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Dr. Rank says he will keep taking advantage of the ability to talk to Nora as...
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Nora tells Dr. Rank he is being absurd, saying she hoped he would be in a...
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Suddenly, Nora asks Dr. Rank why he smiled, and Dr. Rank replies that it was in...
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Nora tells Dr. Rank to cheer up and promises that he’ll see her dance tomorrow and...
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Dr. Rank muses that he couldn’t imagine what would have happened to him if he’d never...
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Nora tells Dr. Rank that there is something he must help her prevent happening. She tells...
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The maid enters with the lamp, before exiting again. Dr. Rank asks if Nora knew that...
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Dr. Rank explains that he can’t figure Nora out, and that it’s often felt to him...
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The maid enters, whispers something to Nora and hands her a visiting card. Nora, looking at...
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Nora asks the maid if “he” (Krogstad) is in the kitchen. The maid replies that he...
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Nora remarks to herself that Krogstad is coming and that this is what she has been...
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Krogstad asks if Nora has a clearer idea of her crime than she did yesterday. She...
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Krogstad explains that, even if the remainder of the debt is paid off, he will still...
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Krogstad reveals that he has a letter already written to Torvald explaining the situation. Nora insists...
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Nora tells Krogstad that he will never live to see himself run the bank. Krogstad asks...
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Nora watches Krogstad exit and sees him drop the letter in the letter box. She cries...
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Nora asks Mrs. Linde to be her witness in case she goes mad or anything else...
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Mrs. Linde announces that she is going to talk to Krogstad. Nora asks her not to,...
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Nora opens the door to Torvald’s study. Torvald asks if he can return to his own...
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Torvald stops himself, saying before he forgets he should look to see if he has any...
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Mrs. Linde enters “as though spellbound.” Nora asks her to see what fun they are having,...
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Nora urges Torvald not to open any letters, and Torvald says he can tell that there...
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Nora asks Mrs. Linde what happened when she went out. Mrs. Linde replies that Krogstad has...
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Act Three
The act opens on the same room, this time only occupied by Mrs. Linde, who is...
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Mrs. Linde addresses Krogstad by his first name and asks that the two of them talk....
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Krogstad tells Mrs. Linde that when he lost her it felt as if the ground slipped...
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Mrs. Linde points out that both she and Krogstad are struggling alone in bad situations. She...
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Krogstad, still uncertain, asks if Mrs. Linde knows about his past, and what people think of...
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Mrs. Linde interrupts Krogstad, saying that she can hear the tarantella. She explains this means the...
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Krogstad resolves to ask for his letter back unread, but Mrs. Linde asks him not to....
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Mrs. Linde tidies the room and talks to herself about how things can change and how...
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Mrs. Linde greets them, and both Nora and Torvald are shocked to see her there so...
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Torvald notices that it is dark and goes in to light candles. While he is out...
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Torvald returns and asks if Mrs. Linde has finished admiring Nora. Mrs. Linde says she has...
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Nora asks Torvald if he is tired, but he says he is extremely lively. Nora admits...
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Torvald says how happy he is to be alone with Nora. Nora asks that he not...
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There is a knock at the door, and Dr. Rank announces himself. Torvald is annoyed by...
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Torvald goes to the letter box and says he must empty it. He notices that somebody...
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Torvald holds Nora and says that he sometimes wishes her life were in danger so that...
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Torvald takes the letters into his study. Nora, wild-eyed, wraps Torvald’s cloak around herself and whispers...
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Torvald holds up the letter and asks if Nora knows what’s in it. She admits that...
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Torvald paces up and down, saying that in the eight years they have been married, Nora...
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Nora promises Torvald that after she dies, he will be free. Torvald says she is pretending...
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Torvald tells Nora to take her shawl off and begins to talk about what he plans...
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The doorbell rings. Torvald tells Nora to hide, but she doesn’t move. The maid enters and...
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Torvald talks about the “agonies” that Nora must have suffered, but then declares that they should...
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Torvald asks Nora where she is going, and she answers that she is going to take...
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Nora returns, wearing her everyday clothes. Torvald, surprised, asks why she’s not in bed. Nora replies...
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Nora explains that Torvald has never understood her and that she has been wronged both by...
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Torvald, infuriated, says that Nora is being ungrateful. He asks if she was happy in their...
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Nora reveals to Torvald that she is planning to leave him immediately, and that she will...
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Torvald asks if she cares about leaving her husband and children, or what people will say....
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Torvald asks if Nora does not have an infallible guide to the question of her position...
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Torvald says Nora is ill and delirious. Nora replies that she has never felt so calm...
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Torvald tells Nora that nobody sacrifices his honor for the person he loves, but Nora replies...
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Torvald acknowledges sadly that there is a “tremendous gulf” between them, and asks if there is...
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Torvald asks if some day things might change. Nora says she cannot know what she will...
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Torvald asks if there is any way that he could one day be more than a...
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