DH.3.Changes+in+MOOD

** Mood before Act 3 **
>
 * Suspenseful/tense
 * 1) Facts are hidden, audience knows Nora has taken a loan from Krogstad and that she has forged a signiture, but her husband doesn't; Nora is tasked with keeping Krogstad from revealing her secret to Torvald, creating tension in the audience as Nora's secret could be exposed at seemingly any time
 * 2) Also, tension is built on the fact that she has to keep acting carefree and innocent for Helmer

** Mood in Act 3 **
> -Nora continues to hide her secret > -Scenes become intense and action-filled, with Helmer’s obsessive wooing of Nora, and then later his outburst upon finding out about her crime. > -Closure is reached in many relationships; Mrs. Linde and Krogstad, Nora and Dr. Rank, and Nora and Helmer.
 * More suspense
 * Intense
 * Finality/closure

= **__ Changes in mood: __** =

**Tension before Act 3**
Earlier in the play, tension is created from Nora’s attempts to keep her secret hidden from her family. This tension is generated by  · Nora having to deal with Krogstad’s blackmail ("If I'm to be flung out for the second time, you'll keep me company!" 176), while also continuing to act carefree and innocent for Torvald, · Nora’s difficulty keeping her debt and her family life separate: “Ah, if only you knew what expenses we skylarks and squirrels have, Torvald” (p. 151).

** Further build up of tension/anxiety in Act 3 **
In the third act Nora’s secret is exposed, and this release of built-up anticipation is reflected in the mood of the play as well · Helmer’s obsessive love scene (or attempted love scene) with Nora precedes his discovery of her forgery, o Reinforces Helmer’s dominant position in the marriage, as he demands that Nora satisfy his desires, o Builds further suspense towards Helmer’s discovery of Nora’s crime, o Foreshadows Helmer’s powerful outburst ; during the love scene, Nora actually seems afraid of Helmer and moves behind a table to escape his physical advances, o Develops the anxiety over Nora’s forgery that was created in the first two acts into actual fear as Helmer appears as an insistent drunken husband desperate to bend Nora to his will.

The audience empathizes with the Nora's apprehension through the act. · Nora is apprehensive when Torvald goes to his office to read the letters o Nora's apprehension and fear of Torvald's reaction is shown through her hasty farewells as she attempts to leave before Torvald has opened the letter
 * Apprehension in Act 3**

o Apprehension leads up to the climax of the play, as it builds fear and dread or an expectancy of Torvald's reaction to the forgery

**Intensity in Act 3**

This fear turns out to be well-founded when Helmer reads Krogstad’s letter revaling Nora’s crime, and enters a rage: · Illustrates Helmer’s attempt to completely nominate Nora; he physically holds Nora back, preventing her from leaving, · Demonstrates Helmer’s complete abandonment of the lighthearted tone he took with Nora earlier in the play, as he becomes genuinely angry, calling her: “a liar, a hypocrite – even worse – a criminal!” (p. 221).

** Closure in Act 3 **
When Helmer receives the letter with Nora’s bond in it, he calms down, allowing Nora to confront him and explain why she can no longer be with him. In addition to Nora’s discussion with Torvald in which she tells him that she no longer loves him, there are also other relationships which change dramatically in the third act, and which find definite closure. · Nora and Torvald: o Throughout the first two acts, it was clear that Nora was trying frantically to be the happy-go-lucky wife that Torvald expected, o However, she had immense difficulty balancing this with her debt to Krogstad, which she did not want Helmer to know about, o The mood in the first two acts in the Helmer’s relationship is very lighthearted, although to the audience this is also very stressed as they know that o Upon realizing Torvald's false love for her, Nora begins to openly convey her emotions and feelings about their relationship. However, Torvald continues to treat her like a child throughout her efforts to have a serious conversation, making it seem like Torvald does not completely understand his mistakes or what Nora is feeling. This misunderstanding and incessant immaturity from Torvald causes the audience to experience agitation or annoyance as Torvald is unable to realize the reality in Nora's decision to leave until he actually witnesses her departure.

Nora's attitude is a facade. · Nora and Dr. Rank: o In act two, a deep bond was revealed between Nora and Dr. Rank, o However, in act three, Dr. Rank is cheery despite knowing that this will be his last time seeing Nora, o Creates a sort of resolution to the relationship of Nora and Dr. Rank; the tension created by Rank’s admission of affection is released and an intimate mutual understanding is established with Nora and Rank telling each other to “sleep well” (p. 217), which of course has a deeper meaning in light of Rank’s approaching death. · Mrs. Linde and Krogstad: o Earlier in the play, there was a curiosity about Kristina and Krogstad’s relationship, as well as a sense of hope that Kristina could help Nora, o Here, that curiosity is satisfied as their past relationship is explained, o A sort of satisfaction is created as Krogstad’s situation is explained, and the relationship ends happily for both characters, o However, hope for Nora fades when Kristina tells Nora that she must tell Helmer about her crime, which helps to further build suspense as the audience learns that Helmer will inevitably learn of Nora’s forgery.