List of events in 'A Dolls House'

1. Torvald greets Nora playfully and affectionately, but then chides her for spending so much money on Christmas gifts.

2. Dr. Rank and Kristine Linde have come to visit.  

3. Nora promises to speak to Torvald about helping Mrs. Linde obtain employment at the bank and then reveals her secret to Mrs. Linde. (Without Torvald’s knowledge, Nora illegally borrowed money for the trip that she and Torvald took to Italy; she told Torvald that the money had come from her father.)

4. Krogstad, a low-level employee at the bank, arrives and once he and Torvald have finished their meeting, Torvald comes into the living room and says that he can probably hire Mrs. Linde.

(Dr. Rank, Torvald, and Mrs. Linde then leave.)

5. Krogstad and Nora converse, and it is revealed that he is the source of Nora’s secret loan.
Krogstad states that Torvald wants to fire him from his position at the bank and asks Nora to use her influence to ensure that his position remains secure. When she refuses, Krogstad blackmails Nora, threatening to reveal her crime and to bring shame and disgrace on both Nora and her husband if she does not prevent Torvald from firing him.

Krogstad leaves.

6. When Torvald returns, Nora tries to convince him not to fire Krogstad, but to no avail.

7. Mrs. Linde arrives and helps sew Nora’s costume (for the ball the following evening.) Nora tells Mrs. Linde that Dr. Rank has a life-threatening illness that he inherited from his father and Mrs. Linde wrongly guesses that Dr. Rank is the source of Nora’s loan. Nora denies Mrs. Linde’s accusations but refuses to reveal the source of her distress.

8. Torvald arrives, and Nora again begs him to keep Krogstad employed at the bank, but again he refuses. Torvald ends the argument by sending the maid to deliver Krogstad’s letter of dismissal before leaving.

9. Dr. Rank arrives and tells Nora that he knows he is close to death. She's about to ask him for help with her situation when suddenly, Dr. Rank reveals to Nora that he is in love with her.

Dr. Rank leaves.

10. Krogstad arrives demanding an explanation for his dismissal and informing Nora of the change in the terms of the blackmail: he now insists to Nora that not only that he be rehired at the bank but that he be rehired in a higher position. He then puts a letter detailing Nora’s secret in the letterbox, to which only Torvald holds the key.

11. Nora tells Mrs. Linde everything, and Mrs. Linde instructs Nora to delay Torvald from opening the letter as long as possible while she goes to speak with Krogstad.

12. In order to distract Torvald from the letterbox, Nora begins to practice the tarantella she will perform at that evening’s costume party. In her agitated emotional state, she dances wildly and violently, displeasing Torvald. Nora manages to make Torvald promise not to open his mail until after she performs at the party.

13. The next night, Krogstad meets Mrs. Linde in the Helmers’ living room and she tells Krogstad that now that she is free of her own familial obligations she wishes to be with Krogstad and care for his children. Krogstad is overjoyed and says he will demand his letter back before Torvald can learn Nora's secret but Mrs. Linde insists that he leaves the letter, as 'Torvald and Nora will be better off once the truth has been revealed.'

14. Nora and Torvald enter, back from the costume ball but Dr. Rank, interrupts Torvald’s advances on Nora.

After Dr. Rank leaves, she informs Torvald of Dr. Rank’s illness and then insists that Torvald reads Krogstad’s letter.

15. Torvald reads the letter and is outraged. He calls Nora a hypocrite and a liar and complains that she has ruined his happiness. He declares that she will not be allowed to raise their children.

16. Helene then brings in a letter. Torvald opens it and discovers that Krogstad has returned Nora’s contract (which contains the forged signature). Overjoyed, Torvald attempts to dismiss his past insults, but it's too late.

17. She declares that throughout their eight years of marriage, Torvald has treated her like a “doll” and decides to leave him, declaring that she must “make sense of [herself and everything around her.” She walks out, slamming the door behind her.