ACT 3
Mrs Linde arrives at the Helmers’ home and, after a tense exchange, meets Krogstad in the hallway. They discuss their shared history—her abandonment of him for financial security and his feelings of betrayal—and decide to marry, hoping their union will solve Krogstad’s financial woes. Krogstad plans to retrieve the forged loan letter he left in the mailbox; Mrs Linde urges him not to recall it, insisting she will protect Nora.
Later, Torvald Helmer discovers a stack of letters in the mailbox, including Krogstad’s blackmail note with a black cross over his name. He rushes to read it, becomes frantic, then decides to destroy the bond and letters in the stove, claiming they are “saved.” He tells Nora they are free from Krogstad’s threats and celebrates the removal of the debt.
After the party, Nora, still under pressure from Krogstad’s threat, attempts to leave with her children. Torvald stops her, leading to a heated confrontation. Nora tells Torvald she has never been truly happy, that she has lived as his “doll” and his father’s “doll‑child,” and that she now values her own duties over those to husband and children. She declares she no longer loves him, returns his wedding ring, and states she will leave immediately, taking only what belongs to herself. Torvald pleads, tries to keep her, but she refuses, insisting on total freedom for both. She exits the house with a small bag, leaving Torvald alone, devastated, as the play ends with the sound of a door shutting.