Corruption

Quote

Character

Act

“It’s a lawyer named Krogstad. He’s rotten to the core...”

Dr Rank

1

“... here there are people who grub around sniffing out moral corruption, and when they’ve found it they put it in a good job somewhere where they can keep an eye on it. The honest man probably finds himself left out in the cold.”

Dr Rank

1

“Mrs Helmer, you obviously don’t realise what you’ve been guilty of; but let me tell you that the thing that I once did that ruined my reputation was nothing more – and nothing worse – than that.”

Krogstad

1

“A candle here... and flowers here... That horrible man!”

Nora

1

“A songbird must have a clear voice to sing with – no false notes.”

Torvald

1

“How he must wear a mask even with those nearest and dearest to him – yes even with his own wife and children. Yes, even with his children – that’s the most dreadful thing, Nora.”

Torvald

1

“Because an atmosphere of lies that infects and poisons the whole life of a home. In a house like that, every breath that the children take is filled with the germs of evil.”

Torvald

1

“And certainly for years this fellow Krogstad has been going home and poisoning his own children with lies and deceit. That’s why I call him a moral outcast.”

Torvald

1

“Corrupt my little children – poison my home?”

Nora

1

“But he’s really very ill, poor man, he has consumption of the spine. The fact is, his father was a horrible man who had mistresses and that sort of thing, so, you see, the son’s been delicate all his life.”

Nora

2

“My poor innocent spine must pay for my father’s amusements as a gay young subaltern.”

Dr Rank

2

“For the last eighteen months I haven’t touched anything dishonest, and all that time I’ve been struggling against the most difficult conditions.”

Krogstad

2

“Look at me now – a shipwrecked man clinging to a spar.”

Krogstad

3

“And do you know my reputation here?”

Krogstad

3

“Why shouldn’t one enjoy everything the world has to offer – at any rate, as much as one can – and for as long as one can? The wine was superb!”

Dr Rank

3

“For these last eight years you’ve been my