As one of the leaders of the realist movement in the theater, Henrik Ibsen earned a reputation for creating plays that accurately depict the details of people's ordinary lives. The first two acts of A Doll's House are safe territory, following the accepted conventions of dramatic writing in Ibsen's portrayal of life in a palatial Victorian family. The third and final act, however, presents a revolutionary break with tradition, as it ignores both the drama of conventional rules and the social conventions of its era. While many critics have discussed Nora Helmer's shocking decision to abandon her family in the opera's final scene, the overlooked beginning of the third act is a key turning point in the opera's progression. The meeting between the characters of Mrs. Christine Linde and Nils Krogstad launches the plot towards its memorable unresolved climax, offers a suspenseful twist for the play's audience and also breaks some gender stereotypes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Critics and audiences alike have praised Ibsen for his memorable three-dimensional characters throughout his vast work. While A Doll's House is first and foremost a character study of Nora Helmer and her marital relationship with Torvald, the minor characters also offer a realistic slice of the Victorian lifestyle and help convey the play's themes and ideas. During the first two acts of the opera, Mrs. Linde serves as a foil to the character of Nora. His proactive and practical nature contrasts sharply with Nora's idealistic, dream-filled approach to life. While Nora is full of hope, working hard to fulfill her duties and maintain the facade of a happy housewife, Mrs. Linde represents women who were not fortunate enough to live the dream of the Victorian woman. In the scene, Mrs. Linde reveals to Krogstad that her marriage to a wealthy, older man was driven not by romance, but by duty to her suffering mother and underage brothers (Ibsen 50). Since then, Ms. Linde continues, she has emptied her life of luxurious fantasies and taken on various jobs to support her family. Until her meeting with Krogstad, it seems that Mrs. Linde is a negative character compared to Nora. While Mrs. Linde refused to submit to a male figure and endured many hardships in her “unspeakably empty” life, Nora fulfilled her feminine duties and is now pampered by Helmer in a comfortable home (Ibsen 10). In the final act, this message is completely reversed and Mrs. Linde is transformed into a positive foil for Nora. As Mrs. Linde and Krogstand share their feelings with each other, the former lovers admit that they are "two castaways... clinging to some wreckage" (Ibsen 50-51). Both suffered as a result of Mrs. Linde's decision to flee a romantic life with Krogstad to take on responsibility for her family. As a result, they both learned to become reasonable people, as Mrs. Linde approves of Krogstad's decision to "not believe in pretty speeches" (Ibsen 50). As they recall their difficult life lessons, the two choose to reunite and are both thrilled at the idea. After Krogstad's exit, Mrs. Linde joyfully proclaims, "What a difference!" to the prospect of leading a life with someone to support and care for (Ibsen 52). The arrangement the couple agrees to is a shocking violation of Victorian gender roles, since Mrs. Linde will provide their income through her, 1981.