Nora Helmer has years earlier committed a forgery in order to save the life of her authoritarian husband Torvald. Now she is being blackmailed, and lives in fear of her husband finding out, and of the shame such a revelation would bring to his career. But, when the truth comes out, Nora is shocked to learn where she really stands in her husband's esteem.

"He is the master. He's called a husband. She is the play thing. She's called a wife."