Final answer:
In Henrik Ibsen's play, Nora struggles with financial management, prioritizing her family's immediate needs while secretly repaying a loan she took out for her husband's health trip to Italy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discussion between Lori and Jeannette regarding money, which is a vital theme in Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House, raises the issue of fiscal responsibility and the struggles of the main character, Nora, to secure the well-being of her family. Throughout the play, money is a source of tension and secrecy.
Nora has taken a substantial loan without her husband's knowledge to pay for an essential trip to Italy for his health, telling others that the money came from her father.
This loan was obtained under the pretense that it was not from her father, signifying Nora's independence and her capability to make significant decisions without relying on male figures in her life.
Nora's financial struggle is evidenced when she describes the difficulty of managing quarterly interest and installments. Despite receiving money for housekeeping from her husband Torvald, Nora prioritizes her family's immediate needs over the repayment of her secret debt, leaving little to contribute to their savings.
Henrik Ibsen's play explores the concept of discretionary income and the pressures of maintaining appearances while balancing the responsibilities of debt and family welfare.
The theme of financial management is particularly relevant as it emphasizes the importance of savings and the hidden sacrifices made in order to uphold societal expectations and family harmony.