Final answer:
Krogstad wants Nora to help him secure a higher position at the bank, using his knowledge of her debt as leverage. He aims to rehabilitate his reputation and recover respect in the community for the sake of his children. Nora feels powerless to assist him due to her husband's intentions to dismiss Krogstad from his bank position.
Step-by-step explanation:
Krogstad wants Nora to help him secure a better position at the bank where her husband is employed. He is not seeking money or any personal relationship with her but rather his professional rehabilitation. Krogstad emphasizes his desire to get back into the bank in a higher position, stating that he wants to rehabilitate himself and for Nora's husband to help him in achieving this.
Despite being turned away from the position, Krogstad is determined to fight for his place at the bank, as it represents a chance for him to rebuild his reputation for the sake of his children. His methods of securing this position are coercive, as he implies that he will reveal Nora's secret about her debt to her husband if she does not assist him in retaining his job.
Nora, feeling trapped, insists that it is not within her power to influence her husband's decision-making, especially since Krogstad's position at the bank seems to directly conflict with her husband's intentions to dismiss him. However, Krogstad is not easily dissuaded, firmly stating that Nora must use her influence on his behalf.