Question

read the excerpt from act 1 of a doll’s house.
mrs. linde: yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds.
nora: smiling yes, that is what torvald and all the others think, but—
mrs. linde: but—
nora: papa didn’t give us a shilling. it was i who procured the money.
mrs. linde: you? all that large sum?
nora: two hundred and fifty pounds. what do you think of that?
mrs. linde: but, nora, how could you possibly do it? did you win a prize in the lottery?
nora: contemptuously in the lottery? there would have been no credit in that.

how does this excerpt best develop the theme that society places limits on the roles of women?
○ as a woman, nora is supposed to do whatever it takes to save her husband, but she cannot act alone.
○ as a woman, nora cannot borrow money, but she does so behind her husband’s back in order to save him.
○ as a woman, nora cannot discuss money with men, so she does not reveal her actions to her husband.
○ as a woman, nora is supposed to be flawless, so she must hide from her husband any mistake she makes.

Explanation:

The excerpt shows Nora had to borrow money secretly (behind her husband’s back) because, as a woman, she couldn’t do so openly. This reflects societal limits on women’s financial autonomy. Other options either misinterpret the situation (e.g., A, C, D don’t align with the borrowing/money - related societal restriction shown here).

Answer:

B. As a woman, Nora cannot borrow money, but she does so behind her husband’s back in order to save him.