Question

read the excerpt from act 3 of a dolls house.
nora: in all these eight years—longer than that—from the very beginning of our acquaintance, we have never exchanged a word on any serious subject.
helmer: was it likely that i would be continually and forever telling you about worries that you could not help me to bear?
nora: i am not speaking about business matters. i say that we have never sat down in earnest together to try and get at the bottom of anything.
helmer: but, dearest nora, would it have been any good to you?
nora: that is just it; you have never understood me. i have been greatly wronged, torvald—first by papa and then by you.
how does the conflict in the text best connect to the views of society in the late 1800s?
○ the conflict between nora and helmer shows how men and women could not agree on issues or successfully work together to solve important problems.
○ the conflict between nora and helmer shows how gender roles were defined, as helmer has complete control over everything, including what the couple discusses.
○ the conflict between nora and helmer shows how men attempted to limit women’s economic freedoms, causing nora to lie about how she obtained money.
○ the conflict between nora and helmer shows how women who ended marriages had no rights, leading nora to have to hide her true feelings in order to

Explanation:

The excerpt centers on Nora and Helmer's conflict over their lack of meaningful, equal conversation. In late 1800s society, strict gender roles framed men as the authoritative, controlling figures in marriages, dictating the terms of interaction. The second option directly links their conflict to this dynamic: Helmer dismisses Nora's desire for serious discussion, embodying the idea that men controlled what couples could engage with, which aligns with the era's defined gender roles. Other options are incorrect: the first overstates inability to collaborate, the third focuses on economic freedom not addressed here, and the fourth centers on marriage rights not the core of this exchange.

Answer:

O The conflict between Nora and Helmer shows how gender roles were defined, as Helmer has complete control over everything, including what the couple discusses.