Question

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll’s House.

Helmer: Before all else, you are a wife and a mother.

Nora: I don't believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are—or, at all events, that I must try and become one. I know quite well, Torvald, that most people would think you right, and that views of that kind are to be found in books; but I can no longer content myself with what most people say, or with what is found in books. I must think over things for myself and get to understand them.

Helmer: Can you not understand your place in your own home? Have you not a reliable guide in such matters as that?—have you no religion?

Nora: I am afraid, Torvald, I do not exactly know what religion is.

How does Nora’s conflict in this excerpt best demonstrate a difference between life in the late 1800s and life today?

The conflict demonstrates that women are better suited to be mothers than wives.
The conflict demonstrates that women are not inclined to practice a particular religion.
The conflict demonstrates that women are expected to remain in the roles assigned to them.
The conflict demonstrates that women are not expected to get their education from books.

Answer 1

Nora’s conflict demonstrates that women are expected to remain in the roles assigned to them. That is a difference between life in the late 1800s and life today. Option C is correct.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. The conflict demonstrates that women are expected to remain in the roles assigned to them.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt presented belongs to A Doll's House that was a play written by Henry Ibsen in 1879. In this excerpt there is a dialogue between Helmer and Nora, in this section of the play Nora expresses her desire to be defined as a rational human being rather than as a wife and a mother which she finds is a conflict "I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are—or, at all events, that I must try and become one". However, Helmer disagrees with this and claims "Can you not understand your place in your own home?" to try to remember Nora her roles is the one of a mother and wife and she is limited to it.

Due to this, this excerpt shows back in the late 1800s women were expected to be mothers and wives and remain in this role while nowadays each woman is free to define her roles as she wants to. Thus, "the conflict demonstrates that women are expected to remain in the roles assigned to them".