Final answer:
Emerson meant that society hinders personal growth and independence when he said it works 'against the manhood.' This reflects his emphasis on nonconformity and individual strength as essential for personal and national development. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Ralph Waldo Emerson discusses how society works "against the manhood," he is emphasizing the constraints that societal norms and pressures place on individual growth and independence. Thus, the statement implies that society hinders personal growth and independence. This aligns with Emerson's value on individuality and his caution against mass conformity. In his essay 'Self-Reliance,' Emerson encourages his readers to be nonconformists and to stand true to their own beliefs, instead of adhering to societal expectations.
The term 'manhood' in the nineteenth century context involved notions of paternal duty, independence, and providing, all of which were stifled under societal constraints. Emerson's belief in the development of individual strengths was rooted in his view that personal integrity and individual action were necessary for national progress, as stated by Samuel Smiles in 'Self-Help'.
Therefore, the correct answer to what Emerson means by society working "against the manhood" is B. Society hinders personal growth and independence.