View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who keeps Melchior from committing suicide?
(a) Wendla.
(b) Ernst.
(c) A masked man.
(d) Moritz.

2. What sort of characters are the women in A Children's Tragedy?
(a) Secondary characters.
(b) Primary characters.
(c) Stock characters.
(d) Cameos.

3. Where does Moritz sneak to in Act 1, Scene 4?
(a) The faculty room.
(b) His teacher's house.
(c) Melchior's house.
(d) Church.

4. Who does Bentley believe is the inspiration for the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Gabor?
(a) Wedekind's parents.
(b) The prime minister and his wife.
(c) Wedekind's siblings.
(d) The parents of Wedekind's girlfriend.

5. What sort of story is A Children's Tragedy?
(a) Morality play.
(b) Absurdism.
(c) Coming-of-age.
(d) Theater of Cruelty.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Wendla claim about the thoughts her mother finds offensive in the first scene?

2. With whom was Wedekind finding conflict while writing his play?

3. In the brief summary given in the introduction, what concept is Melchior struggling with?

4. What is Thanatos according to Bentley?

5. What birthday is being celebrated for Wendla in Act I, Scene 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is this play described as "coming-of-age?"

2. What startling admission does Moritz give in Act I, Scene 4? Why?

3. How do Mrs. Bergmann and Wendla deal with the girl's maturation in Act I, Scene 1?

4. How does Bentley describe Moritz and Melchior in relation to each other in his introduction?

5. What conflicts does Bentley discuss were essential to Wedekind during the writing of "Spring Awakening"? Why?

6. How was "Spring Awakening" treated in Germany during both World Wars?

7. What is Wendla's attitude about her old dress and new dress in the beginning of the play?

8. In the introduction, why is this play deemed as widely disliked by feminists?

9. What does Moritz believe is the purpose of his school's exams?

10. According to Bentley, what are some possible identities of the masked man at the end of the play?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 983 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample