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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what country does A Children's Tragedy take place?

2. In the most sexual scene of the play, what is alluded to heavily?

3. What sort of story is A Children's Tragedy?

4. According to Bentley, what group of people does not like this play?

5. What is Melchior's relationship to Moritz?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. Why does Moritz not want to listen to Melchior's explanations about sex?

5. What does Moritz reveal himself completely ignorant about in Act I, Scene 2?

6. How does this play fit into both genres of expressionism and realism?

7. What are Melchior's beliefs about good deeds, as related to Wendla?

8. Describe the main theme of one of the characters that is pointed out as being a philosophy of Goethe.

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

10. According to the summary in the introduction, what will happen to Melchior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the final scene of this play, Melchior comes across Moritz's ghost, who begs his friend to join him in suicide. Compose a strong thesis about the nature of suicide in Spring Awakening: A Children's Tragedy and write about it in the following format:

Part 1) Discuss Moritz's reasons for suicide.

Part 2) Discuss Melchior's consideration of suicide.

Part 3) Discuss the reaction of the people to Moritz's suicide.

Part 4) Discuss the school's reaction to Moritz's suicide.

Part 5) Discuss the masked man saving Melchior from killing himself.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Early in the play, Moritz says, "Melchior, don't you also think that man's sense of shame is just a product of his education?" One of the themes of this play deals with the enforced ignorance of the younger generation and the natural ignorance of the adults. Write an essay about the use of ignorance in this play as it relates to Moritz's statement in the following format:

Part 1) Discuss Mrs. Bergmann's insistence on keeping Wendla innocent.

Part 2) Discuss the adults being unaware of Moritz's torment and Wendla's pregnancy.

Part 3) Discuss the ignorance of nearly all the students about sex and pregnancy.

Part 4) Discuss the reaction Melchior's knowledge of sex has on the adults.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following topics to write about:

- Mrs. Bergmann's explanation on pregnancy.

- The contrast of the pastor's sermon at Moritz's funeral and the girls bringing his grave flowers.

- "Copulation."

(see the answer keys)

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