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

Short Answer Questions

1. After learning that the Cardinal is giving away Antonio's property, Antonio decides to try to:

2. Bosola learns of the Cardinal's plans to kill him by:

3. How is Julia murdered?

4. What is the Duchess's last statement before she dies?

5. What does the Cardinal ask Ancona to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ferdinand gradually descends into madness as the play progresses. Describe one thing each character listed below could have done to try to prevent his madness from progressing, and specify when they might have done it.

1) Bosola

2) The Cardinal

3) The Duchess

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think we never learn the Duchess's name in the play? What do you think the author was trying to say by not giving her a name? How would the play have changed, or not have changed, if she had been given a name?

Essay Topic 3

Did the Duchess have any choice about remarrying and doing what she did? Keeping in mind the social context of the time, what other options may she have had, if any? Could she have followed her brother's wishes and still pursued her own happiness? In what ways?

(see the answer keys)

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