View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In relinquishing his crown, what action does Edward refuse to take?

2. What does Edward expect the next news he receives to be?

3. Who is not with King Edward in Scene 5?

4. How many days has Edward been in his dungeon when Lightborn arrives?

5. How does Leicester recommend Edward view Killingworth Castle at the beginning of the scene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining the motivations and essential character of Mortimer Junior. What are his grievances against the King? Are they well-founded, and does he defend them in reasonable ways? Is he, in the end, merely an ambitious charlatan who wants only to consolidate power? Is ahe a concerned peer of England? Does he exist somewhere in between? Cite from the text to defend your position.

Essay Topic 2

The relationship between Gaveston and Edward II is both intense and ambiguous. Write an essay about it, dissecting its purpose within the plot. Does Gaveston ever make mention of his social advancement through Edward? What are the nobles' concerns regarding him? Does Marlowe ever make explicit reference to homosexuality in the play? What does Edward's passionate attachment to Gaveston represent in the world of the play?

Essay Topic 3

Edward II is a man who clearly does not have a clear definition of self. Write an essay exploring his quest for identity in the play. What do his passionate defenses of the unpopular Gaveston and Spencer Junior say about his sense of his place in England? Does he view himself as a king at the beginning of the play? What does his unwillingness to relinquish his crown at the end indicate about his progress over the course of the narrative?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 322 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample