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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. What does Dr. Rank plan to send to Nora to alert her of his final descent?

2. Who does Torvald blame for Nora's fall from grace?

3. To whom did Mrs. Alving run when her married life became unbearable?

4. Why did Mrs. Alving marry Captain Alving?

5. Who does Dr. Rank think will replace him in the Helmer house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Torvald react to Krogstad's first letter?

2. Why does Torvald think Nora is putting in a good word for Krogstad?

3. Why doesn't the Pastor want Mrs. Alving to insure the orphanage?

4. What was Mrs. Alving's marriage to the Captain really like, despite Pastor Mander's perceptions?

5. When is the first instance that Mrs. Alving sees "ghosts"?

6. What does Engstrand want Regine to do at the beginning of the act?

7. What does Nora outwardly hope for at the end of Act 2, and what does she inwardly fear?

8. How is Nora afraid that her lies will affect the household?

9. How does Torvald react when Krogstad returns the IOU?

10. How will Dr. Rank notify Nora that he is in the final stage of his illness?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hedda Gabler considers herself a coward. Why does she have that impression? What is she afraid of? What does she truly desire? Why does her obsession with Ejlert Lovborg consume her? She encourages Ejlert Lovborg to go to the party, despite protestations from Mrs. Elvsted and Lovborg himself declining. Why is she trying to control his destiny?

Essay Topic 2

Examine Mrs. Alving's "ghosts." When do they appear? As whom do they appear? What echoes of her past does she see in the present? Is she able to escape any of her past experiences? What is her character's arc throughout the play? Be sure to provide textual examples.

Essay Topic 3

In all the plays in the collection, there is a common theme: the inability to escape one's past. How does this theme play out in each of the four works? Which characters are the most affected by their denials of their pasts? What are the ultimate consequences in each of the works?

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This section contains 656 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample