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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. Why does Hedda goad Lovborg into going to the party?

2. How is Hedda described in the stage directions?

3. How does Hedda describe her vacation?

4. With what type of person is Solness prone to having relationships?

5. What is Solness paranoid really happened to the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ragnar ask of Solness, since his father is close to death?

2. How did Solness and Aline's children die?

3. Describe Solness' relationship with Kaja?

4. What does Mr. Brack hint will soon keep Hedda busy, fulfilling her life and abating her incurable boredom?

5. What is Ragnar's ambition?

6. Why does Hedda refrain from visiting Aunt Rina?

7. Why does Hedda tell Tesman she burned the manuscript?

8. What are the factors that, combined, mean such despair for Hedda that she must end her life?

9. What are Hedda's feelings about Tesman's aunts?

10. What imminent threat does Tesman face now that Lovborg has a successful book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In GHOSTS, Oswald and Mrs. Alving cannot escape Captain Alving's sins. Has Mrs. Alving contributed to their problems by not being truthful with Oswald, Pastor Manders, Regine, or the community? Are the characters ultimately able to escape their pasts? How is this theme echoed in some of the other works in the collection?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Solness's fear of youth in THE MASTER BUILDER. Why does he refuse at first to give Ragnar any words of praise? Why is he so intrigued when Hilde abruptly enters his life? How has Solness treated Brovik, his original master? What is ironic about Solness' death?

Essay Topic 3

Hedda repeatedly mentions seeing Lovborg with vine leaves in his hair. What do the vine leaves represent for Hedda? Are there any other references to vine leaves in literary history that come to mind? Literally, in today's world, what could vine leaves represent? How does this identification tie in with Lovborg's struggles to right himself?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 662 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample