2. The Old Man says that though the ruin of the Student's father had likely been attributed to him, the reality is that the Student's father had stolen how many "thousand crowns" (5) from the Old Man?

3. What distinctive outfit is the Girl wearing when she is first seen by the audience?

4. The Student asks the Milkmaid to dip what object into the water before washing his eyes with it?

5. What object does the Girl drop out of the window in Act I?

Short Essay Questions

1. What explanation does the Student eventually give to the Milkmaid about his disheveled appearance?

2. What is the first indication of menace within the Old Man's interactions with the Student?

3. What claims does the Old Man make about the Student's father in Act I?

4. In what way does Strindberg use physicality to illustrate the tyranny present within the Old Man's character?

5. What supreme desire does the Old Man claim to hold dear when he speaks to the Student?

6. Provide evidence for the conclusion that the Student believes at least part of the Old Man's claim about the Student's father.

7. What circumstances had led the Student to the scene of the collapsed house the night before the narrative present?

8. Who is the Lady in Black and what is her purpose?

9. What claim does the Old Man make about altruism and what does the claim demonstrate about his character?

10. Why does the Student begin to cry once he has seen the Girl?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are the topics of romantic relationships, love, and sex treated within the play The Ghost Sonata and how does their treatment relate to the play's depicted messages?