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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. From their conversation, what can one infer about Brack and Hedda in Act 2?

2. What are Mrs Elvsted's plans for the future?

3. What does Lovborg say about his recently published book?

4. Which answer best describes Tesman's perception of Hedda?

5. Why are people concerned about Rina?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where did Tesman find Lovborg's manuscript and why didn't he return it at once?

2. What does Hedda do to Brack when he approaches at the very beginning of Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER?

3. When Lovborg leaves at the end of Act 3 what does Hedda do? What does she say while she does it?

4. Hedda does two things in Act 1 that make Julle uneasy. What are they, and why did they make Julle uneasy?

5. What is Mrs. Elvsted's state of mind when she first enters the Tesman household? Why?

6. What reason does Hedda give Brack for her marrying Tesman?

7. In Act 2 of HEDDA GABLER, what do we learn about the hat incident of Act I that was not divulged to us at the time?

8. How do Hedda and Aunt Julle get along?

9. What reason does Hedda give Tesman for burning the manuscript?

10. How does the title character in HEDDA GABLER feel about motherhood? Do others know or expect her to feel this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is realism in theatrical performances? Think about all the specific limitations and possibilities in realism.

Part 1: Explain what realism is and how it differs from other genres, such as romanticism.

Part 2: As a form of art, what advantages and disadvantages does realism have? Do you think it might be easier or more complex to perform? What about to produce? To write? Support your arguments with reasons and examples.

Part 3: Does it lend itself to some subject matters more than others? Which ones? Why might an author choose realism to best deliver their message? Make sure to use the example of the play HEDDA GABLER in your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about Henrik Ibsen.

Part 1: Write a brief biography of Henrik Ibsen. When and where did he live? What was his life like?

Part 2: What was the society that Ibsen lived in like? What parts of it influenced his writing? Did he have any message about societal norms that he tried to express in his plays?

Part 3: Discuss Henrik Ibsen's works. Was his work well received? What reaction did the society of his time have to his works? Was his work influential in theater as we know it? How?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the complexities and challenges of developing the plot in HEDDA GABLER and other similar plays.

Part 1: The entire play happens in one room in the Tesman household over two days. Are there advantages and disadvantages in choosing such a limited stage setting? What difficulties does it present and what might it simplify? What affect does an entire play in one room have on the audience?

Part 2: In the play HEDDA GABLER, Ibsen uses various techniques to make the play flow despite the limited setting and lack of a narrator or asides. How did Ibsen develop his characters? How did he give his audience the information they needed to understand who everyone was? What techniques did he use to help his characters seem natural? How did the action of the play get conveyed to the audience?

(see the answer keys)

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