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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 Hedda want at the end of 1Act 1 of HEDDA GABLER?

2. Why did Tesman buy the house he did?

3. What does Tesman thank Brack for when Brack arrives at the house for the first time in Act 1?

4. What is the profession of Jorgen Tesman?

5. Does Berte leave her belongings lying around?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does Lovborg not accompany Mrs. Elvsted home as promised the day before?

3. What worry of Tesman's does Lovborg quickly alleviate?

4. What is the financial situation of the newly married couple?

5. In Act 1 of Hedda Gabler, what does Hedda say about her piano? What does Tesman suggest in reply, and how is his suggestion received?

6. What does Hedda learn from Mrs.1Elvsted when they speak alone in Act I of Hedda Gabler that Mrs Elvsted had concealed from Tesman?

7. What does Hedda give Lovborg as a keepsake as he leaves her house in Act 3?

8. What do Tesman and Hedda discuss at the end of Act 1 of HEDDA GABLER that causes severe disappointment to Hedda?

9. When Tesman and Julle are discussing future prospects, they are talking about different things. What does Tesman talk about, and what does Julle talk about?

10. What does Hedda tell Lovborg that finally does have an impact and he starts to drink? Why does it affect him so?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a full analysis comparing and contrasting the two characters of Mrs. Elvsted and Hedda.

Part 1: Compare and contrast the motives, personalities, the effects of their actions, the fears, and other attributes of the two characters. How are they alike and how are they different? Does one embody what the other needs? How?

Part 2: What point do you think Ibsen was trying to get through to the audience by putting these two women in contrast with each other? Is there a greater message about femininity or the female role he is trying to bring up by putting these two women in contrast with each other? What would that be?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about suicide.

Part 1: Discuss different views of someone taking their own life. Has it ever been acceptable or condoned? Do different cultures see it differently? In what circumstances has it been seen as acceptable or even advisable?

Part 2: What are your own views on someone taking their own life? Is there any circumstance that it is understandable or ok?

Part 3: In the play HEDDA GABLER, is Hedda's final act a liberating act of courage or a cowardly avoidance? How does Hedda see it?

Essay Topic 3

In the play HEDDA GABLER, Lovborg is inspired by Mrs. Elvsted and reforms his life for her. Despite this, he says she is "stupid" in interpersonal matters that he discusses freely with Hedda. Indeed, Mrs. Elvsted, like Tesman, seems blind to much of the social happenings going on around her. Write an essay about these four characters and discuss how they inspire and motivate each other.

Part 1: Why is Hedda inspired by Lovborg? Why does Hedda long for influence over Lovborg but doesn't care for the influence she has over Tesman? How are Hedda and Lovborg alike? How are they different?

Part 2: How are Mrs. Elvsted and Tesman alike? In what way is this a strength and in what way are their similarities a weakness?

Part 3: Why is Lovborg inspired by Mrs. Elvsted, but Hedda is not inspired by Tesman? Is the difference in Lovborg and Hedda or in Mrs. Elvsted and Tesman?

(see the answer keys)

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