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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. When does Pylades suggest that he and Orestes retrieve the item they are looking for in Taurus?

2. Who snatched Iphigenia from the altar from which she was to be sacrificed?

3. When the Chorus begins speaking in the opening of Part 2, what type of rocks do they speak of?

4. Who does Orestes claim "hounds" him "to and fro"?

5. In Part 3 of Iphigenia in Taurus, Iphigenia offers to spare Orestes' life if he will do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the herdsman describe Orestes and Pylades to Iphigenia in Part 2 ?

2. In Part 5, why does King Thoas agree to not question why Iphigenia will take so long with the purification process?

3. In Part 4, when Iphigenia is telling Pylades the contents of her letter, why does Pylades tell Iphigenia that she has bound him with an easy oath?

4. Iphigenia explains in Part 2 that the men in her homeland already know her fate. What do they think has happened to Iphigenia?

5. After Orestes finishes telling Pylades what he would like him to do when he goes back home, what is Pylades reply?

6. In Part 6 of Iphigenia in Taurus, why does the messenger not leave when the Chorus tells him that the King is not there at the temple?

7. In the beginning of Part 2, who has just exited the scene, who enters the scene, and from where do they enter?

8. Describe the opening scene of Part 1 of Iphigenia in Taurus.

9. What does Iphigenia think her dream means?

10. In Part 6 of Iphigenia in Taurus, what does the messenger tell the King that makes him a little uneasy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During the play, Iphigenia in Taurus, we read descriptions of objects and places, but there aren't too many detailed descriptions of what the characters actually look like physically. Do you think this causes any problems as a reader of the play? Why or why not? Were you, as a reader, able to picture the characters in your mind without much need of a description? Why or why not? Do character descriptions not really matter in this type of literature? Why do you think Euripides wrote the play this way? Do you think character descriptions could have taken away from the essence of Iphigenia in Taurus? If so, how? Use specific examples from the play to support your ideas and thoughts.

Essay Topic 2

Athena, the goddess of reason, appears at the end of the play, Iphigenia in Taurus. What significance does she play in the story? Why did Athena step in to help Orestes and Iphigenia? What other appearance does Athena make in the story, besides the ending? Do you think she felt like she had to finally free Orestes because she wasn't able to do it fully at his trial? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

The play, Iphigenia in Taurus, takes place during the space of only a day. Even though the story takes place during only one day, do you feel like the characters and setting were established enough to interest you as a reader? If so, how were the characters developed enough to interest and involve you as a reader? Why do you think Euripides chose to only have the story take place during such a short time period? Is time at all important in the play, or does the time frame really not affect the outcome of the story? Explain your answers by using examples from the play.

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