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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. Who is Gloucester's illegitimate son?

2. To aide in his disguise, what does Edgar do to his hair?

3. What is the name of Edmund's legitimate brother?

4. Which man marries Cordelia even though she doesn't have a dowry?

5. Who says: "Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise"

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the Fool compare Lear too?

2. Instead of explaining why he attacked Oswald, what does Kent say?

3. The Fool's ambiguous statements while he and Lear are wandering in the storm imply that the Fool thinks Lear is what?

4. The storm is distracting the King from what?

5. The Fools says who will whip him and for what?

6. Why are Goneril and Regan awarded large parts of the kingdom?

7. What information does Kent want the gentleman to take to Dover?

8. Why can King Lear's son-in-laws not tell who Lear loves best in the beginning of the play?

9. Goneril wants King Lear to leave her home and go where?

10. What is the point of Act 2, Scene 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the play, King Lear goes mad and recovers. In what ways does King Lear contribute to his madness and recovery, and in what ways is the madness thrust upon him? Support your answer with examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Would Edgar would make a good King of England? Why or why not? Please support your answer with examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

What is the tone of the play's ending? Is the ending hopeful, dramatic, pessimistic, mysterious or something else? Why might Shakespeare have chosen to end the play in this manner? Please support your answer with examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 491 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample