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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where has Lear been taken from in Act 2, Scene 5?

2. What role does Lear play in the play?

3. Who says, "I tried to follow you but when we got out in the open the wind was too strong, it pushed me back"?

4. What does Fontanelle beg of Lear in Act 2?

5. Who meets Lear in the woods in Act 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do you empathize with any characters in the play? Who? Why do you feel regard or disregard for these characters? Cite examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Lear makes a reference in Act 3 to Christ on the cross, which contains a certain irony in that Lear eventually finds himself in a similar place to that in which Christ found himself - executed by those in authority as an example to others who would think and believe and act independently. What are other Biblical references in Lear? How can Lear (and others) be compared to Biblical figures?

Essay Topic 3

Compare Edward Bond's Lear and Shakespeare's Lear. Why did Bond choose to adapt and essentially rewrite elements of Shakespeare's play? What elements of action and character did he alter? Why?

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This section contains 239 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample