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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. Where does Caltaldo go at the end of this scene?

2. What does Segismundo say when he awakes?

3. How is Clarnn addressed?

4. Why is Clarnn a security threat to the kingdom?

5. What two characters are talking together?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Segismundo respond?

2. What is one of the key ideas of the play that comes up in Act 2, Scene 2?

3. Does it seem likely that Segismundo would really believe Clotaldo when Clotaldo tells Segismundo he was just dreaming?

4. What does Clotaldo reply when Segismundo bemoans his fate?

5. Why have the soldiers come to the tower prison?

6. How does Clotaldo's waffling about this issue demonstrate the extent of the patriarchal culture in which he lives?

7. What does Segismundo do to Clotaldo?

8. What is ironic about the ending of this scene?

9. What is happening to Segismundo when this scene opens?

10. Does it seem odd that Clarnn is cast into prison even though several servants assisted the process of getting Segismundo back to the prison tower?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Act 3, Scene 1, Soldiers arrive at the prison tower and ask Segismundo to lead them in a rebellion against the king and his declaration of Asolfo and Estrella as joint heirs to the throne. Answer one of the following in a well-written essay using detailed examples from the book or other sources.

1. How often do you think a king or queen is overthrown by one is his/her children? What do you think are some of the reasons that a child overthrows his/her parent off a throne?

2. Would you be willing to depose your parent from the throne? Under what circumstances?

3. If you were the younger son/daughter and the older child was to inherit the throne but you knew he or she would be a murderous, tyrannous ruler, what would you do? Would you go so far as to have that sibling murdered?

4. Do you think the throne should be passed to the oldest child or to the child most able to rule? How would a parent decide who is most able?

Essay Topic 2

In Act 3, Scene 2, Rosaura delivers a long soliloquy about her perceived dishonor at the hands of Astolfo. Many plays have one or more soliloquy's. Write a cohesive essay addressing the questions below using specific examples from the text and your personal life.

Define soliloquy and lists the times in this play when one occurs. List who is speaking, summarize the content of the soliloquy and how it adds to the plot. What do you think is the purpose of a soliloquy? Would you find them interesting or too non-active if you were watching this play? Rosaura's soliloquy is quite long. How do you think today's audience would react to hearing such a long speech? Do you think the audience of the time when this play was written would react differently?

Essay Topic 3

In the opening to Act 1, Scene 2, Cousins Estrella and Asolfo are niece and nephew to the king, who as far as they know, has no son or daughter of his own. Estrella claims the throne as the eldest child of the eldest daughter; Astolfo's claim lies in the fact of his gender. Were the situation reversed and Astolfo was the eldest child of the eldest daughter, there would be no question to his rights to the throne. Most monarchies of Europe are based upon preference to males as heirs to the throne even today. Choose one of the following to write a cohesive, detailed essay:

1. Write a cohesive essay detailing why you think men are or are not more capable of ruling than woman. Include some historical citations from at least two European countries.

2. Write an essay discussing how you think the ruling styles of men and women would differ. Which style would you prefer? Why?

3. Write an essay describing how you think the rules of ascension should be enacted and why you believe your idea is better than two European counties you research.

(see the answer keys)

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