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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. With which character did Natalya want to talk in Act 2, Part 2?

2. According to Rakitin, which character is "simply an idiot"?

3. In Act 3, Part 1, Natalya confesses that she is infatuated with which character?

4. What do Natalya's relatives call her?

5. Which novel did Beliayev translate?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Act 2, Part 1, why do Vera and Beliayev get along so well? Explain.

2. Why does Natalya believe that it's improper for Vera to be in the garden by herself with Beliayev?

3. What conclusion does Rakitin draw in Act 4, Part 3, after he inquires about Natalya's decision and Natalya says, "What decision? ... I don't understand"?

4. In her soliloquy in the middle of Act 3, Part 3, how does Natalya assess her relationship with Rakitin and with Beliayev?

5. Why is Natalya astonished by the thought of her husband at the end of Act 3, Part 1?

6. What does Katya think about the possible marriage of Shpigelski and Liza?

7. Summarize Shpigelski's assessment of whether or not Rakitin is dangerous to Natalya's family.

8. In Act 3, Part 3, why does Rakitin beg Islayev and Anna to leave Natalya alone for the moment?

9. Why is Rakitin reading The Count of Monte Cristo aloud?

10. Describe what Islayev does for a living.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Contrast Natalya's "cunning" with Beliayev's honesty and straightforward demeanor.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the role of Katya and the setting in which she has a modicum of control.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the cultural view of marriage in the play. Which characters act within the cultural expectations regarding marriage? Which ones do not? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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