View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What form did Tereus take?

2. Erysichthon was punished for cutting down a tree that was sacred to what goddess?

3. Proper _____________ was also considered very important in order to appease the spirits of the dead.

4. What happened to Antigone when she ignored Creon's edict and buried her brother?

5. One of the earliest kings was _______________, who ruled at the time Demeter brought agriculture to earth.

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Aeneas like both Jason and Odysseus?

2. How does the story of Procne, Philomela, and Tereus explain the origins of species?

3. Why is the Odyssey considered an epic poem? Why was it so important to the Greeks?

4. Of these two families, which deserved their bad luck the least? Why?

5. How did the bad luck of the later generations reflect the bad luck of the earlier generations? What does this say about the tie between one generation and another?

6. What are the purpose of many of these stories?

7. How is Midas rewarded by Bacchus? Is this what many people would choose? Why or why not?

8. Summarize two stories found in this section. How do they explain the qualities of a hero?

9. Why might Zeus have struck Aesculapius dead?

10. What story explains the creation of spiders? How does this explain the creation of spiders?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Murder frequently takes place in Greek mythology.

Part 1) Describe two stories in which a murder or murders take place. Why do these murders take place? How do these murders affect the other characters in the story? How might the murders affect those who hear this story?

Part 2) Is murder a popular theme of American folk tales? Why or why not? What does this reveal about the Greeks? What does this reveal about Americans? How does this theme of murder add to the drama and tragedy of Greek mythology?

Part 3) What do you believe is the most popular of themes in American tales? Use at least two stories to support this belief. Why is this a popular theme? What does this reveal about Americans?

Essay Topic 2

King Midas was rewarded by Bacchus.

Part 1) Describe the story of King Midas. Why was he rewarded? How did this reward affect him? What does this reveal about King Midas? What can be learned from this story?

Part 2) How does Midas' story compare to other myths? What theme or themes can be found in this story? How is each theme also popular in other Greek myths? How might each theme also be important to the ancient Greeks? Are these themes important today? Why or why not?

Part 3) What is a tale or myth that is told today in the U.S.? Describe this tale. What are the themes found in this tale? What is the moral of this tale? How does this tale compare to Greek mythology? What does this tale reveal about modern Americans?

Essay Topic 3

Tragedy was often a part of Greek mythology.

Part 1) Describe four myths that one would consider tragic. What led to tragedy in each of these myths? How does the tragedy found in each myth compare to the tragedy found in the others?

Part 2) What is the purpose of this tragedy? What does it reveal about the Greeks? What lessons can still be learned from this tragedy today? Do tragedies such as this exist in contemporary literature? Why or why not?

Part 3) Do you believe that tragic tales are necessary for a culture? Why or why not? Is there a focus on tragedy in American literature? Why or why not? What does this say about Americans and their view of tragedy and loss?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,438 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample