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. With whom does Messerschmann make his first entrance?

2. Why does Hugo believe he is a better match for Diana than Frederic?

3. Frederic says that he and his brother are different in what way?

4. Who is Capulet?

5. When Frederic appears, what does he ask Joshua?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Madame Desmortes introduce Countess Funela to Hugo?

2. What news does Romainville bring regarding Isabelle's mother and Capulet? What are the implications of this news?

3. Why does the playwright refer to this play as a "charade with music?"

4. What does the gardener threaten to do regarding the rhododendrons, and why?

5. How do the romantic schemes of Madame Desmortes ultimately play out?

6. How do Hugo and Romainville prepare Isabelle for her appearance at the upcoming ball?

7. Describe the dispute between Isabelle and Diana at the beginning of Act 3.

8. Which characters in this play represent "old money," and which characters represent "new money?"

9. Why does Isabelle apologize to Hugo for her mother's behavior, and how does he respond?

10. Which twin is older, and what conclusion does Joshua draw from the twins' birth order?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the Biblical story of Samson? Is Messerschmann's comparison of himself with Samson an apt one? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of Messerschmann's unusual diet? When he alters his request ever so slightly at the end of the play, in celebration, why does the change seem so momentous?

Essay Topic 3

Why do both Hugo and Lady India fall in love (or rather, fall more deeply in love) with their romantic partners after they become poor? What does this indicate about their characters and about the playwright's message regarding the value of money?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 773 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample