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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 do Rosencrantz and Guilderstern finally ascertain that they are?

2. How does Hamlet address Rosencrantz when he pulls him aside?

3. Finally what does Rosencrantz decide to do?

4. How does Stoppard dramatize the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

5. What does Rosencrantz tell the Player about Hamlet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What clue is there as to Hamlet's mental condition?

2. What is the tragic news Claudius bears when he and Gertrude enter to find Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

3. What happens over the subject of money?

4. What happens when the King orders Guildenstern to go and bring Hamlet?

5. What does Hamlet ask the Player?

6. Describe the funny bowing scene with Hamlet and Claudius.

7. What is Rosencrantz's dark question on the subject of death?

8. How are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern trying to figure out where they are?

9. How does the audience know what the stage setting is in Act 3?

10. How does Rosencrantz sum up their position?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper describing the characters of Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and the Player as you see them? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How well do you like them? Can you recall people from real life that are similar?

Essay Topic 2

Do some research on the Elizabethan theater and write a paper on how Stoppard's staging of his play borrows from staging during Shakespeare's time. In your paper include how the Player and his troupe were able to stage plays as they moved from place to place.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on the importance of dialogue in a play. Describe how the dialogue in Stoppard's play sounds real as opposed to being contrived. What does an audience get from the dialogueue? How is dialog in a play like telling a story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 643 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample