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 does Trigorin hear calling him?

2. What does Aradina smoke?

3. Which character criticizes Treplieff's play?

4. Why does Paulina want Dorn to put his hat back on?

5. Why is Nina late?

Short Essay Questions

1. Summarize the play.

2. Why does Constantine think that Nina favors Boris?

3. Why does Madame Arkadina say she cannot give her son money to travel?

4. Why does Masha want to marry Simon?

5. Why is Illya enraged that Madame Arkadina wants a horse?

6. What does the dead seagull symbolize?

7. How does Boris try to extinguish bad feelings between himself and Constantine?

8. How does Madame Arkadina react to the play?

9. Why is Nina late for the performance?

10. How does Masha think she can forget Constantine?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What symbolism does Chekhov use in the play? Why does there tend to be more symbolism in theatre than in other arts?

Essay Topic 2

Compare American and Russian culture.

What are the differences between the two cultures?

In what way have the two cultures influenced each other?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the play's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 609 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample