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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. Who is Queen Mab, according to Bloom?

2. How does Bloom characterize "Two Gentlemen of Verona"?

3. Who does Proteus drive into exile?

4. To what later character does Bloom connect Brutus from "Julius Caesar"?

5. What does Bloom say Samuel Johnson dreaded to see in Shakespeare's plays?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Bloom's estimation of "Richard III"?

2. How does Bloom characterize Richard III?

3. What is it about Falstaff that Bloom likes so much?

4. What aspect of Nietzsche's philosophy is present in "Richard II", in Bloom's interpretation?

5. What does Bloom say Shakespeare's compare to in terms of world religion?

6. What does Bloom say is the primary rival for Romeo and Juliet's affections?

7. What play does Bloom say influenced Shakespeare's "Henry VI"?

8. What personality development does Bloom describe in "Taming of the Shrew"?

9. What makes Rosalind a great character in "As You Like It"?

10. What does Bloom say distinguished Faulconbridge among Shakespeare's characters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Are there places where you feel like Bloom got an interpretation wrong, or not completely right? Where would you supplement or correct his insights? Where would you quibble with his analysis? If you can't find a place to quibble, identify the place where he is most convincing, and other critics seem to have been less insightful than him.

Essay Topic 2

What does Bloom say Shakespeare teaches us about the relation between men and women? That women are stronger? That men are? Use examples from Bloom's analysis to formulate your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Evaluate your own reading of "Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human"--did you resist it, or were you compelled by the story? What does your reading tell you about yourself and your interests? Use specific examples from the book to describe yourself as a reader.

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