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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. What do Hastings and Marlow believe?

2. What is Hardcastle's toast after passing out the punch?

3. Does Mr. Hardcastle think he might change his mind about Marlow?

4. What is Hastings' double entendre about the calf brains on the menu?

5. What does Tony urge his mother to tell Constance about the jewels?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Tony Lumpkins' problem with his mother and Miss Neville.

2. After looking at the night's menu, what does Marlow do?

3. Describe how Tony sees his chance to get back at his stepfather when the landlord says there are two gentlemen looking for Hardcastle's house.

4. Explain Tony's trickery with Mrs. Hardcastle when Constance is pressing her to relinquish her jewels.

5. What does Marlow say to Hastings about his ability with women?

6. How does Hastings inject himself into the argument between Tony and his mother?

7. Why does Hastings insist that Constance continue the ruse that they are in an inn?

8. What clue does the landlord give in the muttered line that Tony is a damn'd mischievous son of a whore?

9. Explain the hilarity when Mrs. Hardcastle discovers that the jewels are not where she left them.

10. Describe the landlord's reaction when Tony gives Marlow and Hastings directions to an inn which he calls Buck's Head.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pretend you are a writer for an 18th-century newspaper and write a critique of Mr. Goldsmith's play. In your critique be sure to mention Goldsmith's departure from the sentimental comedy of his day. Note the passages in the play that would border on the scandalous in his time. Discuss the continuity of the play and the use of subplots. Detail your opinion about the believability of the characters.

Essay Topic 2

Do some research about 18th century English inns. From your research, explain how Mr. Hardcastle's house could have reasonably been taken for an inn. Continue your paper to show how this kind of plot would not work today. Then come up with an idea of how you could mislead someone about a private residence today, e.g., a rooming house.

Essay Topic 3

Words have changed their meaning since Goldsmith wrote this play. For example, the word modesty is used in an entirely different way from the way we use it today. Find at least ten examples of words that have a different meaning today and write a paper showing how they are used in the play and how we might use those words today. In some cases, it might be that the word in the play is no longer used and you will need to provide a modern word that expresses the same idea.

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