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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 are Sosias and Xanthias doing at the start of The Wasps?

2. What does Trygaeus discover upon his arrival in heaven?

3. What technique does Strepsiades use to justify the beatings he gave to his father?

4. What are Demosthenes and Nicias doing the night of the play?

5. What is Strepsiades doing to convince Pheidippides to stop betting?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Peace, why do you think Trygaeus thought peace was dead?

2. Why is Cleon portrayed as a betraying slave in The Knights?

3. How is Socrates' school portrayed in The Clouds?

4. What is Dicaeopolis waiting for at the beginning of Acharnians and why?

5. How does Cleon react to losing the support of the crowd in The Knights?

6. Why is Strepsiades beating his son, Pheidippides, in The Clouds?

7. What reversal of fortune does Philocleon experience at the end of The Wasps?

8. How important are the discussions by the orators preceding Dicaeopolis?

9. In The Wasps, what does the dog's trial teach us about Philocleon's ballot habit?

10. What does Philocleon do before the arrival of The Wasps?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Aristophanes often examines gender roles in his writing. Assemblywomen discusses the differences, relationships, and tension created among men and women in ancient Greece. What does Aristophanes illustrate in the women's temporary adoption of the male gender? What statement is he trying to make? Use the play to support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

As with many of Aristophanes' works, discuss the satire depicted in the culture of Athen's judicial system and Cleon. Discuss the accusations Aristophanes makes against Cleon in Wasps. Use examples from the book to support your statements.

Essay Topic 3

Take one of the Aristophanes' other plays and discuss how Frogs deviates from the pattern created in his earlier works. Why does Aristophanes stray from his pattern? Students may use secondary sources and examples from the book to support the discussion.

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This section contains 745 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample