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 do Eulipides and Pisthetaerus eat in the woods to undergo a transformation?

2. In Thesmophoriazusae, what do the women try to do to Mnesilochus to confirm that he is a man?

3. In Thesmophoriazusae, who is Mnesilochus' cousin?

4. In The Assemblywomen, what type of government is Praxagora planning?

5. In Lysistrata, who does the constable think is primarily responsible for the women's attitude?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who arrived in Athens at the end of Lysistrata and why?

2. Why do the women want to take power in The Assemblywomen and how do they plan on overthrowing the men?

3. What is Pisthetaerus' plan for gaining control over earth and heaven?

4. What happens to Mnesilochus after he admits to his crimes as a woman?

5. What does Lysistrata find some of the women trying to do?

6. What society do women in The Assemblywomen plan on instating after voting to put themselves in charge of Athens?

7. What is the old women's role in Lysistrata's plan?

8. What are Aeschylus and Euripides representing in The Frogs?

9. How are the women's meeting organized in Thesmophoriazusae?

10. Who and what are the Eulipides and Pisthetaerus looking for in The Birds?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many Greek plays focus on the role of women in ancient Greek society. What was the role of women when Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata? Discuss the likelihood of women conducting a protest or being able to present their views. Use examples from the text to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

In the Birds, Aristophanes speculates on the creation of a utopia based on two men who want to return to nature by escaping civilization. What aspects of civilization do the men want to escape from, and how does their desire for escape lead to the formation of a utopia? Define utopia in your discussion and use examples from the play to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 3

Satire is a literary style often used by Aristophanes in his plays, through which he uses humor and criticism to examine the nature of government, society, war and gender roles. In Lysistrata, Aristophanes uses satire to examine several different themes. In a critical essay, examine what themes Aristophanes focuses on and how he uses double entendres to add humor. In your essay, make sure you define both satire and double entendres, as well as use examples from the book to support your discussion.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 751 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample