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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Apollo tell the court about his decree to Orestes?
(a) He favored Agamemnon and was avenging his death.
(b) He was passing on Zeus's judgment about justice.
(c) He was not acting upon any other's will but his own.
(d) He cursed Clytemnestra and was passing on judgment.

2. Why does Apollo claim that Clytemnestra needed to be killed?
(a) She was an adulteress.
(b) She killed her husband.
(c) She would have murdered her own children had she not been killed.
(d) Iphigenia was wrongly murdered.

3. Where was Orestes when he was told to avenge his father?
(a) Athens.
(b) The oracle at Delphi.
(c) Ithaca.
(d) Sparta.

4. What does Orestes remind his mother of when she pleads for her life?
(a) His love for her.
(b) Electra's inability to mourn for her father.
(c) The gods' will.
(d) Her sins.

5. What does Pylades advise Orestes to do?
(a) Orestes will be looked upon as weak if he does not kill Clytemnestra.
(b) The oracle said Orestes must kill his mother.
(c) Orestes will be murdered by Clytemnestra if he does not kill her first.
(d) Electra will be cursed if Orestes does not follow through with his revenge.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the last part of "The Eumenides", why does Apollo appear in the court?

2. How does Orestes introduce himself to Athena?

3. What does Orestes claim has taken away the sin of his mother's murder away?

4. What does Orestes see when he cries out in terror after he has avenged his father's murder?

5. What does Orestes believe about the vision he is having at the end of "The Libation Bearers"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What ends up being the fate of the Furies at the end of the play?

2. Why do the Furies claim Orestes' journey to Athens has been useless when they catch up with him in the second part of "The Eumenides"?

3. What does Athena decide to do about judging the case between Orestes and the Furies?

4. What is the conflict between the Furies and Apollo?

5. Why is Clytemnestra's dream significant to Orestes?

6. Why is it important that Orestes tell Athena who his father was when the goddess comes to him?

7. How does Clytemnestra attempt to defend herself against Orestes in the last part of "The Libation Bearers"?

8. In the beginning of "The Eumenides", what is the oracle's vision and what does it mean?

9. How does Orestes defend himself in his trial?

10. According to what he tells Electra and the chorus, why is Orestes seeking vengeance for his father's death?

(see the answer keys)

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