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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. At which event did Werther meet a new female acquaintance?

2. Why, according to Werther, does the "torrent of genius" so rarely pour forth?

3. What subject do Werther and the other young people discuss at the vicar's home?

4. What was the reception Werther first received from the common townsfolk?

5. In the letter of July 26, what does Werther often determine to do, but fails?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Werther observe the local girls doing?

2. What does Werther ask his friend Wilhelm not to do, and why?

3. What event has incited Werther to leave his friends, and how does he view this event?

4. How has his acquaintance with Lotte affected Werther up to and including the letter of July 24?

5. How does Werther perceive his relation to the commoners of the village?

6. How does Werther initially feel about Albert?

7. What is the substance of the conversation between Werther and his companions at the vicar's home?

8. How is Werther first received by the commoners of the village, and how does Werther view their reaction to him?

9. What is the substance of Werther and Lotte's conversation the night before Werther leaves Wahlheim?

10. What natural feature of the environment of his town does Werther feel particularly drawn to, and to what does he compare the feeling?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the foreshadowing of suicide and death throughout the novel. Using at least four examples from all through the text, examine the progression of Werther's mania and depression to its culmination. In what sorts of situations does Werther refer to suicide? What kinds of emotions or thoughts does he experience in these situations? Is there a common thread running among these experiences of his? How do the opinions of others, and Werther's interactions with them, influence his thoughts and ultimately his final decision?

Essay Topic 2

Address the question of Werther's narrative reliability. Is his changing and degrading mental and emotional state indicative of reliability? Can we trust that Werther's opinions and judgments are made rationally? What possible problems are there with having certain characters defined to the reader only through Werther's eyes? Is there anything ambiguous or inconsistent about Werther's character, style, opinions, feelings or expressiveness that could lead to questions about the integrity of his narration?

Essay Topic 3

Consider the little peasant family that Werther meets in Wahlheim and subsequently gets to know: the mother and her several children, including Hans. What is the little family's story? What attracts them to Werther? How does he interact with them? How is his relationship with them symbolic of a relationship between social classes at large? What might the symbolism be when their inheritance falls through, and when Hans dies? What is the effect of their tragedy on Werther? What about their fate of poverty is significant to the major themes of the novel?

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