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 emotion is Thyestes mysteriously experiencing in the beginning of the last act of "Thyestes"?

2. How does Atreus justify his wicked plans against his brother?

3. At the end of the third act of "Phaedra," the chorus cries, "Why dost thou dwell afar,/ All too indifferent to men,/ Not anxious to bring blessing to the good,/ And to the evil, bane"? About what is the chorus lamenting?

4. In the second act of "Thyestes," how does Atreus plan to wreak vengeance against his brother?

5. To whom does Phaedra confide her desire for Hippolytus?

Short Essay Questions

1. For what does Theseus pray at the end of the third act of "Phaedra" and how does the chorus react?

2. What does Theseus plan to do at the end of "Phaedra" in regards to his dead family and why?

3. Of what does Hippolytus' nurse try to convince Phaedra in the first act?

4. What is the chorus at the end of the first act of "Phaedra" singing about and how does it relate to the action of the play?

5. What plot does Atreus form against his brother and why?

6. Describe Hippolytus' preferences in life and how he is at odds with other people over it.

7. In what conflicting moods does Thyestes find himself as he travels to Argos?

8. What is significant about Theseus' return from the underworld in regards to the plot in "Phaedra"?

9. For what reasons did Atreus murder his nephews?

10. Why does Phaedra wear hunting garb in the second act?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In a brief essay, discuss the role that courage plays in "Troades." Develop a clear thesis statement and cite specific examples from the text to support your answers. Points to consider include (though not exclusively) Andromache's attempts to hide Astyanax, Hecuba's defiance and frequent insults to the Greeks, and the deaths of Astyanax and Polyxena.

Essay Topic 2

How is justice handled in a Senecan tragedy? Discuss this in the following format:

Part 1) Atreus and Thyestes.

Part 2) The death of Hippolytus and Phaedra's suicide.

Part 3) Polyxena and Astyanax.

Part 4) Octavia's fate.

Part 5) Tantalus.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the uniqueness of Seneca's language in the following format:

Part 1) The black humor of "Thyestes."

Part 2) Monologues.

Part 3) Lack of dialogue.

Part 4) Expressive, emotional descriptions.

Part 5) Character development or lack thereof.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,097 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample