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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. Who witnessed the document in the black box?

2. What inconvenience does Foible point out about Sir Rowland to Lady Wishfort?

3. Which room in Lady Wishfort's house is the setting for Act 4, Scene 2?

4. What does Mrs. Millamant achieve when she renounces Mirabell?

5. Why is the Fainall marriage over?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the black box?

2. Why is Mrs. Marwood one of the least sympathetic characters in the play?

3. Why does Lady Wishfort accept Mirabell offer to help Mrs. Millamant?

4. Why is this play considered to be universal instead of simply a Restoration comedy of manners?

5. Why do we feel sympathy for Lady Wishfort even though she is vain and is berating a servant at the beginning Act 5, Scene 1?

6. Is Mirabell's elaborate plot going to be successful? Explain why or why not?

7. Why does Mirabell agree to help the Fainall's achieve peace in their marriage?

8. How do critics today differ from Congreve's description of them?

9. Lay out Fainall's demands to keep his knowledge about his wife from society. Is this a reasonable revenge or not?

10. As Act 4, Scene 2 opens Waitwell seems to be successful in his pursuit of Lady Wishfort. Why is this so? What is Lady Wishfort's reaction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Find at least three examples in the play which show how Mirabell feels about Mrs. Millamant. Is his love true? What is true love? Explain your point of view.

Essay Topic 2

Lady Wishfort is a vain, silly woman who is bound by the rules of Restoration society. Discuss her character giving illustrations from the play. What are some of the rules she tried to obey? How is this different from today's society?

Essay Topic 3

In the prologue, Congreve claims that tastes are determined by fate and that natural fools are blessed by fate. What does he mean? Does fate determine our destiny? Why or why not? Explain your answer.

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