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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. In which of Will’s plays are husbands portrayed as neglecting their wives?

2. What trait is characteristic of all Will’s rural characters?

3. What characteristic of Campion might have hindered Will’s future work in theater?

4. What eventually happened to Edmund Campion?

5. What play did Will likely see upon his arrival in London?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was Will’s mother? What was her family background?

2. Why might Will have engaged in deer poaching? Were there social implications for this activity?

3. Describe the school environment in which Will was educated. What things were unique about his education?

4. Was it dangerous for people to travel by road in Will’s day? What did they need for safe passage?

5. Did Will ever refer to Anne in his writings? Why or why not?

6. Who was Edmund Campion? What faith was he devoted to?

7. It is interesting to note that Will had an aversion to producing signed documents. Why was this the case?

8. Why did John Shakespeare try to purchase a coat of arms for his family? Was he successful?

9. Why would Will’s continued relationship with Edmund Campion have been a hindrance for his career?

10. What was Tamburlaine the Great? Who wrote it? Why was it significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Will’s personality. What was he like in his younger years? Did his personality change as he got older? Did he make decisions in his latter years that he would not have made earlier in life? In your opinion, what about his personality contributed to his success as a playwright?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the author’s opinion of Will throughout the book. Would you say that Greenblatt is a fan of Will and his work? What opinion does Greenblatt seem to have of Will’s decisions throughout his life? Does Greenblatt’s opinion of Will change your own opinion of Will?

Essay Topic 3

Define some main themes of Will’s works. What are two main themes that are consistently seen throughout Will’s theatrical works? Why, in your opinion, does he choose each of these themes? What might have influenced him in selecting these themes? List a play that exemplifies each of the themes you have chosen to discuss.

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