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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. When the Duchess leaves after eating the fruit Bosola gave her, she is feeling:

2. Where does Antonio send Delio?

3. What does Cariola declare after the wedding?

4. What does Delio tell Antonio about Ferdinand's anger over his sister's situation?

5. How does Bosola treat the Old Lady when he catches her in a hurry?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Bosola find out that the Cardinal was behind the scheme to kill the Duchess?

2. Why did Ferdinand responded the way he did when the Duchess told him that she thought his warning was rehearsed?

3. Who is the symbol of hope for the future at the conclusion of the play?

4. Does the Duchess trust Bosola in Act 2, Scene 1 or not?

5. How do the pilgrims respond to the news of the Duchess's marriage to Antonio, and their consequent banishment?

6. How does Delio show his support and friendship to Antonio before Antonio leaves to demand a reconciliation with the Cardinal?

7. How much time has passed between Act 1 and Act 2, and how is the reader made to understand how much time has passed?

8. Why might Bosola have given Ferdinand the key to the Duchess's room?

9. Does it seem in character for Delio to be offering money to Julia for her to become his mistress? Why or why not?

10. After the Duchess' brothers find out that she has disobeyed them, why doesn't she know that she will soon be in danger?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What function does the chorus and the lack of dialogue serve in Act 3, Scene 4 (where the Duchess, Antonio, and their children are banished, and where the Cardinal decides to become a soldier)? Describe 3 things Webster is able to convey to the audience by using this particular literary device. What other literary devices could be used to convey a similar message?

Essay Topic 2

How might the play would have been different if Bosola had, in fact, spared the Duchess's life and sent her away to sanctuary? Would Ferdinand still have wanted this without having seen her dead body? Write an alternate ending, of at least 4 paragraphs, that considers what might have happened if Bosola had made this decision.

Essay Topic 3

Religion is used throughout the play as a cover for hidden motives and secret plans. What message do you think Webster was trying to convey about religion at the time? Use 3 examples from the text to support your argument.

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