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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 else will be in attendance at The Valkyrie, causing the Old Man to hope that the Student will meet him there?

2. The Old Man tells the Student that he has no heirs except one son, whom he describes in what way?

3. The Student tells the Old Man that he is studying what subject?

4. Who tells the Student that his picture is already in the paper in association with his heroism the night before?

5. The Old Man tells the student, "Serve me and you shall be a lord of" (11) what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What claims does the Old Man make about the Student's father in Act I?

2. What information does the Student learn about the Old Man's treatment of the powerful during his conversation with Johansson?

3. Who is the Dead Man?

4. What circumstances had led the Student to the scene of the collapsed house the night before the narrative present?

5. Provide evidence for the conclusion that the Student believes at least part of the Old Man's claim about the Student's father.

6. What does the Old Man ask of the Student in lieu of the money he claims the Student's father still owes him?

7. From the Student's perspective, what does the house at the center of the play symbolize within Act I?

8. What paradoxical statement does Johansson make about the link between the Old Man and trust?

9. How does the Student respond to the Old Man's claims about the supposed transgressions committed by the Student's father?

10. How does the Old Man first come into contact with the Student in Act I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of The Ghost Sonata and one of the play's main messages. How does Strindberg make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the play?

Essay Topic 2

How is the theme of desire portrayed in The Ghost Sonata? Examine Strindberg's treatment of and messages regarding desire throughout the play.

Essay Topic 3

How are the topics of romantic relationships, love, and sex treated within the play The Ghost Sonata and how does their treatment relate to the play's depicted messages?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,333 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample