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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. What does Claire say her marriage to Hoby was?

2. The author claims in the postscript that he has depicted people in the play and not what?

3. What does Claire say she plans to turn the world into in Act 3?

4. Who does Claire recall that Ill used to buy cigarettes from in their youth?

5. What does Ill's family leave him to go do in Act 3, Scene 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the author suggest the play resembles in the postscript?

2. What does the mayor tell Ill in Act 3, Scene 2 when offering him the gun?

3. Why is the vote held twice in the final scene? Why do the reporters leave?

4. What does Durrenmatt mean regarding "not imposing excessive meaning" in the postscript?

5. How is Claire's love of power revealed in Act 3, Scene 1?

6. What does Claire reveal to her guests in Act 3, Scene 1 regarding Guellen?

7. What is revealed about the townspeople in the final scene of the play?

8. What does Ill ask Claire about in Act 3, Scene 3? What is her reply?

9. What are Claire's final words to Ill in Act 3, Scene 3?

10. What does Durrenmatt say regarding the setting of the play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the play in the context of European history in the Post-WWII era. How did the war and its aftermath influence the author?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of power and control in the play. How does Claire embody this theme? What choices has she made which contribute to this?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the author's notes in the postscript describing the approach to direction and performance of the play. What elements are essential? What should not be emphasized too deeply?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 872 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample