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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. Why does Mosca hurry Voltore out the door after his visit with Valpone?

2. To which of the following universities does Jonson first dedicate his play?

3. In what country does Valpone live?

4. Which of Valpone's two men arrive first at Celia's home?

5. Which of the following terms do Mosca and Valpone use to describe their visitors?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Valpone act once Voltore is in the room for his visit?

2. What plan does Mosca hatch to get Corbaccio into Valpone's will?

3. Who is Valpone's heir?

4. How do Sir Political Would-Be and Peregrine react to the scene of the medicine man's arrival?

5. What deductions about Sir Political Would-Be's character does Peregrine make during their conversation about travel?

6. Why does Jonson lay out the entire plot of his play for the audience?

7. What does Mosca tell Corvino is the one thing he can do to help save Valpone's life?

8. What is Valpone's punishment for misleading the courts?

9. How does Lady Would-Be treat Peregrine when she intercepts his conversation with Sir Politic?

10. How does Valpone feel about Lady Political Would-Be?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Valpone's plan is eventually revealed to the court, all of the characters involved receive individual and unique punishments. Create a list of the five characters that were involved in Valpone's plan and explain what the punishment for each of the characters was. Then, explain whether or not you believe that the punishments doled out fit the crimes, and why.

Essay Topic 2

At the end of the play, Valpone pleads with the audience to learn from the mistakes of the characters in the play. Explain what Valpone meant by this statement and give examples of two characters whose lessons could be learned. Finally, explain whether or not it was effective for Valpone to plead with the audience at the end of the play, and why.

Essay Topic 3

Valpone spends most of the time in the play pretending to be ill. Give examples of three ways that Valpone pretends to be ill and what the reaction to his devices are. Why is it important to Valpone's plan that the legacy hunters believe that he is really ill?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 809 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample