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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does Lady Wishfort praise Mrs. Marwood at the beginning of Act 5, Scene 2?
(a) Because she believes Marwood is a generous person.
(b) Because Marwood disavows Mirabell and Sir Rowland.
(c) Because Marwood revealed Mirabell's plot against her.
(d) Because Marwood is a cultured lady who dislikes low morals.

2. Why are failed poets unable to judge Congreve's play?
(a) They simply lack the ability to judge another poet's work.
(b) They have no standards as they have already been proven failures.
(c) They would be jealous.
(d) They would never agree that someone else is successful.

3. Why was the cologne given to the footmen?
(a) To add to the elegance of the party.
(b) To prevent the footmen from smelling like stable hands.
(c) To give the footmen a little bonus.
(d) To disguise bodily odor.

4. What purpose does the interaction between Sir Rowland and Lady Wishfort serve as they discuss marriage?
(a) To convey Congreve's opinion of Restoration courtship.
(b) As a caricature of courtship.
(c) To conciliate their arrangement.
(d) To demonstrate the honesty of the two characters.

5. What advice does Mirabell give Lady Wishfort when she protests Fainall's demands?
(a) To have Fainall arrested for blackmail.
(b) To throw Fainall out of her house.
(c) To allow him to help.
(d) To simply refuse and face the consequences.

Short Answer Questions

1. As Act 3, Scene 3 opens, Mrs. Millamant and Mrs. Marwood are talking. What do we learn from their interaction?

2. What social issues did the play focus on?

3. How do Fainall and Mrs. Marwood decide to reveal Mirabell's plan to Lady Wishfort?

4. What does Mrs. Millamant ask Witwoud and Petulant as they enter the room in Act 3, Scene 3?

5. As Lady Wishfort steps out of the dining room to read a letter, what does Waitwell claim to Foible?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the importance of the discussion of their marriage by Mrs. Millamant and Mirabell.

2. Explain the significance of Sir Wilfull Witwoud's travels.

3. As a play, The Way of the World met with little success. However, critics believe it is one of the best comedies of manners ever written. Why do you think there is such a difference in opinion between audiences and critics?

4. How do you think audiences in this era would react to such a revolutionary position as that of Mrs. Millamant who was asking for equal rights?

5. Is Mirabell's elaborate plot going to be successful? Explain why or why not?

6. Why does Mirabell agree to help the Fainall's achieve peace in their marriage?

7. In what way does the discussion of marriage between Lady Wishfort and Sir Rowland differ from the discussion of Mrs. Millamant and Mirabell?

8. Discuss Lady Wishfort's reaction to Foible's revelations in Act 5, Scene 1.

9. Lay out Fainall's demands to keep his knowledge about his wife from society. Is this a reasonable revenge or not?

10. How do critics today differ from Congreve's description of them?

(see the answer keys)

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