Sample Exams

Final Exam Questions: Shakespeare for Non-Majors, Version 1

Sonnets

  1. According to Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, what are the characteristics of love, or, rather, of what love is not?
  2. What is the tone, pun, turn and irony of a particular sonnet.
  3. Discuss the recurring themes in the sonnets. (What themes appeared in two or more of the sonnets? What themes appeared in all the sonnets?)

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Final Exam Questions: Shakespeare for Non-Majors, Version 2

Twelfth Night

  1. Discuss the difference between a fool and a clown and give an example.
  2. Discuss the gender confusion in Twelfth Night.
  3. Give and explain an example of justice in Twelfth Night.
  4. Discuss the issues of gender raised in Twelfth Night.
  5. How does Feste's character add to or detract from the main plot of Twelfth Night?
  6. Who is excluded from the comic resolution of the play? What would be lost from the play if he were omitted?
  7. How is the second plot of comedy, with Malvolio as the fool (or clown) tie into the main plot. What might be some reasons for having a second plot like this....

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Final Exam Extra Credit: Shakespeare for Non-Majors

For each of the following passages, identify the speaker and to whom or about whom it is spoken.

  1. O for a muse of fire, that would ascend
    The brightest heaven of invention.

    speaker:
    to/about:

  2. Was ever woman in this humor woo'd?
    Was ever woman in the humor won?
    I'll have her, but I will not keep her long.

    speaker:
    to/about:

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