2. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS - DRAMA

1. HEDDA GABLER BY IBSEN

1. Answer the following questions. 

(i) What is Epic Theatre?
(ii) What is Absurd Theatre?
(iii) What is socialism?
(iv) Why is 'Hedda Gabler' rather than 'Hedda Tesman' the title of the drama?
(v) Why does Ibsen choose a woman as his protagonist in 'Hedda Gabler'?
(vi) Describe the physical appearance of Hedda.
(vii) Is Hedda a symbol of new women?
(viii) What clashes between aristocracy and the bourgeoisie does the play 'Hedda Gabler' reveal?
(ix) What does Hedda complain?
(x) Why is Hedda so cruel to other females in 'Hedda Gabler'?
(xi) How do we know that Hedda is a dishonest character?
(xii) Hedda may be portrayed as a victim of circumstances.
(xiii) According to Hedda, what is 'beautiful death'?
(xiv) For the achievement of what ideal does Hedda die?
(xv) What is the thematic significance to Aunt Rina's sickness and death? 

2. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Why did Hedda marry George Tesman?
(ii) What did Hedda think of her honeymoon?
(iii) Why does Hedda want to destroy Eilet's manuscript?
(iv) How is Hedda's behaviour with Tesman's aunts?
(v) What is Tesman's academic specialty?
(vi) What is George Tesman's attitude towards his scholarly pursuits?
(vii) Write the dominant traits in Judge Brack's character.
(viii) What happened to Lovborg's manuscript?
(ix) Who is Mrs. Elvsted?
(x) To whom is Mrs. Elvsted married?
(xi) Why does Thea come to visit Hedda?
(xii) What does Mrs. Elvsted tell Hedda about Lovborg?
(xiii) What is the importance of the character of Aunt Julle?
(xiv) What are Judge Brack's motives in overseeing Tesman's finances?
(xv) Who is Berta? 

3. 'Hedda Gabler' As a Modern Tragedy

4. 'Hedda Gabler' As a Feminist Play

5. Relationship Between the Individual and the Society in 'Hedda Gabler'

6. Dramatic Significance of Symbols in 'Hedda Gabler'

7. Character Sketch of Hedda

8. Character Sketch of Loevborg

2. ARMS AND THE MAN BY G.B. SHAW

9. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Name three other plays written by Shaw.
(ii) What is the source of the title 'Arms and the Man'?
(iii) What is the historical background of the play 'Arms and the Man'?
(iv) What are the major themes of 'Arms and the Man'?
(v) What is the major conflict in 'Arms and the Man'?
(vi) In which two countries the war was going in 'Arms and the Man'?
(vii) What is pragmatism?
(viii) How does Bernard Shaw view romanticism?
(ix) What is meant by the subtitle 'An Anti-Romantic Comedy'?
(x) What is Byronism?
(xi) There are many types of war and many types of love in 'Arms and the Man'.
(xii) What characteristics make a person a good soldier?
(xiii) Which character best serves as Shaw's spokesman?
(xiv) Which characters have illusions about themselves and the world they live in?
(xv) Who holds the most power in Petkoff's household? 

10. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Who is Captain Blintschli?
(ii) How can Bluntschli be called an Anti-Hero?
(iii) Why is 'the chocolate creme soldier' an effective descriptor for Bluntschli as a fighter?
(iv) Who is Raina Petkoff?
(v) Why does Riana save Bluntschi?
(vi) Who is Sergius Saranoff?
(vii) How does Sergus' vies of war differ from Bluntschi's?
(viii) Why do Sergius and Raina find 'higher love' tiring?
(ix) Who is Major Petkoff?
(x) Who is Catherine Petkoff?
(xi) Who is Louka?
(xii) Is Louka's entrapment of Sergius believable?
(xiii) What is the soul of a servant? Does Louka has the soul of a servant?
(xiv) Discuss the validity of Louka's definition of bravery.
(xv) Who is Nicola? 

11. Symbolic Significance of the Title 'Arms and the Man'

12. Elements of Farce in 'Arms and the Man'

13. Realism in 'Arms and the Man'

14. Major Themes in 'Arms and the Man'

15. Role of Petkoff and Catherine in 'Arms and the Man'

16. Character Sketch of Captain Bluntschi

3. WAITING FOR GODOT BY SAMUEL BECKETT

17. Answer the following questions. 

(i) When and where does the play 'Waiting for Godot' take place?
(ii) Why is the play 'Waiting for Godot' in two acts?
(iii) What is the basic difference between Act I and Act II of 'Waiting for Godot'?
(iv) What are the major themes of 'Waiting for Godot'?
(v) What is the significance of Godot in the play 'Waiting for Godot'?
(vi) What is an absurd play?
(vii) How does 'Waiting for Godot' demonstrate the qualities of theatre of the Absurd?
(viii) Mention the modern qualities which are present in 'Waiting for Godot'.
(ix) How is 'Waiting for Godot' a tragicomedy?
(x) What is the moral of the play 'Waiting for Godot'?
(xi) In what language was 'Waiting for Godot' originally written?
(xii) What is 'mandrakes'? What is its symbolic reference?
(xiii) What does the song about the dog signify in 'Waiting for Godot'?
(xiv) What does Lucky's 'Dance in a Net' symbolize?
(xv) What is the function of the audience in 'Waiting for Godot'?

18. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Who is Estragon?
(ii) Who is Vladimir?
(iii) What is the relationship between Vladimir and Estragon?
(iv) Why are Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot?
(v) What are the nicknames of Estragon and Vladimir?
(vi) What method of suicide does Vladimir suggest? Why wouldn't it work?
(vii) Why does Estragon compare himself to Christ?
(viii) Who is Pozzo and what does he want to do with his slave?
(ix) What are Lucky's physical characteristics?
(x) Describe the role of Lucky in 'Waiting for Godot'.
(xi) What is the relationship between Pozzo and Lucky?
(xii) What does Estragon want from Pozzo?
(xiii) What is the essence of Lucky's speech?
(xiv) What is the function of the boy in 'Waiting for Godot'?
(xv) Why don't Vladimir and Estragon leave at the end of the play? 

19. 'Waiting for Godot' As an Absurd Play

20. 'Waiting for Godot' As a Tragic-Comedy

21. Major Themes in 'Waiting for Godot'

22. Significance of the Title 'Waiting for Godot'

23. Role of Language in the Context of 'Waiting for Godot'

24. Characters of Vladimir and Estragon

25. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Write the names of four major plays of Edward Bond.
(ii) When did Edward Bond win the Obie award?
(iii) What is Bond's attitude towards religion?
(iv) What are the major themes of 'The Sea'?
(v) Define symbolism.
(vi) What does the character of Willy symbolize?
(vii) How is "The Sea" a poetic tragedy?
(viii) Describe surrealism in 'The Sea'.
(ix) What is the setting of the play 'The Sea'?
(x) What is the significance of the title 'The Sea'?
(xi) What is the main target of satire in 'The Sea'?
(xii) Why does Bond encourage the audience to 'change the world'?
(xiii) Sea is the domain of life. How?
(xiv) 'People are judged by what they have on their hands. They are important'. What does it mean?
(xv) 'It's a bad world. You have to be a bit mad to understand it'. What does it mean? 

26. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Write the names of the leading characters in 'The Sea'.
(ii) Who is Willy Carson?
(iii) What is Willy's tragic flaw?
(iv) Why does Willy fail in saving Collin?
(v) Who is Evens?
(vi) Who is Mrs. Rafi?
(vii) Who is Hatch?
(viii) Why does Mrs. Rafi insult Hatch?
(ix) What does Hatch term Mrs. Rafi?
(x) Who is Mafanwy?
(xi) What does Mrs. Rafi want Mafanwy to be in the play?
(xii) How is Hallarcut?
(xiii) Who is Thompson?
(xiv) Who is Rose Jones?
(xv) Who is Jessica Tilehouse?

27. 'The Sea' As a Social Comedy

28. Symbolic Significance of the Title 'The Sea'

29. Symbolism in 'The Sea'

30. Theme of Individual and Society in 'The Sea'

31. Character Sketch of Willy

32. Character Sketch of Mrs. Rafi

\\

5. THE CHERRY ORCHARD BY ANTON CHEKHOV

33. Answer the following questions. 

(i) What are the major themes in ‘The Cherry Orchard’?

(ii) What are the major symbols in ‘The Cherry Orchard?

(iii) What is the role of music in ‘The Cherry Orchard’?

(iv) What is naturalism?

(v) How is ‘The Cherry Orchard’ a naturalistic play?

(vi) What does ‘The Cherry Orchard’ signify?

(vii) Define tragic comedy.

(viii) Is ‘The Cherry Orchard’ a tragedy or comedy?

(ix) What is modernism?

(x) What is modern about ‘The Cherry Orchard’?

(xi) What is the setting of ‘The Cherry Orchard?

(xii) What is the central conflict in ‘The Cherry Orchard’?

(xiii) How is ‘The Cherry Orchard’ perceived by the servant class?

(xiv) What is the significance of the axe falling in ‘The Cherry Orchard’?

(xv) What is the ultimate fate of Firs at the end of ‘The Cherry Orchard’? 

34. Answer the following questions. 

(i) Mention the salient features of Charlotta Ivanovna.
(ii) What attitude does Trofimov have towards society?
(iii) Describe the salient features of Lopakhin.
(iv) Who buys the Cherry Orchard?
(v) How does Ranevsky look aristocratic?
(vi) What is Yephikodov's nick name?
(vii) If you had to side with the philosophies of Lobov, Lopakhin or Trofimov, which would it be?
(viii) What character do you think presents Chekhov's prescriptive in 'The Cherry Orchard'?
(ix) What role does Yephikodov play in 'The Cherry Orchard'?
(x) Why does Trofimov say that he is not interested in love?
(xi) What is Varya's relation to Mrs. Ranevksy?
(xii) What is the main character flaw of Trofimov in 'The Cherry Orchard'?
(xiii) What does Varya want to do mostly in her life?
(xiv) What kind of person is Firs?
(xv) What is the importance of cherry orchard for Madame Ranevskaya?
35. Is 'The Cherry Orchard' a Tragedy or Comedy?

36. 'The Cherry Orchard' As a Political Play

37. Theme of Change in 'The Cherry Orchard'

38. Symbolism in 'The Cherry Orchard'

39. Character Sketch of Lopakhin

40.  Salient Features of Twentieth Century Drama