~~ LIT 165 Assigments ~~

Study for the Drama Exam on Tuesday December 4, 2001 (T/R 8:00 and 9:30 am classes) or Wednesday December 5 (W 7:15 pm class).

The Drama Exam will assess your knowledge of the two plays you were assigned--Oedipus the King and A Doll's House--as well as the pages in your textbook surrounding these plays as they were assigned in class. A Study Guide for the Drama Exam appears below.

A Study Guide for the Drama Exam

Oedipus the King

Study pp. 981-1037 in The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature.

• Who was Sophocles? In what ways did his work stand out and how was he innovative?
• What were the theatrical conventions of Greek theater?
• How were ancient Greek plays structured? Define prologue, parados, episodia, stasimon, exodus.
• What is literary tragedy? How did Aristotle define tragedy? What effect should tragedy have on its audience? What is catharsis? How does Aristotle define the qualities of a great tragic character?
• What is dramatic irony and is it present in Oedipus the King?

After studying the play, you should be prepared to answer questions about:

• the names, identities, character traits of all the characters in the play (you should know who is who)
• details concerning what happens throughout the play and how certain scenes advance the plot or develop character

After studying the play, you should be prepared to answer questions which ask you to analyze:

• the role of the chorus, how it responds to the action in the play, particularly on pp. 993, 1001-02, 1011-12, 1017-18, 1029.
• the ways in which the play illustrates Aristotle's declarations about tragedy and tragic character

A Doll House

Study pp. 1137-1202 in The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. These pages include introductory information regarding the play, the play itself, and a series of supplemental readings that comprise a "critical case study" of the play.

• What is realism? What is a "problem play"?
• What are some of the theatrical conventions of modern drama?
• Who is Henrik Ibsen and what is the "common denominator" in many of his dramas?

After studying the play, as before, you should be prepared to answer questions about:

• the names, identities, character traits of all the characters in the play (who is who)
• details concerning what happens throughout the play and how certain scenes advance the plot or develop character

After studying the play, you should be prepared to answer questions which ask you to analyze:

• Nora's character, particularly what her personality traits are and how she changes from the beginning of the play to the end
• The roles Nora and Torvald play in their marriage
• The way in which Krogstad and Kristine provide a contrast to Nora and Torvald
• Nora's relationship with Dr. Rank