Sophomore English Exam Study Guide
Review for Final English Exam
I. Introductory Material
1. Merchant of Venice- By: William Shakespeare
Setting- Italy (Venice and Belmont) 16th Century, 1500s
Social Problem- Hatred between Christians and Jews
Protagonist- Antonio (For Comedy); Shylock (For Tragedy)
Antagonist- Shylock (For Comedy); Antonio (For Tragedy)
Characteristics of Comedy
1. Young lovers struggling to overcome obstacles
2. Mistaken Identity
3. Clever plot twist with multiple plot lines
4. Puns
5. Stock Characters
6. Happy Ending
Jews were not considered citizens
They had no rights in Venice, including the right to vote or own property
Usury- the practice of lending money and charging interest
During this time, it was illegal to charge high rates of interest
Poses conflict
Immoral, looked down upon by Christians
Comic Hero- he/she must have a minimal level of personal charm or worth of character in order to win the audiences approval
Comedy- a rise in fortune of the comic hero
2. The Glass Menagerie- By: Tennessee Williams
Setting- After the Great Depression, before World War II; 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri
The Way Tennessee Williams broke away from straight realistic staging:
1. Had his major character also be the narrator (Tom Wingfield)
2. Encorporated a screen device into his plays to emphasize important details and actions on stage
3. Removed props
4. Use of lighting
Problem with memory play: Details could be omitted or left out; biased, exaggerated details
Symbolism- a person, place, or object that has its own meaning but can suggest other meanings as well
Genre- Tragedy
3. Death of a Salesman- By: Arthur Miller
Genre- Tragedy
Setting- Late 1940’s; Brooklyn- Present; Boston- Flashback
Tense- Past and Present
Protagonist- Willy or Biff Loman
Antagonist- Willy or Biff Loman
American Dream- an antagonist dream
This play attacks the materialistic aspect of the American Dream
He believes the American Dream is bigger than materialistic things
I. Introductory Material
1. Merchant of Venice- By: William Shakespeare
Setting- Italy (Venice and Belmont) 16th Century, 1500s
Social Problem- Hatred between Christians and Jews
Protagonist- Antonio (For Comedy); Shylock (For Tragedy)
Antagonist- Shylock (For Comedy); Antonio (For Tragedy)
Characteristics of Comedy
1. Young lovers struggling to overcome obstacles
2. Mistaken Identity
3. Clever plot twist with multiple plot lines
4. Puns
5. Stock Characters
6. Happy Ending
Jews were not considered citizens
They had no rights in Venice, including the right to vote or own property
Usury- the practice of lending money and charging interest
During this time, it was illegal to charge high rates of interest
Poses conflict
Immoral, looked down upon by Christians
Comic Hero- he/she must have a minimal level of personal charm or worth of character in order to win the audiences approval
Comedy- a rise in fortune of the comic hero
2. The Glass Menagerie- By: Tennessee Williams
Setting- After the Great Depression, before World War II; 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri
The Way Tennessee Williams broke away from straight realistic staging:
1. Had his major character also be the narrator (Tom Wingfield)
2. Encorporated a screen device into his plays to emphasize important details and actions on stage
3. Removed props
4. Use of lighting
Problem with memory play: Details could be omitted or left out; biased, exaggerated details
Symbolism- a person, place, or object that has its own meaning but can suggest other meanings as well
Genre- Tragedy
3. Death of a Salesman- By: Arthur Miller
Genre- Tragedy
Setting- Late 1940’s; Brooklyn- Present; Boston- Flashback
Tense- Past and Present
Protagonist- Willy or Biff Loman
Antagonist- Willy or Biff Loman
American Dream- an antagonist dream
This play attacks the materialistic aspect of the American Dream
He believes the American Dream is bigger than materialistic things