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Exam Duration: 90 minutes
Instructions
Read the questions carefully. Provide short, direct answers. Use your own words — don’t copy from the text.
Nora. [Dr. Rank] is just like one of the family.
Mrs. Linde. But tell me this--is he perfectly sincere? I mean, isn’t he the kind of man that is very anxious to make himself agreeable?
Nora. Not in the least. What makes you think that?
Mrs. Linde. When you introduced him to me yesterday, he declared he had often heard my name mentioned in this house; but afterwards I noticed that your husband hadn’t the slightest idea who I was.
1. Explain Mrs. Linde’s “isn’t he the kind of man that is very anxious to make himself agreeable?” in the passage above.
When Rank said he’d often heard her name, Mrs. Linde assumed he’d heard it from his friend Helmer. She did not realize that Rank and Nora had been spending time together without her husband — something she regards as improper. Thus she was surprised when she found that Helmer did not know her. She guesses that the explanation might be that Rank’s declaration was a lie intended to please her (by making her think she is often talked about).
Rank has in fact often heard her name — but from Nora, not Helmer.
Helmer. My dear Nora, I can forgive the anxiety you are in, although really it is an insult to me. It is, indeed. Isn’t it an insult to think that I should be afraid of a starving quill-driver’s vengeance? But I forgive you nevertheless, because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. (Takes her in his arms.) And that is as it should be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you may be sure I shall have both courage and strength if they be needed. You will see I am man enough to take everything upon myself.
Nora (in a horror-stricken voice). What do you mean by that?
Helmer. Everything, I say--
Nora (recovering herself). You will never have to do that.
2. Why is Nora “horror-stricken”? How does she think Helmer’s words would translate into action? What is the thought behind the words, “You will never have to do that”?
Nora imagines that Helmer would take her crime upon himself, and declare himself guilty of the criminal forgery which she committed, which would destroy his career and the respectability which is so precious to him. This prospect makes Nora “horror-stricken.”
When Nora says “You will never have to do that,” her plan is to kill herself. If she were dead, she supposes, he would not take her crime upon himself — there would be no point in doing that, because it could no longer help Nora.
Nora. Just look at those!
Rank. Silk stockings.
Nora. Flesh-coloured. Aren’t they lovely? It is so dark here now, but tomorrow--. No, no, no! you must only look at the feet. Oh well, you may have leave to look at the legs too.
Rank. Hm!
Nora. Why are you looking so critical? Don’t you think they will fit me?
Rank. I have no means of forming an opinion about that.
Nora (looks at him for a moment). For shame! (Hits him lightly on the ear with the stockings.) That’s to punish you. (Folds them up again.)
3. What does Rank mean when he says “I have no means of forming an opinion about that”?
He can’t know whether the stockings would fit because he has not seen her legs (which are always covered by a dress). This is flirtation, since by pointing out that he has not seen her legs, he is hinting that he would like to see them.
ROMEO
[To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
JULIET
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
4. In this first
encounter between Romeo and Juliet, they feel immediate attraction (if not
already love) for each other. Their dialogue reflects this attraction. But on a
superficial, literal level, the dialogue represents a playful argument, in
which each makes points that oppose points made or suggested by the other.
Explain Juliet’s reasoning in arguing, “you do wrong your hand too much.”
Romeo “wrongs” his hand by declaring that Juliet is a “holy shrine,” and that by touching her hand he has “profaned” it. She disagrees, pointing out that it is normal for pilgrims to touch the hands of saints (an act not regarded as profane).
5. Romeo’s next line is: “Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?” How is this, too, an argument (again, on a literal level) against what Juliet has just said?
Juliet has just stated that pilgrims touch saints’ hands, and that this “palm to palm” is a pilgrim’s manner of extending a “kiss” to a saint. (Juliet is using the word “kiss” metaphorically to refer to this “palm to palm” touching of hands. Juliet’s metaphor is apt because the pilgrim’s metaphorical “kiss” is his manner of showing devotion.) Since Romeo is in the role of pilgrim and desires a literal kiss, rather than “palm to palm” contact, he questions why a “kiss” would be carried out through “palm to palm” contact, when both pilgrims and saints have lips.
6. Juliet’s next line is: “Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.” How does this argue against what Romeo has just said?
Juliet concedes that pilgrims do have lips, but that they should use them for prayer, not for kissing.
7. The dialogue between the lovers continues as follows:
ROMEO
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
JULIET
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
ROMEO
Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.
JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
What — again, on a literal level — is the protest expressed by Juliet? And what does Romeo do to respond to Juliet’s playful complaint? Explain.
Romeo has said that his sin has been purged (removed) by being passed from his lips to hers. Juliet protests that she has therefore acquired Romeo’s sin. Romeo’s response to this complaint is to kiss her again in order to take the sin back from her.
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