Genre: drama and tragedy/gothic

Question 1

What is the term that describes the style of theatre that uses props, sound, design, and costume to present ideas poetically and symbolically, which A Streetcar Named Desire exemplifies?

Answer 1

Plastic Theatre

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Southern Gothic literature?
A) The depiction of decay, both physical and moral
B) Grotesque or eccentric characters
C) Characters who are isolated
D) Optimistic and hopeful themes

Answer 2

D) Optimistic and hopeful themes

Question 3

What is the term for a major change in a character’s circumstances, usually very sudden, and usually from good fortune to bad, which is a crucial element of tragedy, according to Aristotle?

Answer 3

Peripeteia

Question 4

What is the term for the error of judgement that a tragic protagonist makes, which leads to their downfall?

Answer 4

Hamartia

Question 5

What is the term that describes a moment when a tragic protagonist realises they have brought their downfall upon themselves?

Answer 5

Anagnorisis

Question 6

What term did Aristotle use to describe the cleansing or purging of negative emotions that the audience experiences during a tragedy?

Answer 6

Catharsis

Question 7

What does the “blue piano” music represent in the play?
A) Unrestrained physical pleasure and animal strength
B) Blanche’s mental decline
C) Stanley’s violence
D) The spirit of New Orleans

Answer 7

A) Unrestrained physical pleasure and animal strength

Question 8

What does the Varsouviana Polka represent?
A) Stanley’s Polish heritage
B) Blanche’s loss of innocence and descent into madness
C) Stella’s love for Stanley
D) The spirit of New Orleans

Answer 8

B) Blanche’s loss of innocence and descent into madness

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT true about Southern Gothic literature?
A) It emerged in the American South.
B) It blends elements of the Gothic tradition with Southern settings and themes.
C) It often explores social and moral decay.
D) It is characterized by an optimistic and hopeful tone.

Answer 9

D) It is characterized by an optimistic and hopeful tone

Question 10

What does Williams’s use of a flexible set, which allows the street to be seen at the same time as the interior of the home, suggest about the home?

A) That it is a place of peace and safety
B) That it is not a domestic sanctuary
C) That it is a place where characters can escape reality
D) That it represents the Old South

Answer 10

B) That it is not a domestic sanctuary