The Double-Dealer MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature


Updated on: November 24, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 17 min

The Double-Dealer MCQs

1. Careless leaves the dinner table because he is tired of which activity?

A. Eating talking
B. Weary guzzling
C. Drinking wine
D. Finding women

B. Weary guzzling.
Careless states he is “weary of guzzling” and prefers the company and voices of the women.

2. According to Mellefont, the women retire after dinner to their tea and what customary activity?

A. Gossip talking
B. Fine clothes
C. Scandal ancient
D. New poetry

C. Scandal ancient.
The women follow their “ancient custom” of retiring to tea and scandalous conversation after dinner.

3. Brisk criticises Careless for leaving because he leaves no one for the company to do what?

A. Laugh at
B. Talk to
C. Interrupt easily
D. Tell jokes

A. Laugh at.
Brisk argues that Careless leaves nobody remaining “for the company to laugh at” due to his quick departure.

4. Brisk flatters Mellefont by calling him the very essence of wit, and what other quality?

A. Witty sense
B. Spirit wine
C. Great friend
D. Conversation soul

B. Spirit wine.
Brisk claims Mellefont is “the very essence of wit and spirit of wine” in conversation.
5. Lord Touchwood threatens to disinherit Mellefont, and which character threatens to disclaim him as a son-in-law?

A. Lord Froth
B. Sir Paul
C. Careless
D. Maskwell

B. Sir Paul.
Brisk mentions that Sir Paul Plyant threatens to disclaim Mellefont for a prospective son-in-law.

6. Mellefont wants Careless to continue mirth and noise to prevent whose head from working?

A. Careless’s mind
B. Lady Touchwood’s head
C. Cynthia’s will
D. Brisk’s foolishness

B. Lady Touchwood’s head.
Mellefont desires noise and folly to keep his aunt’s brain from working, comparing it to a busy hell.

7. Lady Touchwood’s malice toward Mellefont is compared to what item that only shines where it is pointed?

A. Dark lanthorn
B. Burning light
C. Guiding star
D. Keen dagger

A. Dark lanthorn.
Her malice operates with such subtlety that it shines “like a dark lanthorn” only upon Mellefont.

8. The settlement upon Mellefont includes a proviso that his uncle must not have what?

A. Any debts
B. Young wife
C. No children
D. Sudden plots

C. No children.
The settlement is contingent upon Lord Touchwood having “no children” to inherit the estate.

9. Careless suggests that Mellefont should engage with which lady all evening to prevent his aunt from influencing her?

A. Cynthia’s mother
B. Lady Plyant
C. Lady Froth
D. Biddy Lactilla

B. Lady Plyant.
Careless is instructed to engage Lady Plyant so Mellefont’s aunt cannot “work her to her interest”.
10. Careless distrusts Maskwell, stating he is a little superstitious in what specific area?

A. Astrology
B. Human nature
C. Physiognomy
D. Friendship ties

C. Physiognomy.
Careless admits he cannot help suspecting Maskwell due to his superstitious belief in physiognomy (face reading).

11. Sir Paul Plyant says he is swearing and vowing that he is in almost what condition after drinking?

A. Very silly
B. Tipsy swear
C. Quite ready
D. Quite furious

B. Tipsy swear.
Sir Paul says he is “almost tipsy” and believes another bottle would have been too much for him.

12. Lord Froth finds it barbarous and asks Sir Paul not to call him what quality?

A. Facetious person
B. Very handsome
C. So merry
D. A fool

C. So merry.
Lord Froth considers the term “merry” to be “Oh, barbarous!” and akin to calling him a fool.

13. Lord Froth asserts that he only laughs at whose jokes or jests?

A. Brisk’s stories
B. Nobody’s jests
C. His own
D. Careless’s wit

C. His own.
Lord Froth insists he laughs at nobody’s jest but his own, or occasionally a lady’s.

14. Lord Froth says laughing is a vulgar expression of what universal human experience?

A. The passion
B. The spirit
C. Common nature
D. Good breeding

A. The passion.
Lord Froth objects to laughing, arguing it is a “vulgar expression of the passion” that everybody can do.
15. Lord Froth deliberately attends comedies to mortify which group of people?

A. The actors
B. The poets
C. The commonality
D. The audiences

B. The poets.
He attends shows specifically “To distinguish myself from the commonalty and mortify the poets”.

16. Lady Touchwood confronts Maskwell, accusing him of being false and what other negative trait?

A. Dishonorable
B. Wicked villain
C. Ungrateful
D. Sedate thinking

C. Ungrateful.
Lady Touchwood immediately tells Maskwell, “You are false and ungrateful; come, I know you false”.

17. Maskwell confesses to having wronged Lord Touchwood in the highest manner where?

A. In his bed
B. In his fortune
C. In his house
D. By betrayal

A. In his bed.
Maskwell admits that with Lady Touchwood’s help, he wronged Lord Touchwood “in his bed”.

18. Lady Touchwood says a sedate, thinking villain like Maskwell has blood that runs in what specific way?

A. Hot jealous
B. Temperately bad
C. Violently black
D. Very honest

B. Temperately bad.
She curses Maskwell as a “sedate, a thinking villain, whose black blood runs temperately bad”.

19. Maskwell admits Lady Touchwood only favoured him initially through policy, and what other motivation?

A. Generous love
B. Pure lust
C. Revenge
D. Despair

C. Revenge.
Maskwell states Lady Touchwood favoured his passion only through “revenge and policy”.
20. Lady Touchwood is persuaded to tamper with Lady Plyant, convincing her that Mellefont does what?

A. Loves her
B. Hates Cynthia
C. Is insàne
D. Fears her

A. Loves her.
Maskwell’s plan requires persuading Lady Plyant “that Mellefont loves her”.

21. Lady Froth claims she could not sleep one wink for how long due to being in love?

A. Three years
B. One night
C. Three weeks
D. One moment

C. Three weeks.
Lady Froth exaggerates, saying she “did not sleep one wink for three weeks together”.

22. Lady Froth uses which French term to describe the distinguishing quality Mellefont lacks?

A. Je-ne-sais-quoish
B. Bonne mine
C. Bel Air
D. Mon coeur

C. Bel Air.
She mentions the “BEL AIR or BRILLANT of Mr. Brisk” as the manner Mellefont needs.

23. When demonstrating her portrait, Lady Froth asks Lord Froth to bow as he did when she gave him what item?

A. Her Picture
B. The glass
C. Her hand
D. The ring

A. Her Picture.
She asks him to mimic the bow he performed when she first presented him with her picture.

24. Cynthia suggests Lord and Lady Froth are happy in one another and also happy how?

A. With money
B. By themselves
C. With the company
D. In public

B. By themselves.
Cynthia observes they are “happy in themselves, and by yourselves,” noting their self-absorption.
25. Lady Froth titled her heroic poem, which detailed her husband’s love for her, what surprising name?

A. The Phosphorus
B. The Sillabub
C. The Poem
D. The Dacier

B. The Sillabub.
She laughingly reveals the title of her poem about her lord’s love is “THE SILLABUB”.

26. Cynthia compares marriage to a game of bowls because the outcome depends entirely upon what?

A. Losing losing
B. Good luck
C. Judgment
D. Drawing stakes

C. Judgment.
Although fortune makes the match, Cynthia agrees that “the game depends entirely upon judgment”.

27. Sir Paul Plyant claims he is exasperated and cannot submit because passion is coming upon him by what means?

A. Lady’s temper
B. Inflation
C. Mellefont’s law
D. Sudden thought

B. Inflation.
Sir Paul says, “I find passion coming upon me by inflation”, and therefore he cannot be governed.

28. Lady Plyant claims her husband’s honour is kept where, and she can dispose of it?

A. Her person
B. Her keeping
C. Westminster-Hall
D. A snow-house

B. Her keeping.
Lady Plyant claims Sir Paul has no honour “but what is in my keeping”.

29. Sir Paul accuses Mellefont of having snakes in his peruke and the crocodile of Nilus in what body part?

A. His heart
B. His belly
C. His hands
D. His peruke

B. His belly.
Sir Paul fears Mellefont will eat Cynthia alive, due to the mythical reptile in his stomach.
30. Lady Plyant boasts that she has preserved her honour for three years, like what pristine object?

A. Fair sheet paper
B. Virgin snow
C. Sacred shrine
D. Snow house

A. Fair sheet paper.
She compares herself to “a fair sheet of paper” for Mellefont to make a blot upon.

31. Lady Plyant believes Mellefont marrying Cynthia only to pursue her (Lady Plyant) makes his actions what religious crime?

A. Incest
B. Villainy
C. Deceit
D. Adultery

A. Incest.
Since she is Cynthia’s father’s wife, she warns that his design makes the action incestuous.

32. Maskwell reveals that Lady Touchwood promised him Cynthia and her fortune in exchange for what outcome?

A. Mellefont’s death
B. Breaking the match
C. True love
D. An heir

B. Breaking the match.
Maskwell agreed to accomplish Lady Touchwood’s designs, and she promised Cynthia to him.

33. Maskwell reflects that his rivalry with Mellefont cancels all the bonds of what social connection?

A. Family blood
B. Friendship
C. Gratitude
D. Common sense

B. Friendship.
Maskwell feels that the name of the rival “cuts ’em all asunder” because love is a leveller.

34. Maskwell states that whoever has honesty about him bears what in his breast?

A. A friend
B. An enemy
C. A rival
D. A fool

B. An enemy.
Maskwell decides that an honest man carries “an enemy in his breast” because he only cheats himself.
35. Lady Touchwood tells Lord Touchwood Mellefont desired to create a “nearer relation” to her, describing his motive as what?

A. Harmless mirth
B. A joke
C. Incestuous love
D. Gallantry

D. Gallantry.
She downplays the incident, saying Mellefont wanted to amuse himself with a little “gallantry” towards her.

36. Lord Touchwood vows to have Mellefont stripped and turned naked out of his doors because he calls him what kind of animal?

A. Monster
B. Incestuous brute
C. Unnatural villain
D. Dog

B. Incestuous brute.
Lord Touchwood flies into a rage, condemning Mellefont as an “incestuous brute”.

37. Lady Touchwood claims that Mellefont’s scandalous advances were still fresh, occurring within how much time?

A. A week
B. Two days
C. A twelvemonth
D. An hour

B. Two days.
Lord Touchwood asks, “These two days! Is it so fresh?” indicating the recency of the alleged actions.

38. Maskwell tells Mellefont that Lady Touchwood will pay for the “price of your banishment”, with whose person?

A. Cynthia’s
B. Lord Froth’s
C. Your aunt’s
D. Lady Plyant’s

C. Your aunt’s.
Maskwell claims he is to have “full and free possession of the person of– your aunt” as payment.

39. Mellefont compares Sir Paul, swaddled in blankets due to his wife’s nicety, to what animal on a drift of snow?

A. Russian bear
B. Nilus crocodile
C. Lambkin
D. Ugly thing

A. Russian bear.
Sir Paul is described as lying in bed “like a Russian bear upon a drift of snow” due to his restraints.
40. Careless says a woman’s bragging about resisting temptations is actually a challenge to him to engage her more, how?

A. Respectfully
B. Irresistibly
C. Slowly
D. Honestly

B. Irresistibly.
Mellefont explains that bragging is an argument that the temptations were weakly offered, inviting a stronger attempt.

41. Mellefont advises Careless to give Lady Plyant a billet-doux, arguing a woman doesn’t feel loved until a man has done what?

A. Lost time
B. Written letter
C. Been fooled
D. Made promises

B. Written letter.
A woman believes a man is truly in love when he has been fool enough “to lose so much time as to write to her”.

42. Sir Paul Plyant says he has a plentiful fortune, but his only great grief is not having what?

A. A boy
B. A daughter
C. A son
D. A house

C. A son.
Sir Paul laments to Careless that he has “not a son to inherit this” estate, his only affliction.

43. Lady Plyant mistakenly gives Sir Paul a note from Careless, believing the mistake will do what?

A. Save her
B. Ruin him
C. Undermine him
D. Be unsuspected

D. Be unsuspected.
Lady Plyant uses Sir Paul’s steward’s letter as a cover so her own deceit will “be unsuspected this time”.

44. Sir Paul says if his daughter can contrive to produce a grandson resembling him, he will pay a thousand pounds for resemblance to which body part?

A. His face
B. His leer
C. Left eye
D. Thick lip

C. Left eye.
Sir Paul vows to settle money on the boy, offering “A thousand pounds for this left eye” if the child looks like him.
45. Maskwell tells Mellefont to hide in Lady Touchwood’s chamber to avoid her locking the door when they are together.

A. Lord Touchwood
B. We are
C. Cynthia
D. Careless

B. We are.
Maskwell suggests Mellefont hide so Lady Touchwood cannot lock the door when he and Maskwell are inside.

46. When trying to convince Lord Touchwood to disinherit Mellefont, Maskwell claims that honesty to him is what?

A. True nobility
B. Self-rewarding
C. A vice
D. A jewel

A. True nobility.
Lord Touchwood agrees with Maskwell, stating that “Honesty to me is true nobility”.

47. Maskwell convinces Lord Touchwood to let him manage the new marriage by pretending to have prepared whom for the scheme?

A. His lady
B. His chaplain
C. Sir Paul
D. Cynthia

B. His chaplain.
Lord Touchwood mentions that Maskwell says “he had prepared my chaplain already” for the plot.

48. When Lady Touchwood believes Maskwell has betrayed her for Cynthia, she attempts to strike him with what item?

A. Her hand
B. Her dagger
C. A sword
D. A chain

B. Her dagger.
Lady Touchwood runs at Maskwell with a “dagger” after hearing his confession (which was a lie).

49. When Mellefont leaps out of hiding, Lady Touchwood screams and then kneels, accusing Mellefont of wanting to commit what terrible act?

A. Unnatural incest
B. Treachery deceit
C. Sudden ruin
D. Ravish her

A. Unnatural incest.
Lady Touchwood, seeing her lord, screams, “I’ll be consenting to so damned a sin as incest!”.
50. The play ends with Mellefont dragging in Maskwell, unmasking him as the “wonder of all” what?

A. False friend
B. Good genius
C. Double dealer
D. Falsehood

D. Falsehood.
Mellefont denounces Maskwell, calling him the “wonder of all falsehood” for his treachery.

Brief Overview

The Double-Dealer is a play by William Congreve, first performed and published in 1693. This Restoration comedy is a sharp work of social satire that focuses on hypocrisy, manipulation, and the deceit hidden beneath the surface of high society.

The story centers on the honest couple, Mellefont and Cynthia, who plan to marry soon. Mellefont’s aunt, Lady Touchwood, secretly hates him. She is angry because Mellefont rejected her forbidden love, so she wants to ruin him and stop the wedding.

She plots with Maskwell, Mellefont’s supposed friend. First, the aunt makes Mellefont look bad to Cynthia’s father, Sir Paul Plyant. She tricks Sir Paul into believing Mellefont desires his wife, Lady Plyant, which Sir Paul calls “incest.” The wedding is immediately called off.

Maskwell tells Mellefont a fake plan to expose Lady Touchwood. Mellefont hides in his aunt’s room to catch her in her lies. But Maskwell leads Lord Touchwood (Mellefont’s uncle) there instead. Lady Touchwood then pretends Mellefont was trying to attack her. The uncle believes her and publicly disowns Mellefont.

The uncle decides to make Maskwell his heir and marry him to Cynthia. However, the uncle overhears Maskwell admit his total treachery in secret. Maskwell had been double-dealing to gain wealth and Cynthia for himself.

Mellefont and Cynthia then expose Maskwell’s whole plot to everyone. The uncle gives his blessing to Mellefont and Cynthia. Virtue is rewarded, and the villainy is revealed.

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