George Farquhar

Study question George Farquhar

The Beaux’ Stratagem

The Beaux’ Stratagem MCQs

The Recruiting Officer

The Recruiting Officer MCQs

Facts about George Farquhar

➾ He discovered a genius early devoted to the Muses, showing a force of thinking much beyond his years.

➾ He was an unhappy and rebellious college student who may have been expelled for a “profane jest”.

➾ Although an actor, his voice was somewhat weak, and his movements on stage were described as stiff and ungraceful.

➾ His acting career ended when he forgot to swap his sword for a foil, severely wounding a fellow actor.

➾ The protagonist of his first play celebrated God taking away one of the newborn twins he fathered.

➾ He discovered future leading actress Anne Oldfield reading aloud a scene from The Scornful Lady at a tavern.

➾ For several years, he split his time between his commission as a soldier and his primary vocation as a dramatist.

➾ He married a widow, ten years his senior, who reportedly tricked him into marriage by pretending to possess a fortune.

➾ Despite being deceived about her wealth, he treated his wife with great delicacy and tenderness as an indulgent husband.

➾ He sold his army commission to pay debts upon the Duke of Ormonde’s advice, who then broke his promise.

➾ His final major work, The Beaux’ Stratagem, was written during his sickness, premiering shortly before his death.

George Farquhar MCQs

1. When was George Farquhar born?

A. 1775
B. 1699
C. 1707
D. 1677

D. 1677.
George Farquhar was born in 1677.

2. Where was George Farquhar born?

A. Derry, Ireland
B. London, England
C. Dublin, Ireland
D. Bristol, Ireland

A. Derry, Ireland.
Farquhar was born in Derry, Ireland.

3. What was the title of Farquhar’s first premiered comedy?

A. The Constant Couple
B. The Beaux’ Stratagem
C. Love and a Bottle
D. The Inconstant

C. Love and a Bottle.
Farquhar’s first comedy, Love and a Bottle, premiered in 1698.

4. What was the title of Farquhar’s last play that premiered?

A. The Recruiting Officer
B. The Beaux’ Stratagem
C. Sir Harry Wildair
D. The Twin Rivals

B. The Beaux’ Stratagem.
The Beaux’ Stratagem was Farquhar’s last play, premiering shortly before he died in 1707.

5. What dramatic genre is George Farquhar known for contributing to?

A. Victorian farce
B. Jacobean melodrama
C. Late Restoration comedy
D. Elizabethan tragedy

C. Late Restoration comedy.
Farquhar is primarily noted for his contributions to late Restoration comedy.

6. For what achievement is George Farquhar best known, leading to his fame?

A. Poetry collections
B. Major dramatic plays
C. Military recruitment
D. Acting performances

B. Major dramatic plays.
He is noted for his contributions to late Restoration comedy, especially three successful major plays.

7. Which major playwright’s adaptation of The Recruiting Officer was set in the American Civil War?

A. Thomas Keneally
B. Oliver Goldsmith
C. Bertolt Brecht
D. Alexander Pope

C. Bertolt Brecht.
Bertolt Brecht set his adaptation, Pauken und Trompeten, in America during the American Civil War.

8. What did Alexander Pope refer to in relation to Farquhar’s writing?

A. Good dialogue
B. Pert low Dialogue
C. Elegant style
D. Deep philosophy

B. Pert low Dialogue.
Alexander Pope famously commented on the “pert low Dialogue” that Farquhar writ.

9. What aspect of The Inconstant did William Hazlitt praise?

A. Its wit
B. The last act
C. Its dialogue
D. The comedy

B. The last act.
William Hazlitt praised the reformative power of the last act of The Inconstant.

10. Which Farquhar play is referenced in Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer?

A. The Constant Couple
B. The Beaux’ Stratagem
C. The Recruiting Officer
D. Love and a Bottle

B. The Beaux’ Stratagem.
Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer asks if she looks like Cherry in The Beaux’ Stratagem.

11. What was George Farquhar’s father’s profession?

A. Actor
B. Soldier
C. Clergyman
D. Merchant

C. Clergyman.
Farquhar was one of seven children born to William Farquhar, a clergyman of modest means.

12. At what institution did Farquhar begin his education?

A. Trinity College
B. Foyle College
C. Oxford University
D. London School

B. Foyle College.
He was educated at Foyle College before entering Trinity College Dublin.

13. Under what classification did Farquhar enter Trinity College Dublin at age 17?

A. Pensioner
B. Fellow
C. Sizar
D. Scholar

C. Sizar.
Farquhar entered Trinity College Dublin at age 17 as a sizar under a patron.

14. What potential profession did Farquhar initially intend to follow?

A. Soldier
B. Actor
C. Clergyman
D. Poet

C. Clergyman.
He may have initially intended to follow his father’s profession and become a clergyman.

15. What term describes Farquhar’s disposition that made him unable to relish college life?

A. Grave and modest
B. Gay and volatile
C. Humble and pious
D. Morose and sad

B. Gay and volatile.
His biographer claimed his “gay and volatile Disposition could not long relish the Gravity” of college life.

16. What reason, other than disposition, may have led to Farquhar’s expulsion from college?

A. Drunkenness
B. Profane jest
C. Debt collection
D. Poor grades

B. Profane jest.
Trinity College may have expelled Farquhar over a reported “profane jest”.

17. Which acquaintance is credited with encouraging Farquhar’s playwriting efforts?

A. John Dryden
B. Robert Wilks
C. Sir John Vanbrugh
D. Thomas Keneally

B. Robert Wilks.
Robert Wilks, a well-known actor, is credited with encouraging Farquhar’s writing.

18. What weakness was reported about Farquhar’s physical performance as an actor?

A. Weak voice
B. Stiff movements
C. Bad memory
D. Heavy accent

B. Stiff movements.
He was reported to have “stiff and ungraceful” movements, as well as a weak voice.

19. In which play did Farquhar accidentally wound a fellow actor?

A. Macbeth
B. The Man of Mode
C. The Indian Emperor
D. Philaster

C. The Indian Emperor.
The accident happened while Farquhar was performing Guyomar in John Dryden’s The Indian Emperor.

20. What object did Farquhar forget to exchange before the onstage accident?

A. His hat
B. His sword
C. His foil
D. His wig

C. His foil.
He forgot to exchange his sword for a foil, severely wounding actor Price.

21. How long did Farquhar remain in college before leaving to become an actor?

A. One year
B. Two years
C. Five years
D. Ten years

B. Two years.
Farquhar left Trinity College Dublin after two years to pursue acting.

22. What was the name of the main character in Farquhar’s first play, Love and a Bottle?

A. Lovewell
B. Roebuck
C. Wildair
D. Mirabel

B. Roebuck.
The play deals with Roebuck, an “Irish Gentleman of a wild roving Temper”.

23. What type of literary device did Farquhar’s first play, Love and a Bottle, absorb?

A. Stock topics
B. Classical verse
C. Deep philosophy
D. New ideas

A. Stock topics.
One scholar cited Love and a Bottle as proof that Farquhar absorbed “stock topics” of Restoration comedy.

24. What was the status of one of the twins that Roebuck impregnated a woman with, causing him to be relieved?

A. The male child
B. The she-brat
C. Both children
D. Neither child

B. The she-brat.
Roebuck remarked, “Heav’n was pleas’d to lessen my Affliction, by taking away the She-brat”.

25. In what year did The Constant Couple achieve great success at Drury Lane?

A. Sixteen ninety-eight
B. Seventeen hundred
C. Seventeen oh-two
D. Seventeen oh-seven

B. Seventeen hundred.
The Constant Couple was acted at Drury Lane in 1700 and proved a great success.

26. Which character’s portrayal helped make The Constant Couple a great success?

A. Roebuck
B. Young Bellair
C. Sir Henry Wildair
D. Guyomar

C. Sir Henry Wildair.
Robert Wilks’ portrayal of Sir Henry Wildair contributed considerably to the play’s success.

27. What was the title of the sequel Farquhar wrote the year after The Constant Couple?

A. The Inconstant
B. Sir Harry Wildair
C. The Twin Rivals
D. Love and Business

B. Sir Harry Wildair.
The sequel, Sir Harry Wildair, followed the success of The Constant Couple the next year.

28. Which of Farquhar’s works was published in 1702, including letters, verse, and an essay?

A. The Twin Rivals
B. A Discourse on Acting
C. Love and Business
D. Restoration Wit

C. Love and Business.
Love and Business, a collection of letters, verse, and an essay, was published in 1702.

29. What essay concerning drama was included in Farquhar’s 1702 collection?

A. On Dialogue
B. A Discourse Upon Comedy
C. The Art of Acting
D. Military Life

B. A Discourse Upon Comedy.
Love and Business included Farquhar’s essay titled A Discourse Upon Comedy.

30. Which major female actress did Farquhar discover by reading a scene aloud?

A. Anne Bracegirdle
B. Nell Gwyn
C. Anne Oldfield
D. Susanna Centlivre

C. Anne Oldfield.
Farquhar discovered Anne Oldfield at her aunt’s tavern, leading to her theatrical career.

31. Which playwright’s work was Anne Oldfield reading when Farquhar discovered her?

A. George Etherege
B. John Dryden
C. Beaumont and Fletcher
D. William Congreve

C. Beaumont and Fletcher.
She was reading aloud a scene from Beaumont and Fletcher’s play The Scornful Lady.

32. To whose notice did Farquhar bring Anne Oldfield, launching her career?

A. Robert Wilks
B. The Earl of Orrery
C. Sir John Vanbrugh
D. Peter Motteux

C. Sir John Vanbrugh.
Impressed by her reading, Farquhar brought Oldfield to the notice of Sir John Vanbrugh.

33. What position did Farquhar receive in the regiment of the Earl of Orrery?

A. Colonel
B. Commission
C. General
D. Chaplain

B. Commission.
After his first play, Farquhar received a commission, dividing his time between soldier and dramatist.

34. What was the marital status of Margaret Pemell when Farquhar married her in 1703?

A. Spinster
B. Widow
C. Divorced
D. Separated

B. Widow.
In 1703, Farquhar married Margaret Pemell, who was a widow with three children.

35. How much older than Farquhar was his wife, Margaret Pemell?

A. Five years
B. Ten years
C. Twenty years
D. Same age

B. Ten years.
Margaret Pemell was ten years older than Farquhar when they married.

36. How did Margaret Pemell reportedly deceive Farquhar into marrying her?

A. Falsely claiming fortune
B. Pretending illness
C. Threatening suicide
D. Feigning loyalty

A. Falsely claiming fortune.
She reportedly tricked him into marriage by pretending to possess a great fortune.

37. What quality did Farquhar display towards his wife despite being deceived?

A. Resentment
B. Upbraiding
C. Tenderness
D. Indifference

C. Tenderness.
He “behaved to her with all the Delicacy and Tenderness of an indulgent Husband”.

38. During which war was Farquhar engaged in recruiting for the army (1703-1706)?

A. Civil War
B. Spanish Succession
C. Seven Years’ War
D. Franco-Dutch War

B. Spanish Succession.
He was engaged in recruiting duties due to the War of the Spanish Succession.

39. Which play was based primarily on Farquhar’s experience of military recruitment?

A. The Constant Couple
B. The Recruiting Officer
C. The Inconstant
D. The Stage Coach

B. The Recruiting Officer.
Farquhar drew on his recruiting experience for his comedy, The Recruiting Officer (1706).

40. Who collaborated with Farquhar on the adaptation of a French play titled The Stage Coach?

A. Robert Wilks
B. Peter Motteux
C. Sir John Vanbrugh
D. Duke of Ormonde

B. Peter Motteux.
The Stage Coach was a French play adaptation written in collaboration with Peter Motteux.

41. Why did Farquhar reportedly sell his army commission?

A. To travel abroad
B. To pay debts
C. For promotion
D. To write full-time

B. To pay debts.
He had to sell his commission to pay debts after being advised by the Duke of Ormonde.

42. Who advised Farquhar to sell his army commission, but failed to keep a related promise?

A. Earl of Orrery
B. Bishop of Dromore
C. Duke of Ormonde
D. Sir John Vanbrugh

C. Duke of Ormonde.
The Duke of Ormonde advised the sale, promising another commission which he failed to keep.

43. Who visited Farquhar when he was ill and encouraged him to write his final play?

A. Margaret Pemell
B. Peter Motteux
C. Robert Wilks
D. Alexander Pope

C. Robert Wilks.
Farquhar’s friend Wilks visited him when he was ill and urged him to write another comedy.

44. What was Farquhar’s physical condition when he wrote The Beaux’ Stratagem?

A. On campaign
B. During his sickness
C. In prosperity
D. While imprisoned

B. During his sickness.
Farquhar stated in the preface that he wrote the play while ill.

45. To whom did Farquhar chiefly credit the success of The Beaux’ Stratagem?

A. The audience
B. Mr. Wilks
C. The printer
D. The actors

B. Mr. Wilks.
He credited the success chiefly to the “friendly and indefatigable care of Mr. Wilks”.

46. When did George Farquhar die?

A. 8 March 1707
B. 29 April 1707
C. 3 May 1707
D. 10 June 1707

B. 29 April 1707.
George Farquhar died on 29 April 1707, less than two months after his last play opened.

47. In which London church was Farquhar buried?

A. St. Paul’s Cathedral
B. Westminster Abbey
C. St. Martin in the Fields
D. St. James’s Church

C. St. Martin in the Fields.
He was buried in London at the Church of St. Martin in the Fields on May 3, 1707.

48. What quality did an early biographer note about Farquhar’s young creative talent?

A. Modest ambition
B. Financial acumen
C. Force of Thinking
D. Great physical strength

C. Force of Thinking.
An early biographer claimed he showed a “Force of Thinking, and Turn of Expression, much beyond his years”.

49. Which of Farquhar’s plays was adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker in Our Country’s Good?

A. The Constant Couple
B. The Recruiting Officer
C. The Twin Rivals
D. The Beaux’ Stratagem

B. The Recruiting Officer.
Our Country’s Good centres on Australian convicts attempting to perform George Farquhar’s comedy The Recruiting Officer.

50. Which of Farquhar’s plays involved young Mirabel being saved by his mistress in disguise?

A. The Beaux’ Stratagem
B. The Inconstant
C. The Twin Rivals
D. Love and a Bottle

B. The Inconstant.
In The Inconstant, young Mirabel is preserved by the fidelity of his mistress, Orinda, disguised as a page.

The Recruiting Officer MCQs

1. Where does Serjeant Kite first make his recruiting speech?

A. Sign of Raven
B. Market Place
C. Tavern room
D. London street

B. Market Place.
Kite begins his recruiting efforts by addressing the general public in the busy Shrewsbury Market Place.

2. Which specific military cap does Kite dub “the cap of honour”?

A. Sergeant’s hat
B. Grenadier’s cap
C. Officer’s plume
D. Drum-major’s

B. Grenadier’s cap.
Kite attempts to convince men to enlist by showing them the status of the grenadier’s cap.

3. What huge famous bed is mentioned when discussing the “bed of honour”?

A. Great bed in London
B. Great bedware
C. King’s bed
D. Shrewsbury bed

B. Great bedware.
Kite compares the size of the bed of honour to the great bed located at Ware.

4. How many people can reportedly lie together in the “bed of honour”?

A. One thousand
B. Ten thousand
C. Seven hundred
D. Fifty score

B. Ten thousand.
Kite claims that ten thousand people may lie in the huge bed of honour together.

5. What time did Captain Plume arrive in Shrewsbury according to his watch?

A. Four o’clock
B. Ten o’clock
C. Half past three
D. Midday

A. Four o’clock.
Plume checks his watch and notes that he arrived at four o’clock after smart riding.

6. What musical tune is the drum beating as Plume arrives?

A. King’s health
B. King’s pleasure
C. Grenadier’s March
D. Soldier’s retreat

C. Grenadier’s March.
Plume recognises the sound of his own recruiting effort by the Grenadier’s March tune being played.

7. How long had Serjeant Kite been recruiting in Shrewsbury when Plume arrived?

A. Four days
B. One week
C. One fortnight
D. Two months

B. One week.
Kite informs Captain Plume that he has been in Shrewsbury working on recruiting for one week.

8. Which of the listed recruits did Plume want immediately discharged?

A. Welsh parson
B. Gìpsy king
C. Strong man
D. Scoundrel attorney

D. Scoundrel attorney.
Plume feared that a lawyer who could write might cause trouble by drawing up petitions.

9. Why did Captain Plume decide to keep the Welsh parson?

A. He has courage
B. Plays the fiddle
C. Is very religious
D. Can read maps

B. Plays the fiddle.
Despite wanting to discharge him, Plume keeps the parson because he plays the fiddle well.

10. Who is the “old friend Molly at the Castle” that Plume remembers?

A. Worthy’s wife
B. Kite’s wife
C. A former lover
D. Melinda’s maid

C. A former lover.
Molly is Plume’s old acquaintance who was brought to bed yesterday with his child.

11. What does Captain Plume order Serjeant Kite to do regarding Molly’s child?

A. Pay its upkeep
B. Father the child
C. Send it away
D. Find a mother

B. Father the child.
Plume instructs Kite, despite his current marriage, to claim the newborn child as his own.

12. Which item did Peggy Guzzle, one of Kite’s listed wives, sell?

A. Brandy
B. Potatoes
C. Ship sails
D. Beer

A. Brandy.
Peggy Guzzle, who lives near Whitehall, is described as the brandy woman.

13. What is the newborn boy’s rank and name in Captain Plume’s muster-roll?

A. Recruit Thomas
B. Grenadier Francis
C. Corporal Kite
D. Soldier George

B. Grenadier Francis.
Plume lists the boy as a grenadier named Francis Kite, absent on official furlough.

14. What disguise does Kite use to lure prospective soldiers for Plume?

A. Tinker’s clothes
B. Fortune-teller’s habit
C. Gentleman’s attire
D. Sailor’s uniform

B. Fortune-teller’s habit.
Kite uses the pretense of a fortune-teller to gain fame and attract men and money.

15. What military weapon does Worthy joke that Plume has not lost?

A. His sword
B. His nose
C. His leg
D. His pistol

B. His nose.
Worthy greets Plume, who assures him he escaped safely, losing neither leg, arm, nor nose.

16. Worthy describes his current emotional state as being caused by what?

A. Money worries
B. A woman
C. A failed battle
D. Army service

B. A woman.
Worthy, now melancholy and thoughtful, explains that his condition is caused by a woman.

17. What did Worthy offer Melinda before Plume went abroad?

A. A ring
B. A fine house
C. Five hundred settlement
D. A coach

C. Five hundred settlement.
Worthy proposed a marriage settlement of five hundred pounds a year to Melinda.

18. Who dies and leaves Melinda twenty thousand pounds at a critical time?

A. Lady Richly
B. Justice Balance
C. Molly at Castle
D. Peggy Guzzle

A. Lady Richly.
Worthy explains that Melinda’s aunt, Lady Richly in Flintshire, died and left her a large inheritance.

19. When Worthy grew obsequious toward Melinda, how did she treat him?

A. With respect
B. Like a dog
C. Generously
D. Very kindly

B. Like a dog.
Plume observes that when Worthy acted like a humble lover, Melinda used him like a dog.

20. Plume suggests he would hire three or four neighbourhood women to report that he had done what?

A. Paid them
B. Lied to them
C. Got them pregnant
D. Stolen money

C. Got them pregnant.
Plume suggests fabricating reports that he had gotten several local women pregnant to affect Melinda.

21. Who brings Mrs. Molly ten guineas for baby clothes from Sylvia?

A. Kite
B. Worthy
C. Footman
D. Justice Balance

C. Footman.
Kite reveals that a footman in a blue livery delivered the money from Mrs. Sylvia.

22. What relation is Justice Balance to Sylvia?

A. Her brother
B. Her uncle
C. Her father
D. Her cousin

C. Her father.
Justice Balance is identified as Sylvia’s father, who would be glad to meet Plume.

23. What quality does Plume admire in Sylvia’s character after hearing of her generosity?

A. Womanly grace
B. Manly friendship
C. Great beauty
D. Her money

B. Manly friendship.
Plume praises Sylvia’s action as noble, generous, and showing “manly friendship” rather than jealousy.

24. Melinda believes that no air can be good for a lady for how long?

A. A full year
B. Half a year
C. One month
D. Two seasons

B. Half a year.
Melinda, being particular about her constitution, says no air is good for more than half a year.

25. What did Sylvia say made her fingers ache at the boarding school?

A. Welsh mountain air
B. London smog
C. Cold weather
D. Sewing work

A. Welsh mountain air.
Sylvia recalls that the sharp air from the Welsh mountains made their fingers ache when they were young.

26. Melinda says Sylvia is on the way to being put on trial because who has come to town?

A. Mr. Worthy
B. Justice Balance
C. Her captain
D. Captain Brazen

C. Her captain.
Melinda refers to Captain Plume, noting Sylvia is likely to be put to the trial of following the camp.

27. Who wrote the letter to Melinda that her maid Lucy presented?

A. Captain Plume
B. Mr. Worthy
C. Justice Balance
D. Captain Brazen

A. Captain Plume.
Lucy confirms that Plume sent the letter she presented to Melinda.

28. What relation is Owen, who is past recovery, to Sylvia?

A. Her cousin
B. Her friend
C. Her brother
D. Her uncle

C. Her brother.
Justice Balance informs Sylvia that the doctor expects his son, Owen, will soon die.

29. What is Justice Balance’s primary reason for not wanting Plume to marry Sylvia?

A. Plume’s low rank
B. Lack of money
C. His family honour
D. Her large fortune

D. Her large fortune.
Balance feels three thousand pounds a year is too much fortune for a mere captain of foot.

30. What does Sylvia agree to promise her father before she leaves for the country?

A. Never marry
B. Obey his will
C. Gain consent
D. Return quickly

C. Gain consent.
Sylvia solemnly promises her father that she will never dispose of herself without his consent.

31. Who tore up the letter Melinda wrote to Justice Balance?

A. Worthy
B. Plume
C. Balance
D. Lucy

C. Balance.
Justice Balance tears up Melinda’s warning letter to conceal the sender’s identity.

32. Why does Worthy rush to gather the pieces of the torn letter?

A. To read the contents
B. To find the hand
C. To gain power
D. To stop Brazen

C. To gain power.
Worthy realises that possessing the letter will give him power over Melinda’s pride.

33. What did Kite, Thomas, and Costar drink that caused them to be drunk?

A. Brandy
B. Humming ale
C. Strong wine
D. March beer

B. Humming ale.
Kite boasts that they were drinking the king’s drink, which he calls humming ale.

34. What title does Costar Pearmain decide he wants to be, greater than a king?

A. A Prince
B. A Duke
C. A Queen
D. An Emperor

C. A Queen.
Costar declares he wants to be the Queen of England, which he believes is the greatest.

35. How much money was each piece of “Carolus” gold Kite worth to the recruits?

A. Twenty shillings
B. One pound
C. One guinea
D. Five crowns

C. One guinea.
Plume confirms that the gold pieces given by Kite were worth one-and-twenty shillings (a guinea).

36. Why does Plume beat Serjeant Kite in front of the recruits?

A. Recruiting tricks
B. Too rude
C. Stealing gold
D. Disobeying orders

A. Recruiting tricks.
Plume beats Kite for abusing Costar and Thomas by deceiving them with the ‘pictures’ and money.

37. What food item does Rose Bullock bring to sell in the Market Place?

A. Eggs
B. Butter
C. Corn
D. Chickens

D. Chickens.
Rose is seen entering the Market Place carrying chickens on her arm in a basket.

38. What is the occupation of Rose’s brother, Bullock, who sells corn?

A. A farmer
B. A butcher
C. A soldier
D. A drover

A. A farmer.
Rose clarifies that her father is a farmer and her brother, Bullock, sells the corn.

39. What does Serjeant Kite say a “palisado” is like when speaking to Bullock?

A. A small tree
B. A thick bodkin
C. A long rifle
D. A wooden fence

B. A thick bodkin.
Kite describes the palisado to Bullock as a pretty sort of bodkin, thick as his leg.

40. What did Kite’s mother, Cleopatra, sell him to a nobleman for?

A. Three pounds
B. Five shillings
C. Three pistoles
D. One guinea

C. Three pistoles.
Kite reveals he was bought from his gìpsy mother Cleopatra for three pistoles.

41. Who is the bluff fellow in the sash that Worthy warns Balance about?

A. Plume
B. Kite
C. Brazen
D. Bullock

C. Brazen.
Worthy identifies the newcomer, Brazen, as his rival and a most unaccountable fellow.

42. Which precious item does Rose show Justice Balance that she received?

A. Flanders’ lace
B. A new cap
C. Silk stockings
D. A large ring

A. Flanders’ lace.
Rose shows Balance “Right Mecklin” lace, which she got from Captain Plume.

43. What two items of clothing does Plume bring over yearly to cheat the king’s duty?

A. Boots and swords
B. Lace and silk
C. Arms and drums
D. Caps and plumes

B. Lace and silk.
Melinda mentions officers bring over a cargo of lace to cheat the king and his subjects.

44. Captain Brazen claims he fought in Flanders against the French, Hungary against the Turks, and where else?

A. Germany
B. Portugal
C. Tangier
D. Ireland

C. Tangier.
Brazen boasts of serving in three locations: Flanders, Hungary, and Tangier against the Moors.

45. What is the name of the lady Captain Brazen claims he is reserved by destiny to marry?

A. Melinda
B. Lucy
C. Shropshire lady
D. German princess

C. Shropshire lady.
Brazen states that Fate has reserved him for a Shropshire lady worth twenty thousand pounds.

46. What military manoeuvre does Plume say he will use when making love to Melinda?

A. A charge
B. A volley
C. A platoon
D. A salute

C. A platoon.
Plume says he will make love like a platoon: kneel, stoop, and stand.

47. When Sylvia is disguised as Jack Wilful, where does she claim she lives?

A. In a house
B. In the country
C. Where she stands
D. Kent

C. Where she stands.
Jack Wilful (Sylvia) states that he has no fixed home beyond the very spot where he stands.

48. Who does the fortune-teller (Kite) first consult when examining women’s affairs?

A. The stars
B. Jupiter
C. The devil
D. Tycho

C. The devil.
Kite says that because women’s affairs are so irregular, he must advise with his “t’other friend.”

49. When Justice Balance and the other Justices convene, who sits upon the bench with them?

A. Worthy
B. Plume
C. Brazen
D. Kite

B. Plume.
Captain Plume accepts Justice Scruple’s invitation and ascends to sit on the bench.

50. What type of military service does Plume suggest for the collier who works underground?

A. Dragoons
B. Gunners
C. Miners
D. Marines

C. Miners.
Plume suggests that because the collier works underground, the army needs him as a miner.

Brief Overview

The Recruiting Officer is a play by George Farquhar. It was first produced and published in 1706. It is a Restoration comedy that humorously examines themes of love and war, deception, and societal norms in a provincial English town.

The story opens with Captain Plume and Serjeant Kite arriving in Shrewsbury to recruit new soldiers for the Queen’s army. Serjeant Kite uses speeches and tricks to recruit men. Kite even disguises himself as a fortune-teller to fool men and make money.

Plume and his friend Worthy are both in love. Worthy loves Melinda, but she became rich and grew proud. Plume loves Sylvia, but her father, Justice Balance, opposes the marriage. Balance thinks Plume’s army rank is too low for Sylvia’s considerable fortune.

Sylvia, unwilling to lose Plume, disguises herself as a man named Jack Wilful. She uses trickery to ensure she is illegally listed as a soldier by Plume himself. Kite’s fortune-telling act successfully tricks Melinda. This helps Worthy win her back.

Justice Balance eventually discovers that “Jack Wilful” is really his daughter, Sylvia. Balance gives Sylvia to Plume in marriage. Plume gives up his military commission to stay with Sylvia.

Worthy and Melinda are also reunited. Plume decides to continue recruiting “the matrimonial way” rather than through traditional military enlistment.