Thomas Middleton

Study question Thomas Middleton

Facts about Thomas Middleton

➾ Middleton co-wrote Timon of Athens with Shakespeare, and also provided significant revisions for Macbeth and Measure for Measure.

➾ His stepfather invested in the ill-fated Roanoke Colony, losing much money before the mysterious abandonment in 1587.

➾ Middleton’s lengthy legal battle over his inheritance lasted approximately fifteen frustrating years throughout his entire childhood.

➾ His desperate stepfather, losing money in failed ventures, spent much time hiding from creditors or serving in debtor’s jail.

➾ Middleton’s unsuccessful first poem, Wisdom of Solomon Paraphrased, totaled 4,166 lines, surpassing the length of Hamlet.

➾ After the exhaustive inheritance lawsuit, Middleton received only £25 from his father’s original substantial £335 estate.

➾ He began his playwright career as a ‘novice,’ collaborating on Caesar’s Fall with four more experienced writers.

➾ Middleton subtly satirized King James I’s unpopular practice of indiscriminately selling knighthoods in his early comedy The Phoenix.

➾ The scholar Stanley Wells noted that Middleton’s career ended dramatically “in a blaze of publicity” after his final play.

➾ He was arrested for debt in December 1608, compelling him to slow down his highly productive and versatile writing career.

➾ After his final play caused a major scandal, Middleton was forced into hiding and never wrote another dramatic stage work.

Thomas Middleton MCQs

1. When was Thomas Middleton born?

A. 1580
B. 1587
C. 1603
D. 1627

A. 1580.
Thomas Middleton was a celebrated poet and playwright of the English Renaissance, flourishing from 1580 to 1627.

2. Where was Middleton born?

A. London, England
B. Oxford, England
C. Ferrara, Italy
D. York, England

A. London, England.
Middleton was born in London and baptized in April 1580, beginning his life in the bustling city.

3. Middleton’s first ambitious poetic work was titled?

A. Wisdom of Solomon
B. Ghost of Lucrece
C. Timon of Athens
D. Caesar’s Fall

A. Wisdom of Solomon.
The Wisdom of Solomon Paraphrased was his ambitious first poetic project, an unsuccessful 4,166-line endeavor.

4. Middleton’s final, controversial play was named?

A. The Changeling
B. A Game at Chess
C. The Witch
D. Revenger’s Tragedy

B. A Game at Chess.
A Game at Chess (1624) was his last play, which caused a major scandal leading to its suppression.

5. What dramatic genres did Middleton excel in?

A. Tragedy, Comedy
B. History, Romance
C. Masques, Epics
D. Farce, Melodrama

A. Tragedy, Comedy.
Middleton was an extremely versatile and prolific writer, excelling in both the genres of tragedy and comedy.

6. Middleton is today regarded as highly influential dramatist, often considered second only to?

A. William Shakespeare
B. Ben Jonson
C. Christopher Marlowe
D. John Webster

A. William Shakespeare.
Middleton is considered one of the most influential dramatists of his era, sometimes second only to Shakespeare.

7. Scholar Stanley Wells describes Middleton’s early career progression as?

A. Immensely industrious
B. Quiet and boring
C. Highly contested
D. Unusually productive

A. Immensely industrious.
Stanley Wells described Middleton as immensely industrious and versatile, with brilliant writing that deepened over time.

8. Middleton flourished during which English era?

A. Jacobean Era
B. Elizabethan Age
C. Victorian Period
D. Restoration Era

A. Jacobean Era.
Thomas Middleton flourished as a prolific writer, poet, and playwright during the Jacobean Era (1603–1625).

9. Middleton’s father held which profession?

A. A bricklayer
B. A gentleman grocer
C. An impresario
D. An actor

A. A bricklayer.
Middleton’s father was a bricklayer who died when the young Thomas was only six years old.

10. The value of Middleton’s inheritance left by his father was roughly?

A. £335
B. £25
C. £8
D. £7

A. £335.
His father left behind a substantial estate valued at £335, which led to a lengthy legal dispute.

11. How long did Middleton’s frustrating family legal battle last?

A. 15 years
B. 6 years
C. 25 years
D. 1 year

A. 15 years.
The frustrating legal battle over his inheritance played out throughout his childhood, lasting approximately fifteen years.

12. The legal battle likely led to Middleton’s later critiques of which profession?

A. Lawyers, System
B. Merchants, Grocers
C. Actors, Playwrights
D. Soldiers, Generals

A. Lawyers, System.
His experience with the lengthy legal dispute likely led to later satirical critiques of lawyers and the legal system.

13. Middleton attended which university before dropping out?

A. Queen’s College, Oxford
B. Cambridge University
C. Trinity College, Dublin
D. King’s College, London

A. Queen’s College, Oxford.
Middleton studied at Queen’s College, Oxford, starting in 1598, but dropped out without obtaining a degree.

14. In February 1601, Middleton was confirmed to be daily accompanying whom in London?

A. The players
B. The creditors
C. The lawyers
D. The grocers

A. The players.
A lawsuit witness testified that Middleton was “in London daily accompanying the players,” confirming his early theatre involvement.

15. How much money did Middleton finally inherit in 1601?

A. £25
B. £335
C. £8
D. £171

A. £25.
After the exhaustive legal battle, only £25 was left to him from his father’s original substantial estate.

16. Due to the need for money, Middleton first turned to writing what type of literature?

A. Satirical pamphlets
B. Court masques
C. Tragicomedies
D. Revenge tragedies

A. Satirical pamphlets.
With a pressing need for money, Middleton started writing successful satirical pamphlets, gaining significant attention.

17. In 1602, Middleton was commissioned to write plays by which leading London impresario?

A. Philip Henslowe
B. Shakespeare
C. King James I
D. Count Gondomar

A. Philip Henslowe.
Philip Henslowe, the leading impresario of public theatre, commissioned Middleton after noting his satirical pamphlets’ success.

18. Who did Middleton marry in 1603?

A. Magdalen Marbeck
B. Anne Harvey
C. Beatrice-Joanna
D. Lucrece

A. Magdalen Marbeck.
Middleton married Magdalen Marbeck in 1603, who may have been introduced to him by her brother, an actor.

19. What significant event closed London theatres in 1603?

A. Outbreak of plague
B. Political scandal
C. Royal decree
D. Debt crisis

A. Outbreak of plague.
An outbreak of plague in 1603 forced the closure of London theatres, causing Middleton to turn to prose pamphlets.

20. Middleton was arrested for debt in which year, forcing him to slow down?

A. December 1608
B. May 1602
C. August 1624
D. April 1616

A. December 1608.
Middleton’s debts caught up to him, resulting in his arrest in December 1608, slowing his prolific career.

21. Middleton was officially appointed to what city role in 1620?

A. City’s chronologist
B. Play censor
C. Royal poet
D. Globe manager

A. City’s chronologist.
He became officially involved in writing pageants for London, and was appointed the city’s chronologist in 1620.

22. Thomas Middleton died in the summer of which year?

A. 1627
B. 1622
C. 1616
D. 1624

A. 1627.
Middleton died in the summer of 1627, at the age of 47, and was buried on the 4th of July.

23. Middleton dedicated his first poem, The Wisdom of Solomon Paraphrased, to which noble?

A. Earl of Essex
B. King James I
C. Count Gondomar
D. William Shakespeare

A. Earl of Essex.
The long poem was dedicated to the Earl of Essex, likely in an attempt to secure patronage, though it was unsuccessful.

24. Which Shakespearean poem inspired The Ghost of Lucrece (1600)?

A. The Rape of Lucrece
B. Hamlet
C. Macbeth
D. Timon of Athens

A. The Rape of Lucrece.
The Ghost of Lucrece was inspired narratively and stylistically by Shakespeare’s highly acclaimed poem published several years previously.

25. Caesar’s Fall (1602), Middleton’s first collaborative play, is now considered what?

A. Now lost
B. Best tragedy
C. Major success
D. Satirical pamphlet

A. Now lost.
Middleton began his playwright career collaborating on Caesar’s Fall, a play that is currently lost to history.

26. Caesar’s Fall was intended to help the Lord Admiral’s Men compete with which rival troupe?

A. Lord Chamberlain’s Men
B. King’s Men
C. Boy Actors
D. Royal Court

A. Lord Chamberlain’s Men.
The play was intended to help the Lord Admiral’s Men rival the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, who were performing Julius Caesar.

27. Which company acted the Phoenix (1603)?

A. Boy actors
B. King’s Men
C. Female leads
D. Italian dukes

A. Boy actors.
The Phoenix was the first comedy of his productive period, performed by a company composed entirely of boy actors.

28. Which character in The Phoenix disguises himself to observe abuses and corruption?

A. Phoenix
B. Tangle
C. Husband
D. Vindice

A. Phoenix.
Phoenix, the duke’s son, disguises himself to “look into the heart and bowels of this dukedom” for abuses.

29. What unpopular practice did The Phoenix subtly satirise regarding King James I?

A. Selling knighthoods
B. Debt imprisonment
C. Killing children
D. Collaborating widely

A. Selling knighthoods.
Middleton satirised the king’s practice of indiscriminately selling knighthoods as a way to refill the royal coffers.

30. Middleton struck up a working relationship with which writer, starting with The Honest Whore, Part One?

A. Thomas Dekker
B. John Webster
C. William Rowley
D. William Shakespeare

A. Thomas Dekker.
Middleton collaborated with Dekker on The Honest Whore, Part One (1604), which proved to be a major success.

31. The Yorkshire Tragedy (1605) was extraordinary because Middleton had previously only been known for his?

A. Comedies
B. Masques
C. Pamphlets
D. Tragicomedies

A. Comedies.
The power of this tragedy was unexpected, as Middleton’s output prior to this focused heavily on successful comedies.

32. What real-life incident was The Yorkshire Tragedy based upon?

A. Walter Calverley murders
B. Roanoke Colony mystery
C. Globe Theatre fire
D. Gondomar’s complaint

A. Walter Calverley murders.
The play was a one-act tragedy based on the true story of Walter Calverley, who murdered his two young children.

33. What is a defining characteristic of characters in The Yorkshire Tragedy (and much of Middleton’s work)?

A. Lack personal names
B. Speak only prose
C. Are royal figures
D. Use allegorical names

A. Lack personal names.
Characters in The Yorkshire Tragedy are referred to only by roles, like ‘Husband’ or ‘Son’, typical of Middleton.

34. When The Yorkshire Tragedy was first published, it was initially attributed to whom?

A. Shakespeare
B. Dekker
C. Webster
D. Jonson

A. Shakespeare.
The publisher initially attributed The Yorkshire Tragedy to Shakespeare, possibly hoping to increase copy sales.

35. What Shakespearean play is Middleton most widely thought to have co-written?

A. Timon of Athens
B. Macbeth
C. Measure for Measure
D. All’s Well

A. Timon of Athens.
Middleton is now generally thought to have collaborated with Shakespeare, co-writing parts of Timon of Athens.

36. Evidence for Middleton’s hand in Timon of Athens includes the high proportion of characters who lack what?

A. Personal names
B. Speaking roles
C. Wealth
D. Virtue

A. Personal names.
The high proportion of characters lacking personal names (Poet, Painter) is considered typical of Middleton’s style.

37. What kind of play is The Revenger’s Tragedy (1606)?

A. Revenge play
B. Court masque
C. Romantic comedy
D. Historical pageant

A. Revenge play.
This 1606 work is a revenge tragedy, where the protagonist plots vengeance against his or her enemies.

38. The protagonist of The Revenger’s Tragedy (Vindice) holds the skull of whom at the beginning?

A. His fiancée
B. The Duke
C. His father
D. His brother

A. His fiancée.
Vindice, the main character, holds the skull of his murdered fiancée, showing inspiration from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

39. What is the meaning of the allegorical name ‘Vindice’ in The Revenger’s Tragedy?

A. Revenger
B. Duke
C. Justice
D. Madman

A. Revenger.
Allegorical names are characteristic of the play; Vindice, the protagonist, literally means ‘revenger’ in the context.

40. Which controversial play was suppressed, leading to Middleton potentially being imprisoned briefly?

A. A Game at Chess
B. The Witch
C. The Changeling
D. The Phoenix

A. A Game at Chess.
The highly controversial and popular political satire, A Game at Chess, was suppressed after nine consecutive performances.

41. In A Game at Chess, the villainous Black Knight represented which contemporary political figure?

A. Count Gondomar
B. King James I
C. Prince of Wales
D. Thomas Harvey

A. Count Gondomar.
The Black Knight piece was a stand-in for the Spanish ambassador, Count Gondomar, who complained about the portrayal.

42. What was the punishment for the actors of A Game at Chess?

A. Summoned before Council
B. Imprisoned briefly
C. Fined heavily
D. Pressed to death

A. Summoned before Council.
The actors who performed A Game at Chess were summoned before the Privy Council to receive a reprimand.

43. After the suppression of his final play, what was Middleton forced to continue writing?

A. Pageants
B. Tragedies
C. Sequels
D. Poetry

A. Pageants.
After the scandal surrounding A Game at Chess, Middleton continued writing pageants, but never another play.

44. What other Shakespearean plays is Middleton thought to have provided revisions for?

A. Macbeth, Measure
B. Othello, Lear
C. Richard III, Henry V
D. Hamlet, Tempest

A. Macbeth, Measure.
Middleton is thought to have co-written Timon of Athens and provided revisions for Macbeth and Measure for Measure.

45. Which famous play was co-written by Middleton and William Rowley in 1622?

A. The Changeling
B. Caesar’s Fall
C. The Honest Whore
D. The Second Maiden’s

A. The Changeling.
The Changeling (1622), a masterpiece regarded as a top tragicomedy, was written with William Rowley.

46. The Changeling’s comic subplot features suitors pretending to be which two figures?

A. Madman, Fool
B. Poet, Painter
C. Knight, Duke
D. Grocer, Lawyer

A. Madman, Fool.
The comic subplot involves two suitors who visit a couple, pretending to be a madman and a fool.

47. Middleton co-wrote The Roaring Girl (1611) with whom?

A. Thomas Dekker
B. John Webster
C. William Rowley
D. Anthony Munday

A. Thomas Dekker.
Middleton co-wrote The Bloody Banquet and The Roaring Girl with Thomas Dekker around 1609–1611.

48. What did Middleton turn to writing during the 1603 plague closure?

A. Prose pamphlets
B. Stage plays
C. Verse tragedies
D. Public apologies

A. Prose pamphlets.
When the London theatres were forced to close due to the plague, Middleton pivoted to writing prose pamphlets.

49. Scholar Harold Bloom believes the evidence for Middleton co-writing Timon of Athens is?

A. Not persuasive
B. Clearly obvious
C. Universally accepted
D. Completely undeniable

A. Not persuasive.
Bloom believes the evidence that Middleton had a hand in writing Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens is “not at all persuasive”.

50. Which specific theme is The Changeling noted for dealing with?

A. Treachery, Sin
B. Debt, Poverty
C. Patronage, Nobility
D. Politics, Chess

A. Treachery, Sin.
The Changeling, a Renaissance tragicomedy, explores deep thematic concepts like treachery and original sin.

Women Beware Women MCQs

1. What position commanded Leantio to be away from home frequently?

A. Leantio’s factorship
B. His family law
C. Merchant’s trust
D. Factorship

A. Leantio’s factorship.
Leantio’s master’s trust and care required him to work in his factorship, leading to frequent absences.

2. Where did Leantio bring Bianca from after their secret marriage?

A. Venice, Italy
B. Florence, City
C. Rome, Italy
D. Bologna, Italy

A. Venice, Italy.
Leantio brought Bianca from Venice, where her parents were great in wealth and rage.

3. How does Leantio justify the act of secretly marrying Bianca to his Mother?

A. Theft, noble
B. Noble theft
C. Base sin
D. High treason

A. Theft, noble.
Leantio referred to marrying Bianca as “theft, but noble,” sealed from Heaven by marriage.

4. What financial concern does Leantio’s Mother raise about Bianca?

A. Her maintenance fitting
B. Her expensive clothes
C. Her money spending
D. Her family’s debt

A. Her maintenance fitting.
The Mother worried about Leantio’s ability to provide fitting maintenance for Bianca’s birth and virtues.

5. What is the relationship between Fabritio and Livia?

A. Brother, sister
B. Husband, wife
C. Father, daughter
D. Niece, aunt

A. Brother, sister.
Livia addresses Fabritio as “brother,” confirming their close familial relationship in Florence.

6. According to Fabritio, women who marry fools are rewarded by living what kind of existence?

A. Live ladies’ lives
B. Obey husbands
C. Stay silent
D. Live poorly

A. Live ladies’ lives.
Fabritio argues that women who marry fools are rewarded by living a life like a lady.

7. Livia suggests young wives should have their loyalty checked after how many years of marriage?

A. Three years’ end
B. Fifteen years
C. One year
D. Forty weeks

A. Three years’ end.
Livia suggests young wives’ faithfulness should be checked after only three years’ time.

8. What is the source of Hippolito’s profound inward sorrow?

A. Forbidden incestuous love
B. His cruel father
C. His great ambition
D. His financial debt

A. Forbidden incestuous love.
Hippolyto is silently consumed by forbidden affection for his niece Isabella, which Heaven has forbidden.

9. Isabella claims marrying a fool is what specific emotion for a good woman?

A. Greater misery
B. Happy guest
C. Great fortune
D. Full joy

A. Greater misery.
Isabella sees marrying a fool as the greatest misery a virtuous woman can possibly endure.

10. Who does Isabella accuse of being sad, reflecting her own internal distress?

A. Her uncle
B. The Ward
C. Her father
D. The Duke

A. Her uncle.
Isabella notices Hippolito’s sadness, believing he suffers grief due to her father’s cruel actions.

11. Leantio compares his departure from Bianca and pleasure to what terrifying concept?

A. Second Hell
B. Great revels
C. Death’s grip
D. Fire and brimstone

A. Second Hell.
Leantio compares the bitterness of leaving Bianca and separating from pleasure to a “second Hell”.

12. Leantio keeps his “choice treasures” hidden, fearing that showing wealth would tempt whom?

A. Show thieves
B. His Mother
C. Other gallants
D. The Duke

A. Show thieves.
Leantio resolves to keep his “jewel” Bianca hidden, fearing that showing wealth would tempt thieves.

13. What event is the Mother explaining to Bianca when the Duke and State pass by?

A. Yearly solemnity
B. Funeral procession
C. Holy feast
D. Great triumph

A. Yearly solemnity.
The Mother explains the great crowd is due to the Duke’s annual solemnity to St Mark’s Temple.

14. Who is the Duke’s noble brother mentioned by the Mother?

A. The Lord Cardinal
B. Guardiano
C. Hippolito
D. Fabritio

A. The Lord Cardinal.
The Mother mentions the Duke’s noble brother is the Lord Cardinal, famous for his devotion.

15. Livia fears that Hippolito’s concealed grief for Isabella will bring what upon him?

A. Will bring upon him
B. Lead to despair
C. Great dishonour
D. Public exposure

A. Will bring upon him.
Livia fears that Hippolito’s hidden grief for Isabella will bring a fearful change upon him.

16. Livia suggests few sisters prioritize their brother’s ease above their own what?

A. Own honesties
B. Own reputation
C. Own desires
D. Own pleasure

A. Own honesties.
Livia suggests few sisters sacrifice their own honesties to ensure their brother’s emotional comfort and ease.

17. What does Isabella feel compelled to do regarding the Ward due to her father’s power?

A. Of force consent
B. Of choice reject
C. Speak truth
D. Flee the city

A. Of force consent.
Isabella feels bound by strict obedience to her father’s will, compelling her to consent to the marriage.

18. What secret does Livia reveal to Isabella regarding their relationship?

A. Not allied to us
B. Rich parents
C. True father
D. Great fortune

A. Not allied to us.
Livia reveals that Isabella is “nothing less” than niece and aunt, and is “no more allied” to them.

19. Who does Livia reveal is Isabella’s actual true father?

A. Marquis of Coria
B. Duke of Florence
C. Leantio
D. Antonio

A. Marquis of Coria.
Livia reveals the famed Spaniard, the Marquis of Coria, was actually Isabella’s true, noble father.

20. How does Isabella physically express her newfound acceptance toward Hippolito?

A. A kiss
B. A blush
C. A gentle touch
D. A fierce embrace

A. A kiss.
Isabella expresses her change of heart towards Hippolito by giving him a friendly and savory kiss.

21. Who first saw Bianca at the widow’s window, beginning the Duke’s pursuit?

A. The Duke
B. Guardiano
C. Leantio
D. The Mother

A. The Duke.
Guardiano confirms the Duke first spotted Bianca at the widow’s window, falling into a sudden rapture.

22. What action did Livia take to commence the plot to procure Bianca for the Duke?

A. Send for Mother
B. Set the trap
C. Send for Bianca
D. Prepare the masque

A. Send for Mother.
To initiate the plot, Livia suggests that the old Mother should be sent for with all speed.

23. Who is Livia playing against in the game of chess when Bianca first arrives?

A. The Mother
B. Guardiano
C. Hippolito
D. Fabritio

A. The Mother.
Livia and the Mother sit down to play chess, intending to pass the time until supper.

24. What specific part of Livia’s dwelling does Guardiano suggest showing Bianca?

A. The monument
B. The wine cellar
C. Her chamber
D. The library

A. The monument.
Guardiano suggests showing Bianca the rooms, pictures, and the “monument too,” a sight everyone misses.

25. Livia implies which character will “strike a sure stroke for the game anon”?

A. Here’s a duke
B. The black king
C. The white pawn
D. The wise bishop

A. Here’s a duke.
Livia states, “Here’s a duke / Will strike a sure stroke for the game anon,” confirming the Duke’s role in the plot.

26. What does the Duke offer Bianca in exchange for her honor?

A. Wealth, honour
B. Gold, service
C. Love, comfort
D. Jewels, pleasure

A. Wealth, honour.
The Duke attempts to seduce Bianca by offering her valuable things in exchange, namely wealth and honour.

27. How does Bianca secretly address Livia immediately after the Duke seduces her?

A. Damned bawd
B. Kind lady
C. Sweet sister
D. Old friend

A. Damned bawd.
Bianca turns to Livia and says in an aside, calling her a “damned bawd”.

28. What new trait has the Mother noticed in Bianca since the visit to Livia’s?

A. Grown so cutted
B. Become too quiet
C. Too religious
D. Too humble

A. Grown so cutted.
The Mother notices Bianca has “grown so cutted” and strange since her visit to Livia’s house.

29. What item does Bianca complain is missing from her bedchamber setup?

A. Casting-bottle
B. Green silk
C. Silver basin
D. Feather bed

A. Casting-bottle.
Bianca complains about the house’s defects, mentioning the missing cushion-cloth and silver casting-bottle.

30. What reason does the Mother suspect for Bianca’s sudden change in character?

A. That’s pride
B. Lack of money
C. New friends
D. Lustful thoughts

A. That’s pride.
The Mother speculates that Bianca’s sudden alteration is due to pride, which gave Lucifer a tumbling cast.

31. What does Bianca tell Leantio is the true “eye’s treasure”?

A. Change of objects
B. One thing still
C. Holy virtue
D. Hidden wealth

A. Change of objects.
Bianca instructs Leantio that the eye’s true treasure is “change of objects,” not gazing on one thing.

32. Who sends a messenger to Leantio’s house requesting Bianca’s company?

A. The Duke
B. Lady Livia
C. Hippolito
D. Guardiano

A. The Duke.
The messenger reveals he was sent by the Duke to fetch Bianca, causing Leantio to realize the betrayal.

33. What noble position is Leantio granted by the Duke after the seduction?

A. Captainship of fort
B. City poet
C. Duke’s guard
D. Royal servant

A. Captainship of fort.
The Duke rewards Leantio for his “good parts” by making him Captain of Rouans’ citadel.

34. Leantio compares his sudden preferment, sprung from sin, to crops growing in what environment?

A. Rotten’st grounds
B. Fertile hills
C. New soil
D. Shallow water

A. Rotten’st grounds.
Leantio bitterly notes that preferment born of sin shoots up quickly, like crops in the rottenest grounds.

35. What is the fate of Bianca’s mother-in-law after the Duke’s party?

A. She accepts the sin
B. She dies of grief
C. She is imprisoned
D. She seeks revenge

A. She accepts the sin.
The Mother quickly accepts the Duke’s plan, promising to fetch handkerchiefs to pocket sweetmeats.

36. What specific theme is Isabella’s song centered on during the banquet?

A. Cleave to some man
B. Foolish husband
C. Woman’s beauty
D. Marry the fool

A. Cleave to some man.
Isabella’s song notes a woman’s hard chance is being born to “cleave to some man” and give duty.

37. What sarcastic greeting does Leantio give Bianca when he visits her lavish new lodgings?

A. A bow i’th’ham
B. A low curtsy
C. A great praise
D. A kind word

A. A bow i’th’ham.
Leantio greets Bianca with sarcastic deference, offering a bow “i’th’ham to your greatness”.

38. What accusation does Leantio make against Bianca in her court lodgings?

A. Y’are a whore
B. A great fool
C. An ungrateful wife
D. A sinful servant

A. Y’are a whore.
Leantio confronts Bianca’s new status, calling her an “impudent, spiteful strumpet” and a whore.

39. Whose letter does Leantio display to Bianca to prove he is not love-starved?

A. Lady Livia’s
B. The Duke’s
C. Hippolito’s
D. His own mother’s

A. Lady Livia’s.
Leantio spitefully shows Bianca a letter from Lady Livia to prove he is not love-starved.

40. What action does the Duke take immediately upon hearing about Livia’s affair with Leantio?

A. Seek Hippolito
B. Ban Leantio
C. Confront Bianca
D. Send for the Cardinal

A. Seek Hippolito.
The Duke immediately sends a messenger to find Hippolito to execute revenge against Leantio.

41. What noble act does Hippolito vow to imitate, concerning Leantio’s life?

A. Cut the diseased part
B. Forgive his sin
C. Seek mercy
D. Speak honestly

A. Cut the diseased part.
Hippolito vows to imitate surgeons who put the sick patient to sleep before cutting the infected part.

42. What are Leantio’s final words, acknowledging the cause of his death?

A. False wife
B. My life’s wealth
C. Shame upon me
D. My sin

A. False wife.
Leantio dies, blaming Bianca, believing her lustful prayer allowed him to fall to his death.

43. What secret about Hippolito does Livia reveal in her rage over Leontius’s death?

A. Thy niece
B. Antonio’s wife
C. The Duchess
D. Bianca’s shame

A. Thy niece.
In a fit of rage and grief, Livia exposes the “black lust” that has been secretly running between Hippolito and his niece.

44. What does Isabella vow to practice upon Livia for betraying her honour?

A. Cruel cunning
B. True repentance
C. Quick death
D. Constant silence

A. Cruel cunning.
Isabella vows to practice “the like cruel cunning” upon Livia’s life for betraying her honour.

45. Who interrupts the Duke’s wedding ceremony to Bianca in a rage?

A. Lord Cardinal
B. Lord Fabritio
C. The Ward
D. Antonio

A. Lord Cardinal.
The Duke’s brother, the Cardinal, interrupts the nuptial ceremony, raging against the unlawful marriage.

46. What does the Cardinal compare the sins of a great man to?

A. Flame upon the mountain
B. Enclosed ground
C. Dark cloud
D. Deadly poison

A. Flame upon the mountain.
The Cardinal compares the sins of great men to a “flame upon a mountain,” seen far about.

47. What does Bianca criticise the Cardinal for lacking in his intense religious address?

A. Not charity written
B. True patience
C. Clear justice
D. Noble honesty

A. Not charity written.
Bianca criticises the Cardinal, noting that, amongst his virtues, charity is not visible in his words.

48. What item does Guardiano give the Ward to execute the murder plot?

A. This galtrop
B. A silver needle
C. A gold ring
D. A sharp dagger

A. This galtrop.
Guardiano instructs the Ward to secretly convey “this galtrop” into the trap-door for the intended victim.

49. What role does Livia play in the wedding masque invention?

A. Juno Pronuba
B. Slander
C. The Nymph
D. Hebe

A. Juno Pronuba.
Livia confirms that her role in the masque is Juno Pronuba, the goddess of marriage.

50. What final means does Bianca use to kill herself?

A. A cup of love
B. A dagger
C. Fire
D. Jumping down

A. A cup of love.
Bianca seizes the poisoned cup and drinks, “Tasting the same death in a cup of love”.

Brief Overview

Women Beware Women is a Jacobean tragedy by Thomas Middleton, published posthumously in 1657. The play is set in Florence and centers on themes of love, betrayal, and the corrosive effect of societal and patriarchal corruption on women.

The play opens with Leantio revealing his secret marriage to Bianca, whom he brought from his wealthy parents in Venice. Leantio must often leave for his duties as a factor. His Mother worries that Bianca needs sufficient financial maintenance. While Leantio is gone, the powerful Duke of Florence sees Bianca and desires her.

Lady Livia assists the Duke in seducing Bianca. Bianca quickly accepts the Duke’s wealth and honour, bitterly rejecting her poor husband as “a poor base start-up.”

Livia also helps her brother, Hippolito, who has a destructive, forbidden lust for his niece, Isabella. Livia falsely tells Isabella that she is not truly their niece, giving her a false excuse to pursue the relationship.

Leantio, deeply hurt by Bianca’s betrayal, retaliates by taking Livia as his mistress. When the Duke hears of this affair, he quickly tells Hippolito to seek revenge for Livia’s dishonor. Hippolito kills Leontius.

The tragic final act takes place during the Duke and Bianca’s wedding ceremony. Livia reveals the incestuous affair in a rage and is poisoned. Isabella, Hippolito, and Guardiano die in quick succession during a dramatic masque. Bianca poisons the Duke and then poisons herself, dying with him. The deaths are shown as the piteous, inevitable result of sin.