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A) The play-within-a play
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What makes this play so funny? What made you laugh? What kind of humour dominates?
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How do the protagonists act and react? What is real and what is fake? Describe the significance of the two levels.
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Describe the difference between Birdboot’s behaviour off and on stage.
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Describe the different attitudes of the two literary critics.
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Write a short summary of level 1: The two critics
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Write a short summary of level 2: The play
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Write a short summary of the mixed levels.
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B) What did the author have in mind? The characters in the play
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Why did Stoppard use the play-within-the-play convention?
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What kind of characterization does the author use? Describe the characters in the play. Show how they develop. Is there any individualization in a farce like this?
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What are the author’s intentions?
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C) Theatrical gimmicks and tricks
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What are the most striking tricks and devices the author employs?
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Why do they work so well in the context of what is presented?
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Describe the function of the literary allusions.
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