Dinner Party with Historical Women

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Questions and Answers

What is the occasion for Marlene's dinner party?

  • A business deal
  • A birthday celebration
  • A wedding anniversary
  • A recent promotion (correct)

Who are the guests at Marlene's dinner party?

  • Women from history, art, and myth (correct)
  • Friends and family members
  • Famous businesswomen
  • Coworkers and acquaintances

What is Isabella Bird known for?

  • Her poetry
  • Her Buddhist teachings
  • Her paintings
  • Her writing and exploration (correct)

What is the common thread among the women's stories at the dinner party?

<p>Their struggles against patriarchy (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Patient Griselda known for?

<p>Her obedience to her husband in the face of horrible mistreatment (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Marlene's profession?

<p>Businesswoman (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the woman Marlene interviews at the Top Girls Employment Agency?

<p>Jeanine (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Lady Nijo's backstory?

<p>She was a concubine who became a wandering Buddhist nun after she fell out of favor at court (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the tone of the dinner party?

<p>Ravenous and intoxicated (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Dull Gret known for?

<p>Being the subject of a Flemish renaissance painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Jeanine planning to save money for?

<p>A wedding (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Marlene's new position at the Top Girls Employment Agency?

<p>Promoted over a man named Howard Kidd (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Angie reveal she wants to do to her mother?

<p>Kill her (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Mrs. Kidd visit Marlene's office?

<p>To ask Marlene to forfeit her promotion so her husband can have it (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Angie do after picking up a brick?

<p>Puts the brick down after Kit implies she is too scared to use it (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Shona caught lying about during her interview?

<p>Her resume (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Marlene think Angie will end up doing?

<p>Becoming a bagger at a grocery store (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Howard Kidd after Marlene is promoted?

<p>He suffers a heart attack (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Angie go to London?

<p>To visit her aunt Marlene (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Marlene bring for Angie and Joyce when she visits?

<p>Presents (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Angie find in one of the parcels?

<p>The fancy dress from the first act (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Marlene reveal that she did earlier in the day?

<p>She went to visit their mother (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is Joyce upset with Marlene?

<p>Because Marlene left Angie behind (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Marlene believe will happen to her in the coming years?

<p>She will enjoy great personal and economic success (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the prime minister that Marlene mentions?

<p>Margaret Thatcher (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Marlene and Joyce's argument end?

<p>Because Marlene tries to stop the argument (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Angie doing when she comes downstairs in a daze?

<p>Calling for her mother (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Joyce's attitude towards Angie?

<p>She thinks Angie is a burden (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Joyce prepare for Marlene to sleep on?

<p>The couch (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Angie's repetitive response to Marlene?

<p>Frightening (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the central theme explored in the play Top Girls?

<p>The impact of patriarchy on women's lives (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the dinner party in the play?

<p>It demonstrates the range and vitality of women's stories (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Marlene's character driven by in the play?

<p>Her desire for power and success (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the underlying message of the play regarding women's stories?

<p>Women's stories have the power to challenge patriarchal norms (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of Marlene's sacrifices on her personal life?

<p>She becomes emotionally disconnected from her family (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the broader implication of the play's exploration of women's stories?

<p>Women's stories can challenge and change societal norms (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the time period in which the story is set?

<p>Early 1980s (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Marlene's view on motherhood?

<p>It's a burden that hinders career advancement (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the theme that is explored through the character of Marlene?

<p>Motherhood and Individualism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who is the famous figure mentioned in the text?

<p>Margaret Thatcher (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the context of the story in relation to Margaret Thatcher's quote?

<p>Just a few years after (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Top Girls Play Summary

  • The play Top Girls, written by Caryl Churchill, explores the lives of women in a patriarchal society.
  • The story begins with Marlene, a successful London businesswoman, hosting a dinner party to celebrate her promotion.
  • The guests at the dinner party are not friends, family, or coworkers, but rather women from history, art, and myth, including Isabella Bird, Lady Nijo, Dull Gret, Pope Joan, and Patient Griselda.

Characters and Their Stories

  • Marlene, the protagonist, is a powerful businesswoman who has achieved success in a male-dominated world.
  • Angie, Marlene's niece, appears to be desperate to escape her mundane life and seeks adventure in London.
  • Joyce, Marlene's sister, is portrayed as a working-class woman who is unhappy with her life and feels stuck in her situation.
  • Howard Kidd, a coworker of Marlene's, is passed over for a promotion, which leads to tension between him and Marlene.

Themes

  • Life Under the Patriarchy: The play explores the struggles women face in a society dominated by men.
  • Women's Stories: The play showcases the importance of women's stories and experiences, highlighting their range, vitality, and necessity.
  • Power, Success, and Individualism: Marlene's character represents the sacrifices one must make to achieve success in a patriarchal society.
  • Motherhood: The play explores different types of mothers and their experiences, with Marlene's story specifically highlighting the burden of motherhood in a patriarchal society.

Setting

  • The play is set in the early 1980s, during the era of Margaret Thatcher's prime ministership.
  • The story takes place in London and a small town in the countryside.

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