by Hackett, Walter (adaptation)
SCENE 1
NARRATOR: Fort Massac is a small yet strategicUnited States Army outpost that stands on themuddy banks of the lower Mississippi River. In thisyear of 1805, its officers and men are lonely andnone too happy about it. But on this particular daythe outpost is buzzing with excitement. A famousguest has come to visit—Aaron Burr! Aaron Burr,former Vice-President of the United States, rabidFederalist, master politician, smooth-tonguedorator; Aaron Burr, the man who had killedAlexander Hamilton in a duel. The Colonel,disappointed that Mr. Burr’s visit will be a brief one,attempts to prolong his stay.
The Man Without a Country, by Edward EverettHale, adapted by Walter Hackett. leman, byMoliere, adapted by Lewy Olfson. © This play isreprinted from Plays, The Drama Magazine forYoung People with the permission of the publisherPlays/Sterling Partners Inc. 897 Washington Street#600160, Newton, MA 02460
A)
Use the passage to answer the question.
These are the opening lines of the play “TheMan Without a Country.”
Why did the playwright choose to include thisexposition in a monologue addressed to theaudience rather than in dialogue betweencharacters?
Select the two correct answers.
(1 point)
The playwright wanted to share an
opinion about Andrew Burr that the
characters in the play were unlikely to
share.
The playwright did not want the
characters to know who Andrew Burr
was, so the narrator only reveals that
information to the audience.
A monologue is more direct than
dialogue because it allows the narrator
to talk directly to the audience.
The other characters do not know who
Andrew Burr is, so they would not be
able to provide this information to the
audience.
Including this context in a monologue
from the narrator allows the characters
to have more natural dialogue when
they talk to each other.
1 answer
The two correct answers are:
