Fiddler on the Roof

Act I

Reading Check

1. “Tradition” (Act I, Prologue)

2. For reading (Act I, Scene 1)

3. From eagerness to being content to wait (Act I, Scene 1)

4. That all the Jews were evicted from a nearby village (Act I, Scene 2)

5. That they will have “a little unofficial demonstration” (Act I, Scene 5)

6. A book (Act I, Scene 8)

7. Because Tevye “shamed [him]” (Act I, Scene 10)

8. Asks Hodel to dance (Act I, Scene 10)

Short Answer

1. The “Papa” is responsible for being the “master of the house” as well as the breadwinner, the “Mama” is responsible for keeping a “proper” and “kosher home” in line with Jewish teachings, sons are sent to Hebrew school until a wife is selected for them, and daughters are taught the skills required for their future marriage. (Act I, Prologue)

2. Yente, the village matchmaker, informs Golde that the butcher, Lazar Wolf, is interested in marrying her eldest daughter, Tzeitel. Golde is pleased because of his wealth, but she is worried about Tevye’s reaction. (Act I, Scene 1)

3. Tevye believes that Lazar Wolf wants to buy Tevye’s new cow, while Lazar Wolf is summoning the courage to ask for Tzeitel’s hand in marriage. After an awkward conversation and an internal debate, Tevye agrees to the match on his daughter’s behalf, and the men celebrate, singing the song “To Life.” (Act I, Scene 4)

4. After a night of celebrating, Tevye informs Tzeitel that she will marry Lazar Wolf. Golde is delighted with the news, while Hodel, Chava, and Perchik congratulate Tzeitel halfheartedly. Tzeitel begs Tevye not to make her marry him. (Act I, Scene 6)

5. After relenting to Tzeitel’s request not to marry Lazar Wolf, Tevye worries about breaking the news to Golde. He decides to concoct a dream where Golde’s grandmother along with Lazar Wolf’s first wife, Fruma-Sarah, tell Tevye that Tzeitel should marry Motel instead. Upon hearing his dream, Golde wholeheartedly agrees that they should take the dream as a warning, cancel the wedding with Lazar Wolf, and have Tzeitel marry Motel instead. (Act I, Scene 7)

6. At Motel and Tzeitel’s wedding, the Constable and his men carry out their “demonstration” by destroying the gifts and turning over tables. After they leave, the guests silently clean up the mess. (Act I, Scene 10)

Act II

Reading Check

1. To get Motel a sewing machine and to help his horse’s leg (Act II, Prologue)

2. God (Act II, Scene 1)

3. That he was arrested in Kiev (Act II, Scene 2)

4. A sewing machine (Act II, Scene 5)

5. “Tradition” (Act II, Scene 6)

6. “Maybe that’s why we always wear our hats.” (Act II, Scene 7)

Short Answer

1. Perchik shares with Hodel that he must leave Anatevka in order to support the political revolution. He asks Hodel to marry him when they are reunited, and she agrees. (Act II, Scene 1)

2. While Motel asked Tevye for Tzeitel’s hand in marriage, Perchik simply informs him that he and Hodel will be married. Hodel clarifies that they would like his “blessing.” In both cases, Tevye agrees to the matches. (Act II, Scene 1)

3. After Hodel and Perchik share their declaration of love for each other, Tevye begins to wonder if Golde loves him. The lyrics reveal that, unlike the more modern matches of his daughters, the couple did not meet until their wedding day; however, they have both grown to love each other over their 25-year marriage. (Act II, Scene 1)

4. Hodel is going to stay with Perchik, who has been sent to Siberia as a result of his arrest. In her song “Far From the Home I Love,” she shares that although she wants to be home, she also wants to be by her fiancé’s side. (Act II, Scene 3)

5. Chava tries to tell Tevye about her relationship with Fyedka. Tevye says that Fyedka is a “different kind of man” (i.e., a non-Jewish Russian soldier), and he forbids her from marrying outside the faith. (Act II, Scene 5)

6. The Constable informs Tevye that by order from an edict, he and the rest of the Jewish community will need to sell their homes and leave Anatevka within three days. The Constable admits he thought that Tevye might be excused from the edict since Chava married a gentile; however, this is not the case. (Act II, Scene 7)

7. Tevye, Golde, and his youngest two daughters will stay with their uncle in America, while Motel and Tzeitel will wait in Warsaw until they have enough money to join Tevye in America. (Act II, Scene 8)

8. Chava and Fyedka share that they are also leaving Anatevka since they “cannot stay among people who can do such things to others.” Although Tevye ignores their comments, he shares the blessing “God be with you,” and Golde informs the couple where they will be staying in America. (Act II, Scene 8)