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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens when Richard asks Thomas Swynford to try on the heavy crown?

2. In a conversation with Katherine, Brother William tells her that Pieter and the two monks have been banished to Cyprus. He also tells her to:

3. What does Father Oswald refuse to grant Katherine after she confesses?

4. King Richard and his queen are about to travel through England on a goodwill tour to boost his popularity. Their visit to Lincoln will be their first in how many years?

5. Now legitimately married to John, and their children legitimized as well, Katherine is back at Windsor Castle. But are the ladies in court happy to have her back?

Short Essay Questions

1. King Richard turned out to be quite deceptive. Do you think he got what he deserved in the end?

2. The Duke has grown quite mad with his obsession over his heritage. While Katherine talks to him, she learns that someone is at the root of John's fears. Who is this person?

3. Why does Katherine risk revealing her true identity in front of the other peasants in order to save Cob?

4. When John Beaufort comes to see Katherine at Kettlethorpe, what does he tell her?

5. After the king's men kill Wat the tiler, the king rides up to the front rebel lines and declares himself their leader, the leader they had hoped for. The rebels cheer. Why do you think the rebels are so quick to embrace Richard?

6. Cob o'Fenton goes to quite a lot of trouble to help Katherine get to safety after the angry peasants break into and destroy Savoy. However, what does he say when they are safe at the Pessoners and she drinks from his mug of ale?

7. John Ball is once again, now that he has been released from prison, preaching to the angry masses. What is he saying this time?

8. Katherine regains her memory of the events following Brother William's death and the flight of Blanchette. Where and to whom does she go to seek help in finding Blanchette?

9. Over time Geoffrey and Philippa have come to live apart. When we see Philippa at this point in the story, how is she?

10. How does Thomas, Katherine's first child and her son with Hugh, feel about her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Katherine versus Costanza. What does each woman bring to the duke? And what do we learn about the duke's ambitions and his insecurities by marrying Costanza?

Essay Topic 2

Fate is a theme that threads throughout the novel. Despite Katherine's dislike for Hugh, she resigns herself to marrying him. How does this example illustrate the concept of accepting one's fate?

Essay Topic 3

Religion plays a large role in the daily lives of people in the middle ages. Explain how two of Katherine's experiences--when she sees the "pyx" pass the Chaucer home and when Hugh's sword falls to the floor at the abbey-- demonstrate this point.

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This section contains 957 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample