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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. How does Angus respond to Margaret's plan to flee Scotland with her children?

2. On what date does Albany arrive in England (after Margaret has married Angus)?

3. How does James IV feel about his marriage to Margaret?

4. What kind of birth does Margaret have with her first born?

5. How much say does Margaret want in the politics and policies of Scotland that James deals with?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Margaret's title of "Regent" mean?

2. What does Lord Drummond request of Angus in regard to his love life?

3. Why does James finally agree to marry Margaret?

4. Why is Margaret secretly pleased after her first-born son dies?

5. Why are some people upset about how quickly Margaret married Angus?

6. Who is Margaret at Stobhall?

7. What happens to Margaret at Stobhall?

8. What kind of relationship does Margaret want with James?

9. Why does James think it's a perfectly fine idea to bring his illegitimate children to the castle to live?

10. What does Bell-the-Cat tell Angus on his deathbed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The poisoning of Margaret at Stobhall remains vague throughout the story. Write an argument discussing who appears to be behind the poisoning and what Plaidy does or conveys in the text to support this argument.

Essay Topic 2

While virtually all of the male characters in "The Thistle and the Rose" have affairs, some of these affairs are more consequential than others. Discuss which affair is the most egregious in "The Thistle and the Rose," why this particular affair is the most egregious, and the major consequences for other characters that happen as a result of this affair.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how childbirth is portrayed in "The Thistle and the Rose." Is it conveyed as a positive experience for the women and men? How does it change the reader's opinion of women who have given birth, particularly those who have gone through difficult births or even died in childbirth? What literary devices does Plaidy use to convey the experience of childbirth to a modern reader reading about childbirth during this time in history?

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This section contains 805 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample