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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 does the young wife say when the mother ask if she is sure she loves him?

2. What does the husband drink at dinner?

3. Why does the young wife think the maid is discourteous?

4. What won't the husband let his wife take off?

5. What gives the young wife pleasure?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do you think Brittany is different to the young wife's life in Paris?

2. Why do you think the Marquis takes the young girl to see Tristan?

3. In what ways does the young wife romanticize her marriage to the Marquis?

4. Why do you think the husband tries to tempt his young wife with the small key?

5. In what way does the marquis lie about the appearance of the corridor that leads to his secret room?

6. Why do you think the Marquis stops what he is doing when the door is locked?

7. Do you think the Marquis is a conventional murderer in term of literature?

8. Why do you think Carter does not use names for the main characters?

9. In what way does the Marquis show shame at what he has done?

10. How does the young girl's father cast a shadow across the whole story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The piano tuner suggests the community and the Marquis' household suspects he is a murderer. What hold do you think the Marquis has over these people?

Essay Topic 2

The character of a Marquis has a history in fiction and popular culture. What meaning does the Marquis bring to the story? What other Marquis's are there from popular culture that shares similar characteristics.

Essay Topic 3

Carter often alludes to famous cautionary tales and weaves them into the narrative of the book. What cautionary tales does Carter allude to? What do the inclusion of these tales say about the books narrator?

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