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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. Book 3 of Essays contains how many essays?

2. Montaigne's model for the rhetoric in his work is best described as what?

3. Montaigne's secretary notes near the end of Travel Journal: Chapter 13, that the region they are in was once controlled by what nation?

4. In what month did the first part of Montaigne's journey start?

5. During Montaigne's time, what day were markets typically held on?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Montaigne undertake his travels?

2. What did the notorious criminal Catena once force two men to do before he killed them?

3. How does Montaigne say that he was able to deal with the restrictions of marriage?

4. What are Montaigne's influences in his "Apology to Raymond Sebond"?

5. According to the note at the beginning of Book 3 of Essays: Chapter 12, why is the editor interested in Montaigne's travel journals?

6. What does Montaigne admit about himself?

7. Why does Montaigne believe that women know more about love?

8. Why does Montaigne admire Cato?

9. What was St. George noted for?

10. What influences may have caused Montaigne to have a greater respect for women?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Entering into marriage, Montaigne did not expect to be a good husband. However, he exceeded his own expectations and became very interested in the subject of marriage, writing extensively about it in several essays.

1) Discuss Montaigne's opinion of marriage and how it changed over the course of his life.

2) Explain the differences that Montaigne sees in how men and women are prepared for married life.

3) Discuss the warnings and recommendations that Montaigne gives to both men and women for entering into married life. What are his reasons for giving this advice?

4) Assess how Montaigne's opinions would be viewed in the broader context of the culture of his time. Was he progressive or conservative? Did he believe in women's rights in marriage, or was he dismissive of them?

Essay Topic 2

When Montaigne was mayor of Bordeaux, the city was struck by the bubonic plague, killing about half of its citizens. This plague was a major scourge of medieval Europe, and the suffering that it caused in Bordeaux was a major mark against his administration.

1) Explain the significance of the bubonic plague in medieval Europe. How common and deadly were typical outbreaks, according to Montaigne?

2) Discuss some of the common countermeasures used to combat the plague's effects and its spread. What did Montaigne do to slow its progress in Bordeaux?

3) Describe the impact that the outbreak of plague in Bordeaux had on Montaigne's life, his outlook, attitudes, and writings.

Essay Topic 3

Montaigne's own relationship with his father was formative in his life, and it affected many of his beliefs and writings.

1) Characterize the general relationship that Montaigne and his father.

2) Describe the positive character traits that Montaigne attributes to the influence of his father. Asses the validity of these attributions and discuss some other possible traits that Montaigne failed to identify in himself.

3) Discuss the major life choices that Montaigne made which were directly or indirectly affected by his father's advice and council.

4) Describe some of the ways that Montaigne was affected by the death of his father.

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