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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 Edward end up with after fighting Bran's army?

2. How does Edward learn that Bran's army is exposed?

3. What is Simon involved in when he hears of the illness of his daughter?

4. Where does Edward join King Henry?

5. What happens when Edward shows up at Kenilworth?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Henry's response to Simon's attempts to enforce the Oxford Provisions?

2. How does Edward raise an army?

3. What complications are caused by King Louis' mediation?

4. What brings Simon to renounce his loyalty to King Henry?

5. Why doesn't Nell de Montfort turn over castles as required by treaty, and what happens to resolve this issue?

6. Why do Owain and Davydd invade Gwynedd?

7. What judgment is made in the case?

8. What problems does Simon encounter after subduing King Henry?

9. What problems does Simon confront after his victory over Henry?

10. Describe the destruction of Bran de Montfort's army at Kenilworth.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the challenges in historical fiction is to relate the general sweep of history in a way that retains the feeling of personal experience for the people involved in that history. How does Sharon Kay Penman manage to keep the personal and the historical within sight of each other? Use specific instances from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Write a character sketch of the author based on her style and content. What values does she hold dear? What are her hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think she is? Anchor your sketch in passages in the book.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the family dramas of Llewelyn and Gruffydd and the drama of Simon's opposition to Henry. How are they similar? How are they different? How does the book reconcile the two dramas?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 689 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample