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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. In Book I, Stanza 5, what does Maldoror say differs among men?

2. Why does Maldoror send away the beautiful girl in Book II, Stanza 13?

3. In Book I, Stanza 11, when does Maldoror return to speak to the child?

4. Why does Maldoror say nature will wonder at his existence when he dies?

5. What stops the narrator from writing in Book II, Stanza 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the child chasing the horse-drawn bus make Maldoror think of?

2. What happens when Maldoror addresses the lamp hanging in a cathedral?

3. What does Maldoror say about the ten-year old girl who used to follow him?

4. Why does Maldoror feel the ocean is superior to humanity?

5. How was Maldoror's childhood deafness cured?

6. What does the narrator warn the reader about before Maldoror's story begins?

7. How does Maldoror react to the sharks who swarm the capsized ship in Book II, Stanza 13?

8. What happens to God when He passes out drunk on earth?

9. In Book 1, Stanza 8, why does Maldoror say he is like dogs?

10. What does the grave digger tell Maldoror about mortality?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the way the poem, "Lautréamont's Maldoror" is organized. Why did the poet use these divisions? What makes these divisions effective? How are they ineffective?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the different physical embodiments of God used in this poem. Give examples from the poem to support your comparison.

Essay Topic 3

Research Lautréamont's life and period in which he lived. How does this history impact the poem? Make sure you reference secondary sources and give specific examples of the impact on the poem.

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