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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 IV, Stanza 5, how did the man with the stolen eyes leave prison?

2. What form does the spirit take in Book V, Stanza 4?

3. What does the narrator rant about in Book IV, Stanza 2?

4. What does the narrator tell the vulture to do in Book V, Stanza 2?

5. In Book IV, Stanza 6, what animal does Maldoror say he turned into in his dream?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Elsseneur try to seek revenge against Maldoror?

2. What does the narrator think of martyrs?

3. How does Maldoror compare himself to the man with stolen eyes in Book IV, Stanza 5?

4. How does Maldoror's letter to Mervyn impact Mervyn?

5. What happens when Maldoror first sees Mervyn?

6. In Book V, Stanza 3, how does the narrator describe people's relationship to death?

7. In Book IV, Stanza 2, what is the narrator's message about laughter?

8. In Book V, Stanza 2, what does the beetle do?

9. In Book V, Stanza 7, how does Maldoror react to the spider's nightly visits?

10. What happened to Maldoror in Book IV, Stanza 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

How does Lautréamont use surrealism throughout this poem? What is the effect of this device? How is it effective or ineffective? Make sure you define surrealism in your essay and use specific examples of it in the poem.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the ocean as a motif in this poem. Give examples of Lautréamont's use of the ocean and explain its symbolism and meaning.

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