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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 narrator tell the vulture to do in Book V, Stanza 2?

2. Why does Maldoror believe the man stole his eyes from a woman?

3. What provides the man with webbed feet with everything he needs?

4. Who tells the reader that Maldoror is a pedarist?

5. What does the narrator say people will do at the moment of their death in Book V, Stanza 3?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does the narrator reflect on in Book IV, Stanza 1?

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

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

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

6. How are the beetle and the man-pelican related?

7. What does the narrator think of martyrs?

8. Why does Maldoror remember being angry with Falmer?

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

10. In Book IV, Stanza 2, what is Maldoror's conflict with humanity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is conscience developed as a theme in "Lautréamont's Maldoror"? Give specific examples of the use of conscience in the poem.

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

How is "Lautréamont's Maldoror" a critique of Christianity? Give examples of Christian themes or symbols used by the author and their implications.

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