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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the forbidden word that that Duperret says France is speaking at the end of Scene 17?

2. In appeasing Coulmier in Scene 18, which is not a group to which the Singers pledge fidelity?

3. According to Corday in Scene 29, who fills the prisons of Paris?

4. According to Marat in Scene 27, what has the Minister of War sold to France's enemies?

5. How does Sade characterize his current station in the Revolution?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the topic of absolute power. Marat is offered it over the course of the play, but he refuses it. Duperret and Corday fear he will become dictator. The play itself takes place in the shadow of Napoleon. Does Weiss believe that all power corrupts? Is he implying that Marat might have been an exception?

Essay Topic 2

The idea of the reactionary is a constant theme throughout the play. Write an essay about the revolutionary attitude toward those who wish to reverse the social changes recently made. For each character below, explain their attitude toward the Revolution as a whole, Marat in particular, and violence in general:

Part 1) Corday

Part 2) Sade

Part 3) Coulmier

Essay Topic 3

In the great debate between Sade and Mart, Sade's viewpoint is more complex and ambiguous. As an aristocrat turned Revolutionary turned voice for political apathy, his worldview is strange and inwardly focused. Write an essay on etymology of this viewpoint. Why did Sade join the Revolution, and why was he repelled by it? What does he view as most important in life? What is his attitude toward violence and its place in society?

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