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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 Henchard do with his gift for Elizabeth?

2. In what state does Elizabeth find Henchard's gift?

3. How does Donald show thanks to Henchard for his attempt to help the night Lucetta dies?

4. What does Elizabeth think she sees in the loft?

5. Rumor of the "skimmity ride" is going around. What is the feeling about this amongst the lower class?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Lucetta's illness and death, how does Lucetta manage to manipulate the people around her? How does her reaction to the effigy, intentional or not, play her "practicable weapon"?

2. Henchard reads Lucetta's letters aloud to Farfrae. Although the author is unknown to Farfrae, what do the letters say about the woman who writes them?

3. In chapter 32, what is becoming apparent of Elizabeth Jane? How is she changing? Is she the same person as when she lives with Henchard years before?

4. When Michael pins Donald and is in a position to throw him down the trap door, Donald yells, "... take it, take it! Ye've wished to long enough!" What effect do these words have on Michael? If Donald does not said them, what happens?

5. Any drama in Elizabeth's life is not from her own doing. She lives to see how others bear good and bad circumstances. As Elizabeth lives her life, what overall lesson does she learn?

6. How is the public treating Henchard and Donald after the Royal Personage passes through town? How is this different from earlier times? What does this say about the public?

7. Describe the events that inhibit the law enforcers to promptly find the perpetrators of the skimmity ride.

8. What is the significance of Psalm 109? Why does the band refuse to play such a song? What is the irony in the lyrics?

9. In the midst of Lucetta's illness, Michael begins to see Elizabeth in a whole new way? What sparks this feeling?

10. Michael shows changes for the better. But there are still times that Michael cannot empathize and understand another person's position. How does he show this lack of understanding that people behave differently than he?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Michael Henchard is not adamant of women, but three women play major roles in his life. Compare and contrast Susan, Lucetta, and Elizabeth. How are they alike, different? What do each of them offer Henchard that he involves them in his life? What does Henchard want from each of the women? Are they the same things or different? How do each of his relationship begin and end with each of them? Is there a pattern?

Essay Topic 2

Hardy develops characters with complexity. Some play a larger role, but even the smaller roles are there for a reason. Why does Hardy include talk from the townsfolk? What purpose does it serve to hear the chatting of Solomon, Coney, Mrs. Cuxom in the Three Mariners, at the mayor's wedding, and of Susan's last day at the water pump?

Essay Topic 3

Henchard and Farfrae both start from close to nothing to being the mayor of Casterbridge. However, they have very different styles. Farfrae is gentle and generally reasonable. Henchard is a fiery man that evokes fear in his employers and some townsfolk. They are the symbols of respect versus fear. Compare and contrast Michael and Donald's way of heading a business. How do they treat their employees? How do the employees view their boss? What benefits are from respecting or fearing your boss? What are the hindrances?

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