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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. How do and Gerold Joan finally find a moment of intimacy after all these years?

2. Who captures Benedict on the road to Rome?

3. Which side wins the first battle?

4. About what people is Anastasius writing a book dealing with their history?

5. What conclusion does Joan reach when she comes to treat the Pope's illness in Chapter 20?

Short Essay Questions

1. To what office does Anastasius aspire? For what reason?

2. Who is working behind the new Pope, Pope Sergius, in order to increase his own power?

3. What project does Joan immediately give to Gerold to oversee as she becomes Pope?

4. How does Pope Leo die? Who is elected to take his place?

5. Who is referred to as 'Little Pope' under Pope Leo? Why?

6. How does Joan prove Gerold innocent during his trial for treason?

7. Why does Pope Leo excommunicate Anastasius?

8. Why is Cardinal Leo elected Pope over Anastasius?

9. What truth does Joan learn when she sees Gerold again? How does Joan react to Gerold's request to run away?

10. What does Joan implement in order to help slow the spread of the plague during Church services?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Anastasius? Why does his father force him to watch the murder of his father? What emotions do this episode inspire in Anastasius? Why does the author introduce Anastasius this early in the novel? What does Anastasius' witnessing of the murder and his appearance this early in the novel foreshadow as the plot continues to develop? Is Anastasius' father looking out for his son or is he trying to promote some agenda of his own?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Joan's childhood, paying special attention to the things that affected her choices in young adulthood. Who is Joan? Who was her father? Who was her mother? What was the relationship like between Joan's parents? What impact did this relationship have Joan's emotional growth as a child? How did Joan's father treat her? Why? How was Joan's relationship with her mother? What was unusual about this relationship?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Joan's relationship with Gerold. How does Gerold feel about Joan? Would Gerold marry Joan even though she pretends to be a man? Why does Joan repeatedly refuse to run away with Gerold? Whose advice causes Joan to hesitate to be reliant on a man? Are Joan and Gerold lovers? When do they become lovers? How does this relationship threaten Joan's future as Pope? How does this romance ultimately lead to Joan's death and the revelation she is female?

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