View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is fighting to gain the dead Emperor's title?

2. What nationality is the new Bishop the Pope has appointed that causes outrage from Magister Militum Daniel?

3. Which side wins the first battle?

4. What advice does Joan give the Pope when they learn a fleet of Saracen ships is on its way to Rome?

5. How does Joan save Gerold during his trial?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Cardinal Leo elected Pope over Anastasius?

2. What causes Joan's death?

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

4. Who starts the fire that burns the new wall Pope Leo is building and destroys several other buildings, including the school? Why?

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

6. How do Gerold and Joan become stranded together in a boat?

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

8. What warning does Joan give Pope Sergius in the face of the Saracen attack that he does not heed?

9. Who arrests Benedict? What punishment does he suffer?

10. Why does Benedict abandon his brother and leave Rome?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Discuss the education of women in relationship to the setting of the novel. Why is it unusual for a woman to be educated? Why does Joan seek to be educated? What might have been Joan's future had she not been educated? Why did Joan not want this future? Who does Joan meet that allows her to be sent to school with John? Why does John resent Joan's intelligence and desire to be educated? How does this affect their relationship? How does her desire to be tutored by a Greek scholar affect Joan's relationship with her Saxon mother?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the setting of the novel. When is the novel set? Where is the novel set? What impact does the time period in which the novel is set affect the overall plot? How would the novel be different if the novel were set in a different time period? What is significant about the historical setting of the novel? What is the significance of the political atmosphere of the novel? How do government power struggles affect the overall plot?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 833 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample