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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 position in the church does Anastasius hope to one day achieve?

2. How do Joan's actions impede the power of the Pope's missus?

3. For what crime is Gerold put on trial in Chapter 29?

4. How does Joan attempt to treat her condition?

5. Which side wins the first battle?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Why is Joan arrested? What is her punishment?

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

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

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

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

10. What miracle does Joan create in order to stop the fighting between Pope Sergius and Lothar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the political atmosphere in the time after the death of the Emperor. Who is to take over the government after the Emperor's death? Why is there a dispute over the Emperor's position? Which side does Gerold choose? What happens during the battle? How does this battle reflect the chaos common to this time period? Who will eventually rise to power after this battle? How will that affect the lives of the characters in this novel?

Essay Topic 2

Why is Hrotrud forced to drown? What does this punishment say about religious beliefs in this time period? Why does Joan feel this punishment is illogical? Is Joan right? Why is Joan excited by the idea of applying logic to religion? Why has no one else ever attempted to apply logic to religion? Is it heretical to apply logic to religion? Is Joan religious? Does Joan believe in the Catholic Church? How does the reader come to understand Joan's feelings about her religion?

Essay Topic 3

How does jealousy lead to Gerold's death? Why is Gerold targeted and murdered? How does this lead to Joan's downfall? Does the person behind this plot get what he wanted? How does this person cause the disappearance of Joan from the history books? Where does Joan die? What causes her death? How does the author use Joan's death in this place to prove to the reader that Joan really existed?

(see the answer keys)

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