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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 happens to Merivel at the house?

2. Who interrupts Merivel's wedding night?

3. What astrological sign is Merivel?

4. Who is with Merivel when Celia arrives?

5. Where is Merivel's painting instructor living?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Celia act during her meetings with Merivel before the wedding?

2. Why does Reverend Sackpole want Merivel to examine Nell?

3. How does Merivel convince Lady Bathurst that she has nothing to worry about regarding Celia?

4. What does Celia look like?

5. What does Merivel tell Finn when Finn asks for the favor?

6. What does Merivel think of his first attempts at painting?

7. How does Merivel imagine the representation of his astrological sign?

8. What does Merivel find when he returns home?

9. What does the King's court like about Merivel?

10. What is the distinction between the Idle and the Impotent?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Knowledge is an important element of the novel. Discuss this element in the novel.

1) Merivel lacks modern knowledge about medicine. How does this affect his actions and his perceptions? How does it affect his ability to help people or control the world around him?

2) The value of the "nightingale" depends on knowledge about the bird. How does lack of knowledge affect the characters' reactions to the bird and their perceptions of value?

3) How does knowledge of other human beings affect their interactions and perceptions of each other in the novel? What knowledge does Merivel lack about the King? What knowledge does Katherine lack about Merivel?

Essay Topic 2

The characters in the novel do not always have an accurate perception of themselves or of others around them. Discuss the characters' perceptions of themselves and others.

1) How does Merivel perceive himself? Is his self-perception accurate? How does Merivel perceive the King over the course of the story? How does he perceive Celia? How does he perceive Pearce? What causes Merivel's perception of himself or others to change?

2) What is Katherine's perception of Merivel? Why does she have this perception? How does Merivel react to it?

3) How does Pearce perceive Merivel? How does the King's perception of Merivel differ from Pearce's?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss poverty and social class in the novel.

1) What different social strata exist in the novel? What determines what social class the people in the novel live in?

2) What allows characters in the novel to change social status, for better or worse? Why?

3) How does Merivel treat people of different social classes?

(see the answer keys)

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