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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 do Sharpe and Harper do when they come into the stables?

2. How does Lawford appear when Sharpe comes upon him while going into the city?

3. What do Hogan and Sharpe discuss as they ride to Badajoz?

4. What is Hakeswill's most obvious character defect?

5. What difficulty does Teresa's child have?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Sharpe's back scarred?

2. What does Sharpe do with his guerrilla friend?

3. What does Teresa confess to Sharpe?

4. What is Sharpe's new assignment he receives from Windham and what does he ask Windham? How does Windham respond?

5. Why are Sharpe and Harper relieved about their company's role in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo? What will their role be?

6. Describe Hakeswill's character and why he is in the army.

7. What does Teresa ask Sharpe about during sex?

8. Who reports to Sharpe when reinforcements arrive for the battalion, what mistake does he make and what does he do after he is corrected?

9. What siege does Sharpe participate in at the beginning of Chapter 1 and how does he pass his time when not fighting?

10. What does Sharpe do right after the conclusion of the battle at Ciudad Rodrigo?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Usually the women in this series are background to the men and tend to fit a stereotype of women in this era of history. This book has a different type of woman, Teresa Morgan, who is a guerrilla soldier and leader of her riders.

1. Present and analyze the treatment of women in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ.

2. Cornwell is trying to be historically accurate, so is his treatment of women in his book(s) justified?

3. Is there any way Cornwell could have presented women in a more positive light and still stayed historically accurate? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Most of the entire series of novels concerning Richard Sharpe takes place during the Napoleonic Wars; therefore understanding the political and social situation during that time helps to a greater understanding and appreciation of this book and others in the series. Discuss one of the following:

1. Research and write an expository essay about how the Napoleonic Wars begin and end.

2. Research and write an expository essay about the battles that take place on land between Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars.

3. Compare/Contrast the importance of the British infantry during the Napoleonic Wars to the importance of the British infantry during either WWI or WWII.

4. Write an expository essay on how the Napoleonic War affects the social culture of one of the following countries: Britain, France, or Germany.

Essay Topic 3

Richard Sharpe is in some ways a larger-than-life hero. Despite incredible odds, he usually comes out on top, in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ and in the others in the series. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't always succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Sharpe who you might call a hero/heroine and explain why you choose that person. Illustrate your statements with examples from the text.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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