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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. Against what does Sharpe lead his men?

2. What is Sharpe looking for as he wanders Ciudad Rodrigo?

3. On what type of terms did Teresa and Sharpe part?

4. Who does Leroy tell Sharpe will be arriving soon?

5. What does Matthews present to Sharpe?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why might Badajoz be difficult to capture? Has anyone ever tried to capture it?

3. How long has it been since Sharpe has seen Teresa, on what terms did they part and what does she do about the French in her country?

4. How does the assault on Ciudad Rodrigo seem to the British at first?

5. Why is Sharpe's back scarred?

6. What does Teresa confess to Sharpe?

7. What do Sharpe and Hogan discuss when they see each other in Chapter 1?

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

9. What does Teresa ask Sharpe about during sex?

10. What do Hogan and Sharpe discuss when they get together and what is Hogan's opinion of taking Badajoz?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The military way of life is in and of itself similar to a distinct culture. Understanding how the military is organized, how it operates, and its basic rules of conduct will make any novel that centers on the military more understandable and enjoyable. Discuss one of the following:

1. Describe and analyze the military structure during the time of RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ. What is rank? What is the difference between officers and enlisted men? How serious is it to disobey an order? What happens if one decides he does not like being in the military and walks away? How are men conscripted? Does the infantry have a similar means of augmenting their ranks as the maritime action called "impressments"?

2. Compare the infantry of RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ to that in modern times in for the United States, England or France. What are the similarities? The differences? Are the changes from those times improvements? Why or why not? (This question will require some research).

3. Discuss why you think the military has the following: Uniforms, a rank structure of Officers and Enlisted, Strict Discipline, Training for New Recruits, Court Martial, and Different types of companies (i.e., rifle, Cavalry, artillery, etc). Discuss why you think men (and nowadays women) choose to become professional soldiers.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Hakeswill is the primary antagonist in the novel and a completely deplorable character; he steals, attempts rape, murders, threatens infanticide, attempts more murders, and always seeks to frame someone else for his crimes.

1. Why do you think Hakeswill is still in the military? Discuss his motives and the military's motives for allowing him to stay. Use examples from Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Badajoz to support your answer.

2. What do you think would happen to Hakeswill if he served in the U.S. Army and still did the crimes he did? Compare the modern concept of criminals in the military with that of the era of RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ.

3. Hakeswill manages to come close to raping Teresa in the stables, he shoots Sharpe and later tries for Teresa again. Discuss why he was able to shoot Sharpe when he was caught in the stables trying to rape Teresa. Do you think he should have been arrested at that point? What does it say about the status of women in that era that a man who is caught trying to force her receives no disciplinary action at all.

(see the answer keys)

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