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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. Where do Richard and Alec go to find out who wants to hire Richard?

2. What is Katherine's current profession?

3. What time of day is it when Richard wakes at the beginning of Chapter 3?

4. Who is holding the gathering which Richard St. Vier shows up to at the beginning of the novel?

5. What does Alec do whenever Richard asks about Alec's past?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Richard say after he kills Brent?

2. What is Alec's advice to Richard about the job Richard has been offered?

3. How does the Duchess act toward Michael during the party?

4. How does Richard describe his relationship with Alec to Katherine?

5. How does Richard reply to Lord Horn's letter?

6. Describe the job that Richard is approached with in Chapter 8.

7. Why is it ill-advised for Lord Horn to send the letter he sends to Richard?

8. When Basil meets with Lord Ferris, what does he ask Lord Ferris to do?

9. Describe what Michael overhears between Michael's casual male lover and the woman Michael has just slept with.

10. Why is the idea of becoming a swordsman a joke for Michael?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Richard, as a swordsman, has a violent and even bloodthirsty role in the novel. Discuss violence and death in the novel.

1) How does the society look at death? How seriously does the society take death and violence?

2) What power does Richard's ability to inflict death give him? What other characters gain power through death and violence?

3) How is violence viewed differently by the different social classes in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Swordsmanship is central to the novel. Discuss sword fighting in the novel.

1) What changes about Michael after he studies sword fighting? What causes him to change?

2) What does sword fighting require? Is it a laudable occupation? What drives Richard to be a swordsman?

3) Basil believes hiring swordsmen is barbaric. Explain his point of view. Why does he think it is barbaric? How true is his depiction?

Essay Topic 3

In the novel, Richard seeks revenge for Alec. Discuss revenge in the novel.

1) Why does Richard want to hurt those who have hurt Alec? What motives are mixed with a desire for revenge?

2) What other characters want vengeance in the novel? How do they seek revenge? How do characters hurt others who have hurt them?

3) What is Michael's attitude toward revenge? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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