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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. Who does Lord Horn ask Richard to kill in a letter?

2. When he hears about the rebellion, when does Basil want to go and deal with the revolt?

3. Where does St. Vier go after the duel?

4. What does Michael Godwin ask Richard?

5. What weapon does the woman who is accosted by a drunk in the Three Keys Tavern have to defend herself with?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the houses in Old Market look like?

2. What is the conflict between Lord Basil Halliday and Lord Karleigh?

3. How does Michael respond to Applethorpe asking him to put more effort into his swordsman training?

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

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

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

7. How does Lord Horn end up angry at Michael during the Duchess's party?

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

9. Why doesn't it matter what Michael is wearing at the Duchess's party?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The main characters of the novel are gay lovers. Discuss gender and sex in the novel.

1) How does the society of the novel view bisexuality and homosexuality? Are Alec and Richard accepted as lovers? Why or why not?

2) How do the different classes of the society view sex differently? How do they view promiscuity as well as homosexuality?

3) What role does the fact that Alec and Richard are the same gender play in the novel? Does it make a difference?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss rulership and leadership in the novel, where the nobility in the upper class has complete control over rulership of the country.

1) How do the nobles view rulership? What does the position of leader mean to the leadership themselves?

2) How does Basil view rulership? What is his goal as a leader, and the closest thing the society has to a king?

3) What qualities make a good leader in the novel? What qualities make a bad leader? Explain with examples of both good and bad leaders from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The society of the nobles is filled with secrecy and manipulation. Discuss secrecy and manipulation and their role in the novel.

1) How do the nobles manipulate each other and those around them? What are they trying to achieve through manipulation? Use examples from the book.

2) What kinds of secrets do the characters in the novel keep, both about themselves and about others?

3) How does Alec's secrecy about his past differ from the noblemens' secrecy about their plots and schemes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 866 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample