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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 the commoners do on the night of the Duchess's party?

2. Who is Michael Godwin having an affair with?

3. What gift does Richard buy for Alec?

4. What group begins a revolt?

5. Where does the duel where the swordsmen are killed take place?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who do Richard and Alec meet as they watch the party, and what does this person tell Richard?

2. What explanation does Lord Ferris give Katherine for asking her to stay with himself, Lord Horn, and Basil?

3. What is the most common assumption about who hired St. Vier for the fight?

4. Who does Richard tell Ginnie to thank, and why?

5. Why are Lady Mary Halliday and Duchess Tremontaine annoyed when Lady Godwin and her son arrive?

6. What message does Lord Ferris ask Katherine to send to Richard?

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

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

9. What does Richard tell Katherine about Alec's background?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the novel's point of view.

1) Why does the novel move between different characters' points of view? What different perspectives does it give the reader?

2) What are the primary characters whose points of view are shown in the novel? Find a character who never takes the narrative point of view. Why is this character excluded?

3) How much does the reader's perspective change as the point of view switches between different characters or areas of the society?

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

Several of the characters in the novel take self-destructive action. Discuss self-destruction in the novel.

1) Why is Alec self-destructive? How does Richard respond to his self-destructive tendencies?

2) In what ways is Richard self-destructive? How does he put himself in harm's way?

3) What other characters are self-destructive? How do they harm themselves through their actions or inactions?

(see the answer keys)

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