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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. Which position is more powerful, Dragon Chancellor or Crescent Chancellor?

3. What does Katherine give Richard to wear at his next meeting, so his contact will recognize him?

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

5. Who does Michael meet and sleep with, when he stands up his lover?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Richard St. Vier give his landlady when he first sees her in the novel, and why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Michael first meets Basil, he sees Basil as more manly. Discuss manliness in the novel.

1) In what ways does Michael become more manly over the course of the novel? Why? What does this say about the idea of manliness?

2) How is Basil manly? What does this say about his character?

3) How is Richard manly? What qualities of manliness does he have, and how do these qualities compare or contrast with Basil?

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

The world of the novel is run primarily by men, leaving women as players in the background. Discuss the role of women in the novel.

1) What is the place of women in society in the novel? How is the role of women different on the Hill and in Riverside?

2) What is the Duchess's role in society like? How does she gather power in a world where men hold the power? How does she exemplify women among the nobles?

3) What is Katherine's role in society? How is her life different because she's a woman? What hazards and opportunities does her gender create?

(see the answer keys)

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