View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Does Richard tell Michael who ordered the challenge?

2. When Alec leaves Richard, where does Richard believe he's gone?

3. What does Lord Ferris say about the House of Tremontaine after his plot is revealed?

4. How many people show up to Richard's public trial?

5. Where is the Duchess's party in Chapter 19 held?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Richard think about the audience at the performance he and Alec go to?

2. How does the Duchess see her relationship with Lord Ferris?

3. What does Katherine think she recognizes about Alec?

4. How do the men who capture Richard incapacitate him?

5. How does Lord Horn respond to Alec?

6. What does Alec give to the Duchess?

7. What happens at the beginning of the formal inquiry into Lord Horn's death?

8. For what reason does Richard claim he killed Lord Horn?

9. What does the Duchess tell Alec about Richard and their relationship after Richard has left?

10. How does Lord Horn feel when he finds Richard has broken into his house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the play "The Swordman's Tragedy" within the novel.

1) What does the play reflect about the novel itself? Why does the author include it?

2) How do the different characters react to the superstitions surrounding the play? How do the existence of these superstitions affect the reader?

3) How does Richard perceive the play? What is his point of view about the play before seeing it and after watching it?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 757 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample