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. What is the weather like in Chapter 19?

2. What happens when Lord Ferris tries to visit the Duchess?

3. What is Alec's attitude toward being the Duchess's heir?

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

5. What kind of party does the Duchess hold in Chapter 19?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Alec give to the Duchess?

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

3. Why does Lord Ferris want to see Richard after he is captured?

4. Describe the Duchess and Michael's first night as lovers.

5. What does Richard think of the performance he and Alec go to?

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

7. What does Katherine think she recognizes about Alec?

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

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

10. Where does Richard meet Katherine after the trial?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss power and corruption in the novel?

1) Who among the nobility has power? How do the nobles gain, keep, and use their power?

2) Lord Horn and Lord Ferris are corrupt. How does their corruption affect how they use their power? What corrupts them? How are they different from Lord Basil?

3) Who among the lower classes has power? How do the lower-class gain, keep, and use their power?

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)

This section contains 749 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample