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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. At the beginning of the Fifth Dialogue, to what does Dolmance compare Augustin's phallus?

2. At the end of Frenchmen, Some More Effort if You Wish to Become Republicans, the author calls on France to become a beacon of what?

3. Who assists Dolmance in stitching up Madame de Mistival's vagina and anal sphincter in the Final Dialogue?

4. According to Dolmance in this section, why are all kings tyrants?

5. In this section, when does Eugenie state that she notices particular harshness in Dolmance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What trepidations does Augustin have at the beginning of the Fifth Dialogue?

2. According to the author of the pamphlet, what is the value of suicide?

3. What argument for the pamphleteer offer regarding death and capital punishment?

4. How does Eugenie's reaction to her mother in the beginning of the Final Dialogue reflect a change in her character?

5. How does Dolmance conclude his argument with Chevalier in this section?

6. What is the only true connection between two people, according to Dolmance in this section?

7. According to Dolmance in this section, how does nature disprove the existence of vice?

8. Why does Dolmance not break Eugenie's hymen?

9. Why is marriage unpatriotic, according to the author?

10. How is Dolmance awed by Augustin in this section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dolmance is the dedicated libertine and sodomite who heads up the education of Eugenie. Write a three-part essay about Dolmance's philosophy of life. What arguments does he make regarding each topic? What does this say about the Marquis de Sade's views regarding France? What connects his philosophical views to his sexual proclivities?

Part 1) Charity.

Part 2) Parental relationships.

Part 3) Marriage

Essay Topic 2

The Libertines of The Bedroom Philosophers are all exorbitantly wealthy, and as firm believers in the ascendancy of personal liberties they have little to no sympathy for the poor. Write an essay in three parts on the subject of class relationships in the novel:

Part 1) Why does Dolmance believe that charity and social welfare are meaningless exercises? What deleterious effects do they have in his opinion? What does he think of individuals who support them?

Part 2) Discuss the role of servants like Augusten and Lapierre in the events of the novel. Are these characters presented as fully invested individuals? What is their purpose in the proceedings? Discuss why Augustin is sent out of the room when the pamphlet is read aloud.

Part 3) Discuss the argument in the Fifth Dialogue between Chevalier and Dolmance. What compassionate point does Chevalier raise, and why does he raise it? How does Dolmance shout him down?

Essay Topic 3

The dialogues of The Bedroom Philosophers are intended to be perversions of Socratic dialogues, in which a philosopher takes a given dictum and dissects it, disproving it piece by piece. In an essay, choose one dialogue and discuss how the libertine dissects a given social more. What component of society is the character refuting? What does he or she find at fault in it? How does he or she disprove this fault, and what conclusion is reached?

(see the answer keys)

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