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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 is Augustin's first request regarding Eugenie in the Fifth Dialogue?

2. What is the only thing that Madame de Saint-Ange claims to want from her brother?

3. What is the central lie regarding laws that the author of Frenchmen, Some More Effort if You Wish to Become Republicans dissects in this section?

4. Why does Dolmance decry marriage in particular?

5. What is the sole value of sexuality, according to Dolmance in this section?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does sexual fluid give way to blood at the beginning of the Fifth Dialogue?

2. What is the cumulative value of madame de Saint-Ange's inundation in the Fifth Dialogue?

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

4. What surprising statement does Chevalier make at the beginning of this section?

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

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

7. How is Chevalier's argument in this section atypical of the rest of the text?

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

9. What proclamation regarding crime does Dolmance make at the beginning of this section?

10. How does Dolmance explain his vile character 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 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?

Essay Topic 3

In an essay, discuss the character of Dolmance. What roles does he undertake over the course of Sade's work? Discuss the points at which he lectures and organizes the libertines and the points at which he takes part in proceedings? What activities does he insist upon? What activities does he abstain from? Discuss, in conclusion, whether he is intended to be a godlike character or a demon. Is his role more ambiguous than either of them?

(see the answer keys)

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