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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. In Chapter 3, how does Alessandra feel about marriage?

2. Why does Alessandra meet with the painter in Chapter 12?

3. When Alessandra first sits for the painter, what does she ask him about talent?

4. In Chapter 10, where do Alessandra's parents talk to her about the French?

5. Why does Alessandra want medicine in Chapter 9?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Alessandra feel about marriage in Chapter 3?

2. In Chapter 4, what does Alessandra see in the middle of the night?

3. When Alessandra first sits for the painter in Chapter 5, what makes it difficult to speak to him?

4. What makes Alessandra think that Cristoforo will understand her desire to paint?

5. In Chapter 9, how does Alessandra feel when she wakes up?

6. What news do Alessandra's parents share with her in Chapter 10?

7. Why does Cristoforo want to marry Alessandra?

8. What happens during Alessandra's dancing lessons in Chapter 2?

9. In "Prologue," what happens after Sister Lucrezia dies?

10. In Chapter 6, what events interrupt the planning of Alessandra's sister's wedding?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the use of symbolism in this novel. Consider Alessandra's snake tattoo or the images in the frescos.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Alessandra to her sister Plautilla.

Essay Topic 3

What role does marriage play in The Birth of Venus? How does marriage affect the conflicts in this novel?

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