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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. Who is beaten for her debate with the judge Urban?

2. Who wins a legal case against taxing women's valuables?

3. Who grieves to death when Tiberius puts Germanicus to death?

4. Who screams obscenities at Emperor Nero in an attempt to receive the same sentence as her husband, Seneca?

5. Who bets that he can seduce Bernabo's wife?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are at least two examples of men being foolish by ignoring their wise wives' advice?

2. Who is Ulysses's wife, and why does Rectitude praise her?

3. What happens when Rectitude finishes her portion of the City of Ladies?

4. What results from Thisbe's mother's disapproval of Thisbe's love for Pyramus?

5. Why does Rectitude argue for the education of females?

6. What happens between Saint Lucy and King Aucejas?

7. How does Rectitude refute the common claim that women are inconstant?

8. What happens when Martina reveals her Christianity to the emperor who wants to marry her?

9. Describe Saint Catherine's martyrdom.

10. How does Xanthippe demonstrate her love for Socrates?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Investigate "The Book of the City of Ladies" as a feminist novel. How does it adhere to and differ from the typical feminist novel? What changes could be made to mark it more clearly as a feminist novel? What changes could be made to prevent critics from classifying the novel as a feminist novel?

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of Christine de Pizan writing herself into this novel as the main character? How does this affect the readers' response to the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the main themes in this novel and detail its recurrences throughout the novel. What does it add to the novel? How does it affect the difference characters?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 870 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample