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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 does Philosophy think Boethius feels about fortune?

2. What does Philosophy tell Boethius after giving her example of happiness?

3. Who condemned the senate according to Boethius?

4. What does the woman praise Boethius for in Book 1?

5. Why does Philosophy justify her saying that Boethius didn't lose anything?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Lady Philosophy disagree with his view on providence at the end of Book 1?

2. According to Lady Philosophy, what was on loan to him and subject to being revoked?

3. Why does Boethius disagree with the woman regarding misery and what is her rebuttal?

4. What is significant about conscience in Book 1?

5. At the start of Book 1 of "The Consolation of Philosophy", where is Boethius and what is he doing?

6. Who does the woman compare herself to and what is her identity?

7. What does the woman tell Boethius regarding his suffering?

8. What is significant about the changing height of the woman who enters Boethius' cell?

9. Why does the woman urge Boethius to break his silence?

10. Why is the way that the woman describes Boethius' achievement in comparison to the world significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the analogy of God being like a craftsman in "The Consolation of Philosophy". Define analogy in your essay and discuss what this analogy means, supporting your statements with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Although providence can prove difficult to understand, it can be explained as the reason of God and the order of the universe. Discuss what Boethius believes about God's plan for the world and how it relates to fate. Students should use examples from the text to support their discussion.

Essay Topic 3

Boethius defines a person as an individual substance with an inherent rational nature. Discuss the impact that his definition had on philosophy and how this statement is still discussed today. Students should use the text to support their discussion and include secondary sources as needed.

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