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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. Why did someone give the bull medicine to make him mad?

2. What name does Theseus and his kinsmen decide to call themselves?

3. Why does Theseus' father send an invitation to Theseus?

4. What does Theseus' father want to do for Theseus' birthday?

5. Where does Theseus go after killing the king?

Short Essay Questions

1. Evaluate how much Theseus has grown as a leader in Crete.

2. Evaluate Theseus' feelings after taking the king's life.

3. Describe the relationship between Ariadne and Asterion, concentrating on how their mother treated them.

4. Explain why Theseus is chosen to be the leader of the cranes.

5. Explain what Theseus learns about Asterion's true identity.

6. Recall what Theseus learns about bull dancing while traveling to Crete.

7. Describe what Theseus does when the men from Crete come for their tribute and why.

8. Describe the House of the Axe and how Theseus feels about being there.

9. Describe what Theseus and the cranes do to cause a scene when they arrive at Crete.

10. Explain what happens to make Theseus force the cranes to renew their vows to each other.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

King Minos is the ruler of Crete, Theseus is also a leader and ruler of many people.

Part 1) Compare and contrast the characters of Minos and Theseus. How are they similar and how are they different as rulers?

Part 2) Explain why Minos' character is important to the story. How does he affect Theseus?

Part 3) Besides Theseus, what ruler from the story do you like the most and why (Aigeus, Pittheus, Persephone, Asterion, Minos)?

Essay Topic 2

The gods are an essential component in The King Must Die in great and small ways.

Part 1) What are some examples from the text that show Theseus' devotion to his deity? How do his beliefs differ from the other characters?

Part 2) How can straying away from the gods be seen as forgetting what is important in life? What do the gods represent to the people (like in Eleusis and Troizen)?

Part 3) Crete is destroyed by an earthquake. Can this be seen as the god's wrath against a city that doesn't believe anymore? Is Theseus successful in life because of his strong beliefs?

Essay Topic 3

Moira is an important symbol throughout The King Must Die. Theseus his dedicated to his belief of moira.

Part 1) Define moira, citing examples from the text where it's described.

Part 2) Explain how Theseus' belief in moira gives him freedom and how it hinders him.

Part 3) Describe how Theseus' belief in moira changes throughout the novel. Is he as passionate in the end of the novel as he is in the beginning?

(see the answer keys)

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