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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 wrote the opera La Muette de Portici?

2. Under what name did Madame Ernest Stern write poetry?

3. How is Edmond de Polignac posed in Le Cercle de la rue Royale?

4. When did John Singer Sargent paint Carolus-Duran?

5. When is the Self-portrait by Winnaretta Singer dated that is printed in the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who wrote the novella Agnes and what is it about?

2. How are Catherine Pozzi's journals described?

3. Describe the painting Madame X. Who painted it and who is the subject?

4. Who was Charles Baudelaire?

5. What is A Picture of Dorian Gray about?

6. Who was Gustave Flaubert?

7. What did Dr. Pozzi warn his fellow doctors about in his inaugural address as the chair of gynecology?

8. What does Battey's Operation refer to?

9. What did Pozzi's grandson Claude Bourdet say of him?

10. Who was Pierre Puvis de Chevannes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the practice of dueling during the Belle Époque. What were the basic principles of a duel? What were the rules and practices? How many duels took place? Did anyone die from duels?

Essay Topic 2

Who was Edmond de Goncourt and why is he important in the narrative? What publications did Edmond de Goncourt publish? Who did he know among the elite circles of France?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the figure of Oscar Wilde. Why does the author focus on Wilde in sections of the book? What narratives of Wilde's work or life are highlighted? How does Wilde reflect upon the times?

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This section contains 602 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample