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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 is Thorbjorn's reaction when he hears of the potential match for Gudrid?

2. What caused Bjarni Grimolfsson's ship to sink?

3. Who is Thorfinn Karlsfni?

4. What happens when Karlsefni and his men meet the natives?

5. What is found in abundance on the island near Straumfjord?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the relationship between Thorbjorn and Orm? How does it change with events?

2. Describe who Thorbjorg is and what her behavior is like when she arrives at Herjolfsness.

3. What future does Thorbjorg predict for Gudrid?

4. Explain why the small boat on Bjarni's ship would not sink while the large one was about to.

5. How does a fight break out between Karlsefni's men and the natives? Describe the sequence of events leading up to Karlsefni and his men fleeing.

6. Describe Thorhall and explain why he is on the expedition to Vinland.

7. Describe Thorbjorn's trip to Greenland. Include who he is with and what happens.

8. How does Karlsefni's mother feel about Gudrid when she meets her and how does that change over time?

9. How and why does Einar pursue Gudrid in marriage?

10. What happens when a native finds an axe near one of the fallen Vikings?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The historical novel "The Thrall's Tale" takes place during the sagas. Read the novel and then analyze the novel's connections to the sagas.

Part 1. Introduce and summarize the novel.

Part 2. During which saga does the action of the novel take place? What events happen in both?

Part 3. Which characters from the novel are also characters from the sagas? Are they consistent with their portrayal in the sagas? Does the fiction created surrounding the characters seem likely or plausible? Why or why not?

Part 4. According to you, how well did the author of "The Thrall's Tale" weave her fiction into the sagas? What did she do well and what could she have done better?

Essay Topic 2

Newfoundland is quite possibly the site of the Viking Vinland. Write an essay about Newfoundland.

Part 1. Where is Newfoundland? What are the land and geography like?

Part 2. Who lived in Newfoundland during the time of the Vikings? What were they like?

Part 3. How does the information about Newfoundland mesh with the accounts from the Vinland sagas? Give examples to support your statement.

Essay Topic 3

Gudrid's father, Thorbjorn Vifilsson, is the son of a slave and is a respected well admired man, but is offended with another son of a slave proposes marriage to his daughter. Research and write an essay about the practice of slavery in Viking culture.

Part 1. How was the concept of slavery for the Vikings fundamentally different than the concept for slavery was for the United States? Which other cultures shared this practice?

Part 2. Where did the Vikings get their slaves?

Part 3. What were the likely and possible futures for a slave once taken by the Vikings?

Part 4. What were the social stigmas attached to slavery or having previously been a slave?

(see the answer keys)

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