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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. According to Chapter 10, what does Madelyne take to the stables each afternoon?

2. What is Madelyne wearing when she wakes up?

3. Why is Madelyne unable to hate Gilard?

4. After speaking to Adela for the first time, what revelation does Madelyne provide to Duncan about her own future plans?

5. Why does Madelyne bump her head in Chapter 12?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Duncan lie to Madelyne about how much time he spends with her while she is sick with fever?

2. How does the author establish Madelyne as a good person in Chapter One?

3. What information does Madelyne get from her conversation with Adela in Chapter 10?

4. Why does Madelyne do in Chapter 12 that causes Duncan's temper to flare enough to bellow?

5. Why does Duncan decide to allow the battle to take place before they reach his castle?

6. What is Madelyne's reaction to killing a man during the battle?

7. Why does Madelyne refuse to let Simon save her?

8. What is Madelyne's reaction to hearing that Duncan and Gilard are going to war because of a sister?

9. What is meant by Louddon having a choice between greed and lust when it comes to Madelyne?

10. In Chapter One, how does the author support the idea that Duncan is a warrior before all else?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Madelyne shows, by her words and behavior from the outset of the novel, that she does not consider herself important or valued. Write an essay that provides examples from the novel to prove that Madelyne does not value herself and then describe how this affects the other characters in the novel. Do any of the characters in the book have conscious knowledge that she does not value herself or does this behavior simply confuse the other characters? Provide examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

At the end of the novel Madelyne is pregnant, although she doesn't immediately realize it and Duncan finally breaks the news to her. Pregnancy may be symbolic for a fulfillment of the future, new experiences, self awareness, personal growth and the cycle of life. How does the novel describe Madelyne's pregnancy? Why does everyone know that Madelyne is pregnant except for Madelyne? Is there more than one reason for this, an obvious reason and a less obvious one? What does this mean about Madelyne's self-awareness? Is Madelyne a changed woman from the beginning of the novel? Is there more room for growth? Is the pregnancy seen as a reward for Madelyne and Duncan, or something else? Pick three ways in which the pregnancy is symbolic of some aspect of the change in Madelyne, or the change in the relationship between Madelyne and Duncan. Use examples from the novel to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Madelyne overhears enough talk so that she believes that King William's brother Henry is becoming restless from lack of responsibility and may eventually try to overthrow William. Madelyne advises that the same situation brews between Duncan and his brothers if he doesn't find things that they can do on their own. Is there a foreshadowing of events in the Wexton family, the royal family, or both? Use the novel to provide examples of foreshadowing and explain how foreshadowing is used to build tension and interest in the story.

(see the answer keys)

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