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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. After the war, Dinesen's health disintegrated due to age and ___________________.

2. Why did Bjornvig suffer a nervous breakdown?

3. What made Dinesen think about emigrating from Denmark during the war?

4. Which of the following does NOT describe Dinesen upon her return to her parents' home in Denmark?

5. What did Denys spend much of his time doing?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the underlying theme in the stories contained in "Winter's Tales" written during the early years of the war?

2. Why did Dinesen feel that Bjornvig needed to suffer through his studies in Germany?

3. How did Dinesen help the Danish Resistance movement during the war?

4. To what does the author draw parallels with Dinesen's work during middle age?

5. How did the syphilis take its toll on Dinesen, and who helped her through this difficult time?

6. How did Dinesen behave when it seemed as if she would lose the plantation?

7. How did Dinesen spend some time during the early years of World War II?

8. How does the New Year's Day killing of two lions differ in reality from the way Dinesen portrayed it in "outof Africa"?

9. How well did Dinesen adapt to her return to Denmark?

10. Explain why Dinesen's sensibilities and interests slot her work as Romanticism.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who was Thorkild Bjornvig and what role did he play in Isak Dinesen's life? Why was Bjornvig so important to Dinesen? Why did the relationship between the two end so disastrously?

Essay Topic 2

Explain the impact that Isak Dinesen had on the world of literature in the 20th century. How was her work perceived? What did she give up in order to create? How did she feel about her own work? How is Dinesen perceived today on the world stage of literature?

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of Thomas Dinesen. What did he look like? What were his positive personality traits? What were some of his negative characteristics? What do we know of him? What were his hopes and fears? What were his primary motivations during his life?

(see the answer keys)

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