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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 object is Marat staring at as he writes at the beginning of Scene 7?

2. As Marat and Sade argue in Scene 15, what does Sade conclude no longer interests him?

3. Who sings to the riled patients at the end of Scene 6?

4. The song in Scene 10 details Corday's arrival in what town?

5. What action is Simone performing at the beginning of Scene 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the role of the audience in the play?

2. Why is Marat particularly outraged by aristocratic revulsion at the executions?

3. What paradox regarding Marat's calls to the Nation does Sade point out in Scene 28?

4. How does the Herald characterize Sade?

5. How does the Herald set the scene at the end of Scene 4?

6. How does Corday's sickness affect her performance?

7. What are Marat's grievances in his imaginary session with the imaginary National Assembly of Scene 27?

8. Why does Sade feel the need to write horrific stories of aristocrats while in the Bastille?

9. What recommendation does Coulmier make to Sade and the assembled actors at the end of Scene 6?

10. What role does Marat imply he wants to play in France in Scene 27?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the worldview of Duperret and Corday. What do they describe as their ideal nation? How does the Paris of 1793 represent everything that both detest about social engineering? Why do you think this leads Charlotte Corday to take violent action but not Duperret?

Essay Topic 2

Focusing on the final scene of Act 1, The Faces of Marat, write an essay profiling the life and ambitions of Jean-Paul Marat. How do his past reflect the desires and passions of his Revolutionary period? Who does he consider his enemies? Who, his allies? Feel free to cite examples beyond the central scene to explain his later beliefs and doubts.

Essay Topic 3

Much of the dialogue in The Marat/Sade focuses on the link between theory and violent action. Write an essay about his link, focusing on the two dominant symbols of each. How are they connected? What responsibility doe the author seem to imply the theorist has regarding the enacting of his ideas?

Part 1 ) Marat's quill and paper

Part 2) The guillotine

(see the answer keys)

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