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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 does the King plan to do about his affair with Celia?

2. What does Merivel report that the thing on Nell's neck is?

3. What is the name of the medicine that Merivel gives the bird when it is sick?

4. How does Celia feel about Finn's task?

5. What does Merivel decide will be Celia's path toward learning what the King wants her to learn?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the King's court like about Merivel?

2. Why does Degeulasse de Gourly come to visit Merivel?

3. How does Merivel convince Lady Bathurst that she has nothing to worry about regarding Celia?

4. How does Merivel's message to Celia differ from what the King told him to say?

5. What does the King tell Merivel in his dream?

6. How does Merivel feel about life at the palace?

7. Describe what Pearce tells Merivel about the present Finn brings.

8. What does Celia look like?

9. How does Merivel set about the job given to him by the Justice of the Peace?

10. What is wrong with Lady Bathurst's husband?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the novel's treatment of women.

1) How does the novel portray women? What role do women hold in the society, and how does their societal role affect their behavior and personalities?

2) How do the male characters perceive and react to women? What do the male characters think of women, and how do they treat women?

3) How does the author perceive women? How can you distinguish between the characters' perceptions and the author's perception?

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, responsibility is an important theme. The King holds the responsibility for his kingdom and its people. Parents hold responsibility for their children; lords hold responsibility for peasants and servants. People are responsible for their animals. Discuss responsibility in the novel.

1) What is the relationship of power and responsibility in the novel? What are the consequences for the powerful of neglecting their responsibilities?

2) How do the characters in the novel take responsibility for their own lives? To what extend are the characters capable of being responsible for their own lives and destinies?

3) When and why do characters take responsibility for others?

Essay Topic 3

The novel is set in the historical period of the Restoration in England. Discuss this historical setting and the relationship between the novel and history.

1) Why did the author choose to set a novel in this time period and name the novel after the historical period?

2) How do historical events such as the fire in London and the plague affect the story?

3) How does your knowledge of things like modern medicine affect how you view the characters and what they do in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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