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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 religion is the staff at Whittlesea Hospital?

2. What is the straw resting-place for the doll called?

3. What does Piepold spend his days thinking of?

4. Why do the plague flagellants hit themselves?

5. What did the King think of the portrait Finn painted?

Short Essay Questions

1. What news does the King give Merivel when Merivel answers the summons?

2. What does Merivel discover when he examines Pearce?

3. What does Pearce wonder about flowers?

4. How does Will feel about his master leaving?

5. What is Merivel able to do at the funeral that he could not do while Pearce was alive?

6. What happens when Merivel illicitly visits Katherine?

7. What does the staff of the hospital decide to do because of the plague?

8. How does the King feel about Merivel, after time has passed?

9. Describe the music at the dance.

10. How does Merivel react to Katherine's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the values of the characters in the novel, and how the characters assign value to both material and immaterial things.

1) Discuss the valuation of the "nightingale." What gives it value to Merivel, Pearce, and Celia. Why?

2) How do the characters value immaterial things, such as love, friendship, family, tradition, and religion? What role do immaterial things play in the characters' lives?

3) How do the characters value other people? What is this valuation based on?

Essay Topic 2

Power is a defining element in relationships in the novel. Discuss power in the novel.

1) What gives characters power over others in the novel?

2) What gives the King power, and what are the limits of the King's power? How does the King use his power?

3) What kind of power does Merivel have as a doctor and as an associate of the King in the novel? How does he use this power?

Essay Topic 3

The characters in the novel do not always have an accurate perception of themselves or of others around them. Discuss the characters' perceptions of themselves and others.

1) How does Merivel perceive himself? Is his self-perception accurate? How does Merivel perceive the King over the course of the story? How does he perceive Celia? How does he perceive Pearce? What causes Merivel's perception of himself or others to change?

2) What is Katherine's perception of Merivel? Why does she have this perception? How does Merivel react to it?

3) How does Pearce perceive Merivel? How does the King's perception of Merivel differ from Pearce's?

(see the answer keys)

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