View a FREE sample

1. What are Taita's first descriptions of Lostris? How are his emotions different from what the reader might expect of a eunuch? How does it help explain his character?

Taita's first descriptions of Lostris are tender, such as when he compares her smiles to sunshine over the Nile. It is obvious that he loves her. However, his love is tinged with the longing of a man, though he is no longer physically capable of loving a woman and though he is only a slave. This helps to explain his character because it sets the tone for his jealousy for Tanus, who can love Lostris. The lovers are young, healthy, and full of hope for their future marriage, while Taita is twice Lostris's age (he is thirty) and barred from loving her. The reader is also prepared for the struggles Taita has with his own body, which persist throughout the novel.

(read all 60 Short Essay Questions and Answers)

This section contains 10,120 words (approx. 34 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample