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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. Does Richard admit to killing Lord Horn at his trial?

2. What does Alec offer Richard when he walks into Richard's apartment at the end of the novel?

3. Who does the Council call to testify about Lord Horn's death?

4. What does Michael decide to do about the deaths of Applethorpe and Lord Horn?

5. What does Richard climb and hide in while he breaks into Lord Horn's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Richard say about the death of Lord Horn's swordsmen?

2. During his meeting with the Duchess, what does Richard learn about the betting about him?

3. What letter do the kidnappers ask Alec to write to Richard?

4. How does the Duchess act toward Michael?

5. What objection does Alec pose to writing the letter?

6. What does Richard think about the audience at the performance he and Alec go to?

7. Describe the game played at the Duchess's party in Chapter 19.

8. Describe the Duchess and Michael's first night as lovers.

9. How does the Duchess see her relationship with Lord Ferris?

10. How does Lord Horn respond to Alec?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss fairness and equity in the book.

1) How are sword fights in the novel fair or unfair? How do the participants and audience benefit and suffer from them?

2) How are punishments meted out in the novel to the lower class and upper class? What roles do fairness and equity play in punishment and law?

3) What is fair or unfair about how Alec lures swordsmen to attack him and be killed? How does this relate to the class rules of the society?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss rulership and leadership in the novel, where the nobility in the upper class has complete control over rulership of the country.

1) How do the nobles view rulership? What does the position of leader mean to the leadership themselves?

2) How does Basil view rulership? What is his goal as a leader, and the closest thing the society has to a king?

3) What qualities make a good leader in the novel? What qualities make a bad leader? Explain with examples of both good and bad leaders from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The nobility in the novel is very concerned with appearances and fashion. Discuss the role of appearances and fashion in the novel.

1) How is the nobility obsessed with appearance? How does appearance affect social status?

2) Why doe Richard get a new suit to go to the theater? What is his perception of this suit, and what role does it play in the culture he is moving in?

3) What does the nobility's obsession with appearance and fashion say about their values?

(see the answer keys)

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