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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. How many ships actually sailed for Troy to recapture Helen?

2. What does Agamemnon offer Achilles, in order to fulfill the gods’ desires, and liberate the fleet to sail to Troy?

3. How does Achilles keep the men from leaving?

4. What does Achilles ask Patroclus to forgive him for?

5. What does Patroclus promise Achilles as he rides into battle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship with Hector like?

2. How does Thetis help Achilles’ renown when the Greek ships land at Aulis?

3. Describe the Greeks’ arrival in Troy.

4. What are Patroclus’ feelings during the crisis over Chriseis and Briseis?

5. What is Achilles’ experiences of raiding like?

6. What is Patroclus’ relationship with Briseis like?

7. How does Achilles react to Patroclus’ death?

8. How do the Greeks react when Achilles withdraws from the fighting?

9. Whati s Achilles’ reaction to Patroclus’ interview with Agamemnon?

10. What is Achilles’ answer to the situation Agamemnon and Patroclus have set up?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the difference between Achilles and Agamemnon’s characters. How are they similar, how are they different? What are the essential differences between them? Are these two characters who ultimately need each other, or are they the type of people who need to be kept apart for danger of conflict and potential tragedy?

Essay Topic 2

Use this book to evaluate the five-star rating system typically used for books. Is a five-star system sufficient to a book like this? Would you need to have sub-topics for the rating system, for plot, characterization, language, etc? What other sub-topics would you need? What value or importance gets lost in a five-star scale? Design a scale that would be better for this book.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the role of women in The Song of Achilles. How are they portrayed? What traits distinguish them from the men? What flexibility do the female characters have, to change how they are perceived, or to exceed the rules for women?

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