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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 happens between Thorgest and Eirik when Eirik returns to Iceland?

2. What does Aud Do in Orkney after she hears of the death of Thorstein the Red?

3. In what way does Freydis first break her word?

4. Who is Thorvald?

5. What arrangement does Freydis have with the brothers Helgi and Finnbogi?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do Karlsefni and Gudrid travel? What becomes of them?

2. Describe the interactions the settlers have with the natives.

3. What happens between the natives and Thorvald and his crew? Describe the encounter.

4. Explain who Aud brings to Iceland with her, who they were, and what happened once they arrived in Iceland.

5. How do Leif and his men find grapes? Describe the incident.

6. Why is Bjarni away when his father emigrates to Greenland?

7. Describe the woman that Gudrid sees and the discourse between them.

8. Describe the events surrounding Thorstein's death.

9. Explain the entire affair of Eirik and the bench-boards.

10. Who is Thorir and what happens to him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The historical novel "The Thrall's Tale" takes place during the sagas. Read the novel and then analyze the novel's connections to the sagas.

Part 1. Introduce and summarize the novel.

Part 2. During which saga does the action of the novel take place? What events happen in both?

Part 3. Which characters from the novel are also characters from the sagas? Are they consistent with their portrayal in the sagas? Does the fiction created surrounding the characters seem likely or plausible? Why or why not?

Part 4. According to you, how well did the author of "The Thrall's Tale" weave her fiction into the sagas? What did she do well and what could she have done better?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about Erik the Red.

Part 1. Who was Erik the Red? When and where did he live and die?

Part 2. How do we know about Erick the Red? What sources do we have regarding him?

Part 3. Write a brief biography about Erik the Red. Include what he did throughout his life and his reasons for doing those things. Who were his children?

Essay Topic 3

Newfoundland is quite possibly the site of the Viking Vinland. Write an essay about Newfoundland.

Part 1. Where is Newfoundland? What are the land and geography like?

Part 2. Who lived in Newfoundland during the time of the Vikings? What were they like?

Part 3. How does the information about Newfoundland mesh with the accounts from the Vinland sagas? Give examples to support your statement.

(see the answer keys)

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