The Scarlet Pimpernel

Explain why the Comtesse de Tournay publicly refuses to greet Marguerite. Is the comtesse justified in doing so?

Give two reasons why the author portrays the French as primitive and the English as happy and virtuous.

Explain how Marguerite, through her own efforts, becomes wildly popular both in Paris and London. What qualities does she have that make her success possible? 

Marguerite puts two men in peril of their lives, but both times that is not her intent. In each case, explain why she’s innocent.

Marguerite must explain to Percy her involvement in the death of the Marquis de St Cyr, but at the same time, she also must hide another betrayal from her husband. Why does she take this course of action, and what are the results?

What clues prove to Marguerite that her husband loves her and isn’t the fool he pretends to be? 

Marguerite resolves her dilemma by making a simple, daring decision. What is the decision, and how does it affect the story’s outcome? 

When Sir Percy encounters Chauvelin in Calais, why doesn’t he simply kill the man? In your answer, include the possible effects of such an act on other characters in the book.