The Last Kingdom

Using the figure of either Alfred the Great or Ragnar the Fearless, analyze how the novel defines the weaknesses and strengths of Christianity.

Ragnar and Alfred emerge as Uhtred’s surrogate fathers, each giving the boy a radically different world view. Compare the two men, and assess how Uhtred ultimately embodies elements of them both.

The Norse tradition emphasizes destiny; the Christian tradition emphasizes free will under the watchful eye of a benevolent Creator. Using the showdown at Cynuit, which brings greater worth to a man?

What is the novel’s definition of manhood? How does this unapologetic patriarchal worldview stand up against contemporary ideas of manhood?

Assess the novel as a standalone. Would its narrative satisfy a reader who does not go on to finish the entire series?

At the core of the novel is the question of how events become history and then myth. Research any of the critical battle scenes and then distinguish what is history and what is myth.

Compare the contemporary view of war with Uhtred’s view.

How does the novel work to create a fuller, more sympathetic picture of Norse culture?