The novel is titled The Agony and the Ecstasy. How does the novel explore the emotional highs and lows of Michelangelo’s artistic journey? Is the ecstasy possible without the agony?

Examine Michelangelo’s relationship with the various popes he worked under. How did these relationships influence his work and personal spirituality?

Michelangelo often finds himself at odds with those around him, no matter what city he inhabits. In what ways does Michelangelo challenge the norms and expectations of his time? Does his unconventionality undermine or serve his ambition?