10 Famous Blind People Multiple Choice Quiz | Famous People

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which French Impressionist artist, known as much for his ill-temper as his wonderful paintings and sculptures, spent the final twenty years of his life until his death 1917 as a blind recluse?

Answer: Edgar Degas

Degas is probably best known for his paintings and sculptures of ballet dancers, but his art career goes well beyond this narrow theme. Degas once claimed that 'no art was ever less spontaneous than mine', he fully embraced his position as an 'Impressionist'. However, he harbored many a resentment for his fellow artists, and developed a reputation as an anti-Semite and misogynist. His colleagues admired him, despite his many flaws. Renoir ranked him above Rodin as the greatest sculptor of the age, and Pissarro wrote once that he was the greatest artist of his era.

2. Another French Impressionist, Claude Monet, also suffered from failing eyesight during his elderly years. From what condition did he suffer that debilitated his eyesight?

Answer: Cataracts

Monet's cataracts made seeing even the largest objects nearly impossible for the great painter, but nonetheless he continued to paint until his death in 1926, at 86 years of age. He was the last living of the founding members of the French Impressionist movement. Perhaps his most famous works are his various paintings of water-lilies, created at his water-garden in Giverny. Along with Degas and Monet, Renoir also suffered from partial blindness from 1912 until his death in 1919.

3. The ancient Greek classics called 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' were purported to be first written down by a semi-mythical blind poet of the 8th century B.C. Who was this blind man with great vision?

Answer: Homer

It is not currently known for certain if Homer even existed, let alone if he was blind. However, some top experts do believe that, based on writing style and vocabulary, both 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' were penned by the same hand. This would lend more credence to the tale of Homer, the blind poet from Chios. Of course, Homer, or whomever penned the stories, was not the originator of the tales. They originated as oral folk tales prior to springing forth from the pen of this ancient bard.

4. Another epic author who suffered from blindness was the English poet, John Milton. Is it true or false that 'Paradise Lost', his most famous work, was written after he became blind in 1660?

Answer: True

Milton became completely blind in 1652, at only 44 years of age. He was able to complete a number of his greatest works following this disability through the use of dictation. The whole of that massive poem 'Paradise Lost' was written in this fashion. Milton also wrote a touching piece called 'On His Blindness', which can be viewed here: http://www.englishverse.com/poems/on_his_blindness

5. It's no secret that Helen Keller was blind (as well as deaf), she was became so at just 19 months of age following a bout with illness. What many may not know about this heroic woman is her political persuasion later in life. Which political party did she join in 1909?

Answer: Socialist

Helen Keller was born in 1880 and lived until 1968. At quite a young age she became acquainted with the writings of the early American socialist. She became a Socialist in 1909 and penned a fair number of books and articles on the subject. Many find this rather ironic considering that she was such a self-reliant individual, but her view was that people, especially those with disabilities, should recieve public assistance in order to advance their lives. This part of the Helen Keller story is often deleted from the history books, despite its importance in her life!

6. Louis Braille is perhaps the most important blind person to have lived, thanks to his extremely useful and ingenious writing system. How old was the Frenchman Braille when he devised the system called by his namesake?

Answer: 15

Braille was merely a teen when he devised his eponymous system of raised dots. He did so at the National Institute for the Blind in Paris, France, his native country. Remarkably, today his Braille writing system is still fully in use.

7. Which of these composers became blind late in his career, but continued to compose through the use of an amanuensis?

Answer: Delius

Frederick Delius, an English composer who lived from 1862 until 1934, worked during the decade of the 20s with the help of Eric Fenby, his private secretary. Delius' works include 'Brigg Fair', 'Sea Drift' and his most famous opera, 'A Village Romeo and Juliet'. Though blind and paralyzed, he even managed to appear in public several times during the latter part of his career.

8. Another famous individual who managed to work at his trade well after losing his eyesight was Jorge Luis Borges, a poet and writer of prose from which country?

Answer: Argentina

Borges went blind in 1955, but continued to write until some years before his death in 1986. Some of his essays can be found in his 'Ficciones' (1944) and 'El Aleph' (1949). Two interesting quotes from Borges: 'Blindness has not been for me a total misfortune; it should not be seen in a pathetic way. It should be seen as a way of life: one of the styles of living.' and 'Being blind has its advantages: learning languages, poetry, etc.'

9. What is the birth surname of the blind pop/rhythm & blues singer that we know as Stevie Wonder?

Answer: Morris

Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Judkins Morris in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950. Though blind shortly after birth, he showed extraordinary musical acumen from a very young age, and began his career with Motown at 11 as 'Little Stevie Wonder'. Arguably his greatest album was his 1976 epic double LP 'Songs in the Key of Life'. (Go ahead, argue!)

10. Another famous blind American singer, this fellow is famous for wonderful skills on the piano and his soul classics 'What'd I Say', 'Hit the Road Jack' and 'Georgia on My Mind'. To whom am I referring?

Answer: Ray Charles

Born Ray Charles Robinson (he changed his name in deference to the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson) in Albany, Georgia in 1930, Ray Charles has become an American icon. All this despite losing his eyesight at seven years of age after suffering from glaucoma. Well, the quiz is complete...thank you for playing and remember...let nothing stop you from pursuing your dreams and goals...these people didn't.

Source: Author thejazzkickazz

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10 Famous Blind People Trivia Quiz

All of these individuals lost their eyesight at some point during their lives, but continued to pursue their careers despite their disabilities. This quiz celebrates them.

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