You're Playing With Fire Trivia Quiz

Answer: fictional characters who set fires

Guy Montag is the main character in Ray Bradbury's dystopian novel "Fahrenheit 451" (1953), set in a society in which books are outlawed. His job is burning books and the houses where they are hidden: the novel's title refers to the temperature at which paper burns. Montag eventually grows disillusioned with his job, and commits himself to the preservation of knowledge rather than its destruction.

The novel was inspired by various events, such as the Nazi book burnings that occurred when Bradbury was a teenager, the burning of the Library of Alexandria, and the persecution of intellectuals and artists during McCarthyism.

Answer: fictional characters who set fires

In Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" (1847), Bertha Antoinetta Rochester, née Mason, is the first wife of Edward Rochester, the master of Thornfield Hall. The daughter of a wealthy family from Jamaica, famous for her beauty, she goes violently insane soon after marrying Edward, who is forced to lock her in a room on the third floor of his house.

She eventually set fire to Thornfield Hall and dies jumping off the roof; Rochester is severely injured while trying to save her. Bertha is also the main character of Jean Rhys's 1966 novel "Wide Sargasso Sea", conceived as a prequel to "Jane Eyre".

Answer: fictional characters who set fires

In Daphne du Maurier's Gothic novel "Rebecca" (1938), Mrs Danvers (whose first name is never given) is the sinister head housekeeper at Manderley, the mansion owned by the wealthy Max de Winter. She worships the memory of de Winter's first wife, Rebecca, and thus makes life a living hell for the unnamed narrator, de Winter's second wife - openly trying to destroy her marriage.

It is strongly implied that the fire which destroys the imposing house at the end of the novel was started by Mrs Danvers herself, though her fate remains unknown.

Answer: fictional characters who set fires

Daenerys "Dany" Targaryen is one of the main characters in George R.R. Martin's ongoing fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and its TV adaptation, "Game of Thrones". Married to a barbarian warlord, Khal Drogo, at the age of 13, she grows from a shy, fearful young girl into a charismatic leader with a strong affinity for fire.

After her husband's death, she sets fire to his funeral pyre and walks into it - emerging unscathed with three baby dragons miraculously hatched from the eggs she was given as a wedding present.

Answer: cities destroyed by fire

The Great Fire of London originated from a bakery in Pudding Lane, in the City of London, on the night of Sunday, 2 September 1666. Fanned by the wind, the fire swept through the medieval city - built largely of wood with thatched roofs - enclosed by the Roman wall, destroying most of it.

In spite of the widespread destruction (which also included Old St Paul's Cathedral), the death toll is believed to have been relatively small. The fire also had at least one positive effect - putting an end to the epidemic of bubonic plague that had raged through London in 1665.

A column, known as the Monument, was built in 1677 near London Bridge to commemorate the Fire.

Answer: cities destroyed by fire

During Napoleon's Russian campaign, the French army occupied Moscow following the Battle of Borodino (7 September 1812). The Russian troops and most of the civilian population had already vacated the city, three-quarters of which was destroyed in the fire probably set by order of Count Fyodor Rostopchin, the city's Governor-General.

This scorched-earth strategy was adopted in order to weaken the French army by making it nearly impossible to find lodging and provisions. The fire lasted from the evening of September 14 (the date in which the French entered the city) to September 18; the French army eventually left on October 19.

Answer: cities destroyed by fire

In the 1860s, Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, was a major transportation hub, with an essential strategic role for the Confederacy, in particular in the distribution of military supplies. In 1864, the city became the site of various battles, and was besieged for four months by the Union Army led by General William T.

Sherman. After Atlanta's fall on 2 September, Sherman ordered the destruction of all infrastructure in preparation for his March to the Sea - not before ordering the civilian population to evacuate.

The city was burned to the ground on November 11, although churches and hospitals were spared. The burning of Atlanta was famously depicted in the 1939 film "Gone with the Wind".

Answer: cities destroyed by fire

8-10 October 1871 were particularly tragic days for the US Midwest, as strong winds fed devastating fires in four locations in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Though the Peshtigo Fire had by far the highest death toll, the Great Chicago Fire is the one most frequently mentioned, since it affected one of the country's largest cities.

Intensified by severe drought conditions, the fire began in a neighbourhood southwest of the city centre. It raged for nearly three days, destroying most of downtown Chicago and adjacent areas - where many buildings were made of wood and had tar or shingle roofs - and killing about 300 people.

Answer: composers of fire-related music

One of the best-known works by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), "The Firebird" was written for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes dance company, and premiered in Paris on 25 June 1910. Based on Russian folklore, the composition relates Prince Ivan's quest for the Firebird - a magical creature with glowing plumage - in the castle of the evil, immortal sorcerer Koschei. Stravinsky subsequently wrote three suites for concert performance based on the ballet's music: the most popular of the three is the one created in 1919.

Answer: composers of fire-related music

"The Origin of Fire" ("Tulen synty") is the fourth of the nine orchestral cantatas written by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Premiered on 9 April 1902, the piece is based on lines 41-110 of Runo XLVII of the "Kalevala", the Finnish national poem, in which fire is stolen by the evil witch Louhi, and retrieved by the shaman Väinämöinen with the help of the divine blacksmith Ilmarinen.

The cantata is written for baritone, male choir, and orchestra.

Answer: composers of fire-related music

Spanish composer Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) is known for his works influenced by the musical tradition of his native Andalusia, in particular flamenco. One of his most popular works is the 1915 ballet "El amor brujo" (Love the Sorcerer), the story of a young gypsy woman haunted by the ghost of her husband.

The ballet contains the iconic "Danza ritual del fuego" (Ritual Fire Dance), a lively piece characterized by trills and ornaments, based on pagan dances used in the worship of fire deities.

Answer: composers of fire-related music

Formerly a member of progressive rock band Aphrodite's Child, Vangelis (1943-2022) was a Greek musician and composer known for his work in electronic, ambient and orchestral music, as well as his film soundtracks. His music for the 1981 movie "Chariots of Fire", directed by Hugh Hudson, won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1982.

The title of the film, based on the true story of two English athletes at the 1924 Paris Olympics, comes from a line in William Blake's poem "Jerusalem".

Answer: cities located near volcanoes

The largest city in the state of Washington, on the US West Coast, Seattle is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes that surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean. Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano, the tallest peak of the Cascade Range, lies about 95 km (59 mi) south-southeast of the city. Due to its proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area and the likelihood of an eruption in the near future, Mount Rainier is regarded as one of the world's most potentially dangerous volcanoes - the Decade Volcanoes - and thus constantly monitored.

Answer: cities located near volcanoes

Italy's third-largest city, Naples (Napoli) lies on the gulf of the same name, on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is located between two volcanic regions, the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei) to the north, and Mount Vesuvius to the south. Though the latter is by far the more famous, the Phlegraean Fields are much more extensive, being a large caldera consisting of 24 volcanoes, many of which lie under the waters of the Gulf of Naples. Though Mount Vesuvius is mainly known for the eruption that buried Pompeii and other cities under layers of ash in 79 AD, it erupted regularly until the mid-20th century. One of 16 Decade Volcanoes, it is considered particularly dangerous due to its location in a densely populated area, and thus closely monitored.

Answer: cities located near volcanoes

The very name of Iceland's capital city - meaning "smoking bay" - is a reminder of the highly volcanic nature of the island, which is part of the North Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the European and North American plates. The region around the city is characterized by various kinds of volcanic phenomena: the Reykjanes peninsula south of the capital, where Iceland's only international airport is located, is a volcanic belt that has been quite active in recent years.

In the 2010s, the activity of some Icelandic volcanoes created considerable disruptions to air traffic.

Answer: cities located near volcanoes

New Zealand's largest city, Auckland is located in the northern part of the North Island, which is a highly volcanic zone. The city lies on a large volcanic field that comprises a group of at least 53 small volcanoes, whose presence has enriched the soil and encouraged agricultural activity - as well as providing abundant building materials. Though none of these volcanoes have erupted in a period of over 600 years, volcanic events are an ever-present threat to the city and its infrastructure. Because of that, the Auckland volcanic field is strictly monitored for seismic activity, and various plans have been put in place to prepare for an eruption.

Answer: historical people associated with fire

The fifth and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Nero (born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, 37-68 AD) ruled the Roman Empire from 54 AD to his death by suicide. Depicted as a corrupt, debauched and tyrannical ruler by most Roman historians, he was also an amateur poet, musician and actor.

The Great Fire of Rome occurred on 18-19 July 64: some believed the fire was started on the emperor's orders to clear the site where he would build his massive palace, the Domus Aurea (Golden House). An alternative theory posits that the fire was meant to provide Nero with a realistic background for a theatrical performance about the burning of Troy.

Answer: historical people associated with fire

Joan of Arc (1412-1431) was born in the village of Domrémy, in northeastern France, during the Hundred Years' War. When she was 13, she begun to have visions of angels and saints, and came to believe that she was destined to save France from English domination. Taking up arms as a warrior, Joan fought in the siege of Orléans, helping the French to retake the city. Captured in Compiègne in 1430, she was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in Rouen on 30 May 1431.

She was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 1920, and is now one of the patron saints of France.

Answer: historical people associated with fire

Guy Fawkes (1570-1606) was born into a Church of England family, but converted to Catholicism in his youth. After fighting for Spain against the Dutch in the Eighty Years' War, he returned to England and became involved with a group of Catholics who were planning to assassinate King James I.

The attempt to blow up Westminster Palace, which was to take place on 5 November 1605, was foiled, and Fawkes was arrested, tortured and executed. Guy Fawkes Night commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot: an effigy of the unfortunate Fawkes is burned on a bonfire, often accompanied by fireworks.

Answer: historical people associated with fire

Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498) was a Dominican friar who, after the invasion of Italy by Charles VIII, King of France and the expulsion of the Medici family from Florence, briefly became the de facto ruler of the city. However, his campaign to rid Florence of vice and corruption - characterized by massive "bonfires of the vanities", in which everything from cosmetics to books and musical instruments was burned - ended with Savonarola's excommunication by notorious Pope Alexander VI (of the Borgia family), and his eventual arrest and execution by hanging.