Dark Villains of Literature Quiz | Literary Characters

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This character is from the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. Who is the villain who may cause Potter to see a plastic surgeon about a scar on his forehead?

Answer: Voldemort

The list of articles on villains in literature includes the following: the British website "The Telegraph" article "50 Greatest Villains in Literature", the British website "ShortList.com" article "The 40 Greatest Villains of Literature" and the "The Christian Science Monitor--CSMonitor.com" website article "The 10 Greatest Villains in Literature".

Voldemort ranks as a literary villain #5 (website "The Telegraph"), #32 (website "ShortList.com"), and #2 (website CSMonitor.com). "You-Know-Who", "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" or "the Dark Lord" was actually born Tom Marvolo Riddle. "I am Lord Voldemort" is an anagram of his birth name.

2. This villain was ranked #1 by both British websites "The Telegraph" and "Shortlist.com." Name this John Milton villain from "Paradise Lost" who rebels and is exiled to Tartarus and later ruins mankind by dealing in fruit?

Answer: Satan

Satan as a villain in literature is ranked #1 (website "The Telegraph"), #1 (website ShortList.com), and #9 (website CSMonitor.com). Sadly, I remember less of this poem from college and more from the quote from Donald Sutherland in "Animal House": "Okay....Don't write this down, but I find Milton probably as boring as you find Milton. Mrs. Milton found him boring too. He, uh, is a little bit longwinded, he doesn't translate well into our generation and his jokes are terrible."

Nonetheless, many consider "Paradise Lost" to be one of the greatest pieces of literature in the English language. Furthermore, critics have debated on whether Milton's Satan is truly the antagonist or some sort of anti-hero.

3. CSMonitor.com ranks as their #1 villain this key character from Shakespeare's "Othello". Who is this character who manipulates others, resulting in murder and suicide?

Answer: Iago

Iago is ranked #4 (website "The Telegraph"), #2 (website ShortList.com), and #1 (website CSMonitor.com) respectively. Although the race of Othello (a Moor) is debated, in 1943, Paul Robeson performed as Othello and became the first black actor to star in a Broadway play with an all white cast. In 1997, Patrick Stewart played Othello with the rest of the cast being black actors.

4. This character was the greatest foe of Sherlock Holmes (created by Arthur Conan Doyle). Who is this genius whom Holmes described as the "Napoleon of crime"?

Answer: James Moriarty

This villain in literature was ranked #46 (website "The Telegraph"), #5 (website ShortList.com), and #10 (website CSMonitor.com). From Doyle's "The Final Problem": "He [Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and nearly all that is undetected in this great city. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. He has a brain of the first order."

Doyle apparently created Moriarty as a character worthy of killing off Holmes (of whom Doyle was tired of writing). Demand for the return of Holmes was great enough that Holmes was brought back from his "death" with "The Adventure of the Empty House."

5. In C. S. Lewis's Narnia series, one of his books features a character who likes keeping Narnia in a perpetual winter. Who is this character, also known as Jadis?

Answer: The White Witch

In "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" the White Witch makes her appearance. As Jadis, she was also in "The Magician's Nephew". As a villain in literature, she ranks #45 (website "The Telegraph"), #6 (website ShortList.com), and #5 (website CSMonitor.com). Whether or not she is human is uncertain, and she was born before Narnia was created (possibly on Charn, whence she escapes with the help of Digory and Polly and ends up in the newly created Narnia).

6. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", this character's jewelry has all of Middle Earth in an uproar. Name this villain who is opposed by a collection of hobbits, elves, dwarves, wizards, and humans.

Answer: Sauron

This villain in literature ranked #25 (website "The Telegraph"), #22 (website ShortList.com), and #6 (website CSMonitor.com). Originally named Mairon (the Admirable), Sauron was seduced by Melkor and became his chief servant. After Melkor's fall, Sauron turned his attention to the elves whom he fooled with his knowledge and beauty, and then helped the Elven-Smiths create the Rings of Power, including the One Ring.

His intentions are revealed, but not before he takes all the rings except for the Three.

7. So powerful was Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" that Lincoln supposedly said, "So this is the little lady who started this great war." What evil slave owner helps make this a great anti-slavery novel?

Answer: Simon Legree

Oddly, this character is not mentioned in the first article rating villains (website "The Telegraph") in literature, but Simon Legree comes in at #11 (website ShortList.com) and #4 (website CSMonitor.com). Interestingly, Simon Legree is northern born.

He is so cruel that he has Tom whipped to death by overseers even as Tom is forgiving those who are beating him. Having a slave mistress makes him even more despicable.

8. This villain is not the the teenage love story type shown in modern literature. Who is this blood sucking evil character created by Bram Stoker?

Answer: Count Dracula

Count Dracula was rated as #13 (website "The Telegraph"), #16 (website ShortList.com), and #8 (website CSMonitor.com) as the greatest villains in literature. The American Film Institute (2003) counted the Bela Lugosi version of Dracula (1931 film) as the 33rd greatest film villain.

Count Dracula is thought to have been inspired by Vlad the Impaler who impaled his victims, possibly in the tens of thousands. Interestingly, Bram Stoker's Dracula dies from a cut throat and a knife to the heart, not from a wooden stake.

9. This villain was created by Dodie Smith. If that is not helpful, think Disney. Who is this villain from "The One Hundred and One Dalmatians"?

Answer: Cruella de Vil

This villain, Cruella de Vil, in literature is ranked #3(website "The Telegraph"), #21 (website ShortList.com), and is not mentioned in the 3rd article (website CSMonitor.com). However, the American Film Institute (2003) considers her the 39th greatest film villain. Due in part to the success of the Disney film version of "101 Dalmations", Cruella de Vil is especially prevalent in popular culture, including Lady Gaga dressing up like her in 2010 and "The Simpsons" parodying her character (using Mr. Burns).

10. This novel by Thomas Hardy features Tess, who is seduced by this amoral villain and becomes pregnant. Later, Tess is rejected by her husband after she reveals this indiscretion. Who is this villain who again gains Tess's trust, only to be later stabbed by Tess?

Answer: Alec d'Urberville

The villain Alec d'Urberville is from Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles", and is ranked as a villain #27 (website "The Telegraph"), #3 (website ShortList.com), and is not mentioned in the third article (website CSMonitor.com). Alec d'Urberville is clearly the villain in this novel, yet he seems to improve at times, such as when he converts to Christianity and becomes a preacher.

However, his faith disappears after finding Tess again and he again tries to seduce (the now married) Tess.

Source: Author RollTidewinner

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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Dark Villains of Literature Trivia Quiz

I checked the web for lists of greatest literature villains and found three. From these, I compiled a "consensus" list of 10. Although two are British websites and one American, it is the clues that will help identify these villains.

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