The Art of the Historical Novel Quiz

Published in 1862, Gustave Flaubert's novel "Salammbô" is based on the account of the Mercenary Revolt that took place in Carthage in 241-237 BC, following the First Punic War, as recorded in Book I of the "Histories" by Greek historian Polybius (2nd century BC). After the scandal that followed the publication of Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" (1857), the writer travelled to Tunisia to conduct research for his next novel, which turned out to be quite different from the masterpiece of realism that was "Madame Bovary". In fact, "Salammbô" is a tale of war and forbidden love, rife with violence and sensuality, closer in tone and content to the work of Romantic poets and artists such as Charles Baudelaire or Eugène Delacroix.

Though the novel is based on historical events, the titular character - the daughter of Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca - is Flaubert's creation, and a prototype of the "femme fatale", leading a man to perdition, who became so popular in the culture of the turn of the 20th century. Mâtho, the ill-fated Libyan mercenary leader who falls in love with Salammbô, is a historical character, as are most of the other characters in the novel. Hannibal, Hamilcar's son who became Rome's nemesis, appears briefly in the story. One of the novel's best-known episodes describes the horrifying ritual of child sacrifice to the monstrous god Moloch, who is mentioned in the Bible.

Written by Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, "Quo Vadis. A Narrative of the Time of Nero" (original title: "Quo Vadis. Powieść z czasów Nerona") was published in serial form between 1895 and 1896. The book's fame largely contributed to its author being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905. Though the novel's two main characters - young barbarian hostage (and Christian convert) Lygia and Roman patrician Marcus Vinicius - are both fictional, many historical characters appear in the story, chief of all the notorious Emperor Nero and Peter the Apostle. Sienkiewicz, who wrote other historical novels, did extensive research on Roman history, especially the turbulent period in which "Quo Vadis" is set - when Nero (according to Roman historian Tacitus) unleashed the first full-scale persecution of Christians to find a scapegoat for the Great Fire of Rome.

The title of the novel means "Where are you going?" in Latin. According to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, the saint (and first Pope) was about to flee Rome to escape the persecution, when he met Jesus Christ, and asked him that question - to which Jesus replied that he was going back to Rome to be crucified a second time. Ashamed of his cowardice, the Apostle went back to Rome and accepted martyrdom. "Quo Vadis" has been adapted in various media a number of times: the best-known of these adaptations is the 1951 film directed by Mervyn LeRoy, starring Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov.

Walter Scott is widely regarded as the father of modern historical fiction, and "Ivanhoe" is probably the most famous of his works. Published in three volumes at the end of 1819, it is one of a series of novels known as the Waverley novels, named after the first book in the series. Scott drew from a number of sources for his novel, such as chivalric romances, folk ballads, and history books. "Ivanhoe" is set in the Middle Ages, after the failure of the Third Crusade, when King Richard I the Lionheart had not yet returned to England. The titular character, a Saxon knight, is a loyal follower of the Norman king - which caused Ivanhoe to be disinherited by his father. Besides Richard and his brother, King John, one of the book's prominent characters is the legendary hero Robin Hood, here referred to by the title of Locksley.

The geographical setting of "Ivanhoe" is the historic English counties of Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Among the novel's major themes there is the conflict between Saxons and Normans, as well as the plight of Jews in a predominantly Christian society. With an action-packed plot that includes tournaments, kidnappings, multiple disguises, a witch trial, and a love triangle between Ivanhoe, his father's ward, Lady Rowena, and the beautiful Jewish maiden Rebecca, the novel has become a classic of adventure fiction.

Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" ("Notre-Dame de Paris") is probably better known for its many adaptations, at least in the English-speaking world. Published in 1831, the novel is set in Paris in the year 1482, during the reign of Louis XI. It focuses on the cathedral's deformed bell-ringer, Quasimodo, and his unrequited love for the beautiful Esmeralda, a 16-year-old Romani dancer, who is also an object of desire for a number of other characters. As the title implies, however, the magnificent Gothic cathedral is the true protagonist of the story. In fact, Hugo had been prompted to write the novel by the heavy-handed attempts at modernization of medieval buildings, which had often resulted in defacement or even outright destruction.

Hugo's novel is also Gothic in a literary sense, as "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" - like other works of Romantic literature - contains various elements typical of the Gothic novel that became fashionable in the late 18th century. The description of the notorious "Court of Miracles", the abode of beggars and outlaws in the heart of Paris, is suitably grotesque and claustrophobic, as are the references to witchcraft, the scenes set in sinister dungeons, and an ending that would not be out of place in a story by Edgar Allan Poe.

First published in Canada in 1881, and in the US the following year, "The Prince and the Pauper" was Mark Twain's first historical novel. Set in England in 1547, the year of 9-year-old Edward VI's ascension to the throne, the novel details the story of Tom Canty, a boy from a very poor background, and his interactions with the young prince - whose lookalike Tom happens to be. The two boys meet by chance, befriend each other in spite of the vast difference in their status, and decide to temporarily swap clothes. Through a series of rather unsettling adventures, Edward is able to experience firsthand the harsh life of the poorest members of society.

Though "The Prince and the Pauper" was originally meant as a children's book, dedicated to the author's two young daughters, Twain used it as a means to criticize social injustice, as well as the widespread attitude of judging people by their appearance. In particular, Twain emphasized the brutality of England's legal system, which disproportionately affected the lower classes. Twain did extensive research on English and French history before writing the book, which was originally set in Victorian England. His later novel "Pudd'nhead Wilson" (1894) was also a historical novel based on the concept of switched identities, but this time emphasizing race rather than social status.

Everyone who has attended school in Italy will be familiar with Alessandro Manzoni's "The Betrothed" ("I promessi sposi"), though this historical novel is not equally well known outside the country. Widely regarded as its author's masterpiece, "The Betrothed" was originally published in 1827; an extensively revised, rewritten version (the definitive one) was published in 1842. The novel's setting is a village on the shores of Lake Como, part of the Spanish-ruled Duchy of Milan, in the years 1628-1630. The titular betrothed are two young villagers, Renzo and Lucia, both of them working in the silk-weaving industry, whose wedding is disrupted by a local baron, Don Rodrigo, who lusts after Lucia. Forcibly separated, the pair must undergo a series of trials - culminating in the epidemic of plague that struck Milan in 1629-1631 - before they can finally be reunited.

Manzoni, a Milanese nobleman who embraced Catholicism as an adult, was inspired to write "The Betrothed" after reading various documents dating from the 1620s. The work of Walter Scott also provided a model: however, unlike Scott, Manzoni chose to focus his novel on a realistic depiction of the life of the poorer classes - including the injustice and abuse they were routinely forced to bear. The novel deals with themes of love, power, evil and the suffering of innocents: the latter forms the basis of Manzoni's masterful description (based on meticulous historical research) of the plague that devastated Milan. "The Betrothed" has had a huge impact on Italian culture, with many names, quotes and expressions that have become integral part of the language.

An undisputed classic of American literature - often cited as one of the "Great American Novels" - "The Scarlet Letter" was published in 1850. Nathaniel Hawthorne, himself a New England native, set the story in Boston during the Puritan hegemony over colonial society. The title refers to the scarlet "A" that the novel's protagonist, Hester Prynne, is sentenced to wear as punishment for the sin of adultery - having given birth to a child of unknown paternity during her husband's absence. Though pressured to reveal her lover's name, Hester steadfastly refuses. A talented needlewoman, she turns the symbol of her shame into a fanciful, richly embroidered creation, bearing the burden of her punishment with quiet dignity, and living a solitary life with her elfin daughter Pearl.

Inspired by a number of real events that occurred in the mid-17th century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, "The Scarlet Letter" contain references to a number of historical characters. Though well received by literary critics and readers alike, the novel upset religious leaders, some of whom accused it of preaching immorality. In fact, in the story Hawthorne contrasts sin, guilt and the harshness of Puritan law with Hester's quiet strength in face of adversity, her love for her child, and the beauty of the natural world.

Subtitled "A Narrative of 1757", "The Last of the Mohicans" was published in 1827 as the second book of the "Leatherstocking Tales", a series of five books by James Fenimore Cooper that span the period between 1740 and 1805. The book's hero, frontiersman Natty Bumppo (nicknamed Hawkeye), also appears in the prequel "The Deerslayer" (1841) and the sequel "The Pathfinder" (1840). The title refers to Chingachgook, last chief of the Mohican tribe, and his son Uncas. According to his daughter, Cooper got the inspiration for the novel during a trip to the Adirondack Mountains in northwestern New York state: some of the most significant episodes in the book take place in the caves at Glens Falls.

The Seven Years' War (also known as French and Indian War), during which "The Last of the Mohicans" is set, was fought along the borders of the British colonies between Anglo-American settlers and royal French forces; both sides were allied with Native American tribes. The novel's events are centred around the siege of Fort William Henry (3-9 August 1757), at the end of which many British soldiers and civilians were killed by the Native American (Huron in the novel) allies of the French. The character of Colonel Munro, father of Alice and Cora, is based on the commander of the British garrison, George Monro, who escaped the massacre, but died shortly afterwards of natural causes.

Published in 1859, "A Tale of Two Cities" is not only one of Charles Dickens' most popular works, but also one of the best-selling novels of all time. Set in London and Paris - the "two cities" referenced in the title - the novel is divided into three books that span a period of almost 20 years. The first book begins in 1775, when French doctor Alexandre Manette is released from prison after 18 years. In the second book, the action moves to London in 1780, introducing the book's two main characters - French émigré Charles Darnay and English barrister Sydney Carton, who bear a strong physical resemblance to each other. The third book is set in the autumn of 1792, when the French Revolution was already descending into the chaos of the Reign of Terror.

Dickens based "A Tale of Two Cities" on the play "The Dead Heart" by English illustrator and writer Watts Phillips, which had the same historical setting and a similar plotline - leading to allegations of plagiarism. Other sources were Thomas Carlyle's account of the French Revolution (1837), as well as some works of fiction - including the play "The Frozen Deep" by Dickens' friend Wilkie Collins, which also featured a love triangle. The pairs of contrasting words in the novel's famous opening lines ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times [...]") have often been interpreted as an introduction to the story's prominent theme of doubles, as well as a reference to the contrasts in French society that eventually led to the outbreak of the Revolution.

Though regarded as one of the masterpieces of world literature, "War and Peace" ("Voyna i mir") is one of those books that everyone has heard of, but not many have actually read - also due to its rather daunting length (1,225 pages in the first edition). First published in serial form in 1865-1867, it was subsequently rewritten and published as a book in 1869. Besides conventional narration, the book also includes 24 chapters (out of 361) dedicated to history and philosophical issues - most of them concentrated towards the end of the novel. "War and Peace" is also notable for its use of French - the language spoken by Russian aristocracy - for large portions of the dialogues.

Leo Tolstoy started writing "War and Peace" in 1863, using original documents from the Napoleonic era in Russia as a basis for his monumental creation. He also relied on his personal experience as an officer in the Crimean War for his descriptions of the structure of the Imperial Russian Army. The story begins in 1805 (a date that was also the original title of the first half of the novel), chronicling the disastrous invasion of Russia by Napoleon's army and its aftermath, and illustrating the impact of this momentous event on five aristocratic Russian families. Many of the characters are based on people Tolstoy knew in real life, including members of his own family; historical characters, such as Napoleon himself, also appear. The Battle of Borodino (7 September 1812), which was nominally won by the French, but marked the beginning of the end for Napoleon's Russian campaign, is one of the central events of the book.

To people born outside the US, "Gone with the Wind" is mainly known for its blockbusting 1939 film adaptation. However, the novel - Margaret Mitchell's only work to be published in her lifetime - has been a favourite of American readers ever since its publication in 1936; in 1937, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Mitchell grew up hearing stories of the Civil War and the Reconstruction. She started writing her novel in 1926 while recovering from a broken ankle, completing most of the work in three years. The novel's title comes from a line in a 1900 poem by Ernest Dowson, titled "Non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cynarae". The wind can be read as a metaphor for the dramatic changes brought by the war that swept away much of the traditional Southern way of life.

Like Mitchell's own mother, her heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, has an Irish background. "Gone with the Wind" begins in 1861, when Scarlett is 16 years old, the spoiled eldest daughter of a rich plantation owner. The outbreak of the Civil War forces her to grow up and deal with grief and financial difficulties, though without quenching her desire for romance and social excitement. The turbulent historical context is carefully detailed, though the novel's rather romanticized view of slavery (particularly embodied by the character of Mammy, Scarlett's nurse) has been the subject of controversy - as have some scenes that at the time of publication were deemed almost pornographic.

The most famous work of Russian writer and composer Boris Pasternak, "Doctor Zhivago" was completed in 1955. Part of the novel, however, had been written in the 1910s and 1920s - the period that provides much of the historical background for Pasternak's sweeping tale of love and war. Rejected in Russia, the novel's manuscript was smuggled to Italy, where it was published in 1957, just three years before its author's death. The Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to Pasternak in 1958 further enraged the Soviet authorities, though the writer managed not to be exiled from his beloved country.

"Doctor Zhivago" has been often described as partly autobiographical: the character of Lara, the woman with whom the title character falls in love, is based on Pasternak's mistress, Olga Ivinskaya, also a writer. The story begins in 1902 with the funeral of 11-year-old Yuri Zhivago's mother, unfolding through the turmoil of WWI, the Russian Revolution, and the years leading to WWII. The novel's plot is intricate and often hard to follow, in particular because of the large number of characters whose lives intersect. To make matters worse, each character - according to Russian custom - has three names, and can be referred to by any of them, or even by a nickname. "Doctor Zhivago", which in Russia is now read in schools, was adapted as a film by British director David Lean: released in 1965, it was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and won five.