Villains and Anti-Heroes Trivia

1. Who was the quintessential vampire from Transylvania that appeared in a novel by Bram Stoker?

From Quiz Up to No Good

Answer: Dracula

Vampires have appeared throughout the world. It was Bram Stoker who brought this concept to the literary public in his 1897 novel "Dracula". In the novel Dracula was longing for the days when he was in power. He set off to England where he encountered Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra. He converted Lucy into a vampire and the set out to convert Mina. The only person with the background to thwart Dracula's plan was Van Helsing.

From Quiz Dark Villains of Literature

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.

From Quiz The Dark Side of Literature

Answer: Robert Louis Stevenson

'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' takes the reader, through the eyes of lawyer Gabriel Utterson, on a quest through the fog-swirled streets of Victorian London in an attempt to uncover the mystery of Dr Jekyll's mysterious transformation into Mr Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson's book coined the expression 'a Jekyll and Hyde character', which is still used colloquially today to describe someone who seems to have two completely separate sides to their personality. The book, which was first published in 1886, has been adapted into several films, starring actors including John Barrymore (1920), Fredric March (1931) and Spencer Tracy (1941) in the dual roles of the title.

From Quiz The Characters No One Else Cares About

Answer: Lord Voldemort

Tom Marvolo Riddle, known as Lord Voldemort, was the main antagonist of J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" book series. Lord Voldemort tried to conquer both the wizarding and muggle worlds and rid the wizarding world of wizards with non-magical heritage. Lord Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter in the seventh book of the "Harry Potter" book series.

From Quiz Literary Miscreants

Answer: Oliver Twist

"Oliver Twist" was published in 1838 and is the second novel of Charles Dickens.

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero Part 2

Answer: Patrick Bateman

"American Psycho" was very controversial when it was first published and to some extent still is. In some countries it was sold shrink-wrapped whilst in others it was sold with an "R18" rating. A film version was released in 2000 and starred Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman.

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero

Answer: Thomas Harris

Hannibal Lecter is undoubtedly one of the most infamous characters in the thriller genre. He first appeared in "Red Dragon" as a by-character but came into his own in "Silence of the Lambs", "Hannibal" and "Hannibal Rising".

From Quiz Fiction's Foulest Fiends: Vol 2

Answer: Hannibal Lecter

Hannibal Lecter was a character in 'Red Dragon' (and sequels) by Thomas Harris. The character was rated number 17 in 'The 50 Foulest Fiends in Literature' feature in the 'Daily Telegraph' in September 2008. Lecter first appeared in the novel 'Red Dragon' in 1981, but went largely unnoticed until the sequel novel, 'The Silence of the Lambs', became a movie in 1991. 'Red Dragon' was itself filmed as 'Manhunter' in 1986 and there has been hot debate about which was the better Lecter portrayal in movies, Brian Cox in 'Manhunter' or Anthony Hopkins in 'Silence of the Lambs'. Confusingly, 'Red Dragon' was remade as a movie in 2002 with Hopkins in the role. Hannibal Lecter was a brilliant psychiatrist and prolific serial-killing cannibal who liked to torture his victims. The books and movies explored his mentality and traced what made him what he was.

From Quiz Fiction's Foulest Fiends: Literary Villains: Vol 1

Answer: Long John Silver

'Long John Silver' was a character in Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'. He only had one leg and his constant companion was a parrot named after the pirate Captain Flint. The novel was published in 1883 and was based on a serialization in the children's magazine 'Young Folks' in 1881 and 1882. 'Treasure Island' has been filmed numerous times and other literary works based on the characters have also appeared. Silver was the quartermaster on a ship commanded by Captain Flint. Initially he seemed just to be a hard-working sailor, but his evil began to be seen as the plot unfolded. 'Long John Silver' was rated number 47 in 'The 50 Foulest Fiends in Literature', a feature in the 'Daily Telegraph' in September 2008.

From Quiz Literary Antagonists

Answer: Richelieu

In "The Three Musketeers," Cardinal Richelieu stirs up some major trouble using spies and his own cunning...and it all began with diamonds!

From Quiz Vanity Unfair

Answer: Lancelot

According to some versions of the legend, Lancelot later also becomes a religious man, dying just a few days after Guinevere passes away. Sir Galahad, Bors and Percival are all purer knights who achieve the quest to find the Holy Grail.

From Quiz Up to No Good

Answer: Oliver Twist

Although the character of Fagin could have been considered a villain; it was the character Bill Sikes that showed the most cruel and evil behavior. He constantly beat his dog and terrified the children in Fagin's employ. Fagin convinced Bill that his girlfriend Nancy had betrayed them by helping young Oliver to a better life. In a fit of rage Bill killed Nancy. The description of her murder by her lover in the novel was quite graphic and showed his ultimate cruelty. The novel was published in 1838.

From Quiz Dark Villains of Literature

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.

From Quiz The Dark Side of Literature

Answer: James Bond

The brains behind the criminal organisation 'SPECTRE', Blofeld appears in three Bond novels, 'Thunderball', 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' and 'You Only Live Twice', in which Bond ends up killing him. In 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' he is the man behind the murder of Bond's new wife, Tracy, on their wedding day. Complete with his white, blue-eyed cat, Blofeld has been portrayed in the Bond films by Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas and Charles Gray, among others.

From Quiz The Characters No One Else Cares About

Answer: Satan

John Milton's 1667 epic poem "Paradise Lost" was based on the story of Adam and Eve from the Bible. After the poem's antagonist, Satan, was banished to Tartarus, he goes to Earth disguised in the form of a serpent to tempt Eve to eat from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

From Quiz Black Hearts in Literature

Answer: Hester Prynne

Hester Prynne is the protagonist in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter." Prynne believed her husband was dead and began a relationship with pastor Arthur Dimmesdale. She became pregnant out of wedlock and was convicted of adultery. Adultery is still a crime in most U.S. states even though prosecutors rarely try to charge anyone with the crime. Wilmot is Arthur Huntington's lover in Anne Bronte's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall". Bovary is the lead character in Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary". Chatterley is the lead character in D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover".

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero Part 2

Answer: Lee Child

Jack Reacher has an army background and left as a Major after serving 13 years. He grew up on army bases around the world and had a brother called Joe. Reacher appears in at least 16 novel.

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero

Answer: It

Pennywise is not the only form the killer takes as it is an alien who can assume many forms, depending on what the person it is trying to kill fears the most.

From Quiz Fiction's Foulest Fiends: Literary Villains: Vol 1

Answer: Cruella de Vil

'Cruella de Vil' first appeared in Dodie Smith's 1956 book 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' and was later immortalised in an animated movie and two live-action films. Cruella liked pepper and fur coats and hated dogs. Dalmatians, she believed, had the perfect coat for fashion accessories and she wanted to capture and skin as many as possible. Cruella had a strange black hairstyle with a white streak. 'Cruella de Vil' was rated number 2 in 'The 50 Foulest Fiends in Literature', a feature in the 'Daily Telegraph' in September 2008.

From Quiz Literary Antagonists

Answer: Twelfth Night (or, What You Will)

Malvolio is an antagonist in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" (also known as "What You Will"). Malvolio despises all types of fun, and constantly tries to end it all, leading to a series of conflicts with the other characters.

From Quiz Up to No Good

Answer: Iago

By today's standards Iago would be considered a psychopath. He exhibited negative traits such as jealousy, anger, and thievery. He would lie and scheme and say whatever he had to say to get what he felt he deserved. Nothing and no one would stand in his way. Desdemona tried to convince Othello that she had not been unfaithful but he didn't believe her and smothered her while she slept.

From Quiz Dark Villains of Literature

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.

From Quiz The Dark Side of Literature

Answer: Count Olaf

Following the deaths of their parents, the orphaned Baudelaire children are initially sent to live with the scheming Count Olaf, a distant cousin. He is not so much interested in them as in gaining control of their inheritance, and treats them miserably. Escaping his evil clutches at the end of the first book in the series, each subsequent book describes a different way he goes about trying to achieve his aim, each time being cleverly thwarted by the children. There are thirteen books in the series, the first one 'A Bad Beginning' was published in 1999 and the final book aptly titled 'The End' was published in 2006. Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American writer Daniel Handler.

From Quiz The Characters No One Else Cares About

Answer: Whale

Moby Dick was a ferocious and enigmatic white sperm whale. Captain Ahab had once encountered Moby Dick. The captain's boat was destroyed and his leg was bitten off by the whale. Captain Ahab was hunting down Moby Dick to seek revenge.

From Quiz Black Hearts in Literature

Answer: Hamlet

"Hamlet" is William Shakespeare's longest play, and its body count is fairly high as well. In the end, most of the main characters, including Hamlet, Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Ophelia, and Laertes, end up dead. Brutus does not make an appearance in Hamlet.

From Quiz Literary Miscreants

Answer: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

The novel "Wicked" was published in 1995. The sequel "Son of a Witch" was published in 2005.

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero Part 2

Answer: Mersault

"The Stranger" is a novel that explores many different philosophical schools of thought, such as existentialism, absurdism and nihilism. It seems quite straightforward on the surface but it deals with many different aspects of human nature and life.

From Quiz The Writer, the Killer and the Hero

Answer: John Connolly

The Travelling Man appears in John Connolly's first novel "Every Dead Thing".

From Quiz Fiction's Foulest Fiends: Vol 2

Answer: Captain Hook

'Captain Hook' was a character in 'Peter Pan and Wendy' by J. M. Barrie. The character was rated number 40 in 'The 50 Foulest Fiends in Literature' feature in the 'Daily Telegraph' in September 2008. Apologies for that awful pun. 'Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up' was a play first performed in 1904 and and 'Peter and Wendy' was a novel first published in 1911. Peter Pan was the boy who never grew up who had adventures in Neverland with Wendy Darling, her brothers and others. Captain Hook was a pirate and the chief baddie, who wore a hook after his right hand was chopped off by Peter and eaten by a crocodile.

From Quiz Fiction's Foulest Fiends: Literary Villains: Vol 1

Answer: Ferdinand

Ferdinand was a character in 'The Duchess of Malfi', a play by John Webster that was first performed at The Globe Theatre in London around 1614. It was loosely based on real events of a century before. This was a love story about a Duchess (Julia), who married beneath her rank, much to the dismay of her brothers, Ferdinand (The Duke) and Luigi (The Cardinal). Ferdinand eventually ordered a courtier, Daniel De Bosola, to execute Julia. 'Ferdinand' was rated number 16 in 'The 50 Foulest Fiends in Literature', a feature in the 'Daily Telegraph' in September 2008.

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