Classical Classics Trivia Quiz

Answer: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" starts with an expedition to find a mysterious sea monster which has been sighted roaming the ocean. Famed French marine biologist Professor Pierre Arronax is chosen to head an expedition on the "Abraham Lincoln" to find this sea monster.

After fighting and losing a battle to the sea monster, they find out it is actually a submarine run by Captain Nemo. The rest of the story takes place on the Nautilus as it travels around the seas.

Answer: The Count of Monte Cristo

The story was first published as a serial in the "Journal Des Debats" in 1844 and borrowed from a work by Jacques Peuchet. Edmond Dantes is a rising star of a sailor, with a beautiful fiancée, who, because of this, has others who wish him ill fortune.

His friend Fernand would also like the love of his fiancée Mercedes, Danglars is jealous of Edmond rising in seniority on the ship. Edmond is set up by Fernand and Danglars as a Bonapartist, which the prosecutor Vilefort believes is untrue. When Vilefort finds out the real Bonapartist is his father, he ensures that Edmond takes the rap for the false accusations.

The rest of the story follows Edmond's imprisonment, escape and revenge on those who did him wrong.

Answer: Houyhnhnms

In his first voyage Gulliver encounters the Liliputians, on his second voyage the Brobdinagians, the Glubbdubribians were met on his third voyage and on his fourth and final voyage he encountered the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms were intelligent horses and in their country human-like creatures were barbaric and referred to as Yahoos.

Answer: Ghosts

The story takes place mainly at a country house named Bly, and the main characters are a governess, a maid named Mrs. Grose and two young children, Miles and Flora. There are two ghosts, one seemingly attached to each child, one the former governess, Miss Jessel, who is attached to Flora and the other a former valet, Mr. Quint, who is attached to Miles.

Answer: The Murders in the Rue Morgue

The detective in this story was C. Auguste Dupin. It has been suggested that both Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot (amongst others) were modelled on his character. You have only to read a few of Poe's stories to see why the "Edgar" awards for mystery writing were named in his honour.

Answer: Identical Cousin

The Prince's attendants Colonel Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim have Rudolph's 'twin' cousin from England, Rudolf Rassendyll, pretend he is the prince and get crowned as the King of Ruritania. The real Prince Rudolf's brother Michael had Prince Rudolf imprisoned in the town of Zenda.

Another villain in the story is Count Rupert of Hentzau. Many versions of the novel have been made into movies and plays, with the theme of using an identical imposter as a leader.

Answer: Silas Marner

Under the pseudonym George Eliot, Mary Anne Evans wrote the classical novel "Silas Marner" as well as other well-known works such as "Middlemarch" and "Adam Bede". The novel "Silas Marner" is named after the main character, who finds himself framed for stealing the money from his church. He is forced to move away, and he becomes interested in solitude and wealth, but that wealth is stolen. His life gets better when a child, whose mother died on the road, comes into his life and he raises her.

Answer: The Awakening

While vacationing on Grand Isle in the Gulf of Mexico from Louisiana with her husband Leonce, and two children Etienne and Raoul, Edna Pontellier meets and falls in love with the owner's son Robert. Robert becomes concerned with the affair and flees. Edna begins to rethink her role as only a mother, and starts looking for more freedom.

When left on her own for a while, she experiences life as she wants and not how others would want her to.

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

The novel is mostly "read" from the viewpoint of Elizabeth, which is an interesting tactic since she is not always the best "judge" of character. It is interesting to point out that aside from movies and TV productions (and what woman can forget the performance of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy?), the novel itself has earned critical acclaim even in recent years.

In 2003 a UK poll resulted in a placing of number two of all time and in 2008, Australians voted it number one.

Answer: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The first twelve stories published in Strand Magazine then compiled in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" are "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League", "A Case of Identity", The Boscombe Valley Adventure", "The Five Orange Pips", "The Man With the Twisted Lip", "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", "The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb", "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor", "The Adventure of Beryl Coronet" and "The Adventure of Copper Beeches".