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Quiz about General Knowledge of Literature

General Knowledge of Literature Quiz

This is a quiz that will test your knowledge concerning some of the best in World Literature.

A multiple-choice quiz by ariellegarellek. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
ariellegarellek

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
70,401

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
2553

Last 3 plays: Guest 73 (13/15), Guest 217 (9/15), Mark1970 (8/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Who was the first female author to win the Pulitzer Prize? Hint

Charlotte Bronte for 'Jane Eyre'

Edith Wharton for 'The Age of Innocence'

Virginia Woolf for 'To the Lighthouse'

Louisa May Alcott for 'Little Women'

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Question 2 of 15

2. What is French author Stendhal's birth name? Hint

Henri Beyle

Charles DuPrey

Julien Gautier

George Sorine

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Question 3 of 15

3. Which of these authors is not considered one of the 'Lost Generation'? Hint

John Dos Passos

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Ernest Hemingway

D.H Lawrence

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Question 4 of 15

4. Which of these Ancient Greek playwrights is known for his comedic writings? Hint

Aristophanes

Euripides

Aeschylus

Sophocles

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Question 5 of 15

5. Who told the fable of 'The Hare and the Tortoise'? Hint

Aesop

Hans Christian Andersen

The Grimm Brothers

Uncle Remus

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which of these authors is not considered one of the 'Children of the Revolution'? Hint

Honore de Balzac

Alfred de Musset

Voltaire

Victor Hugo

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Question 7 of 15

7. Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' was originally written in which language? Hint

Gaelic

English

French

German

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Question 8 of 15

8. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter', what does the letter represent? Hint

a witch

a thief

an adulteress

a murderer

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Question 9 of 15

9. Who was Guy de Maupassant's mentor? Hint

Flaubert

Baudelaire

Proust

Dumas

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which of these activities is not overwelmingly present in 19th century Russian literature? Hint

Gambling

Travel

Drinking

Buying flowers

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Question 11 of 15

11. The theme 'absurd' is found in which type of literature? Hint

Existentialist

Naturalist

Symbolic

Romantic

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Question 12 of 15

12. The quote: 'Brevity is the soul of wit' can be found in which of Shakespeare's plays? Hint

Romeo and Juliet

Macbeth

Hamlet

Twelfth Night

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Question 13 of 15

13. Which author was known to have visited public executions? Hint

Robert Louis Stevenson

Edgar Allan Poe

Jane Austen

Thomas Hardy

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which of these authors is not Irish? Hint

Jonathan Swift

James Joyce

Oscar Wilde

Daniel Defoe

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Question 15 of 15

15. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written by which author? Hint

Lewis Carroll

Herman Melville

Rudyard Kipling

L. Frank Baum

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 24 2024 : Guest 73: 13/15
Oct 11 2024 : Guest 217: 9/15
Sep 28 2024 : Mark1970: 8/15
Sep 28 2024 : gme24: 11/15
Sep 28 2024 : BarbaraMcI: 13/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the first female author to win the Pulitzer Prize?

Answer: Edith Wharton for 'The Age of Innocence'

The Pulitzer Prize is the most prestigious honour awarded for American literature. Charlotte Bronte is British and her novel was published before the first Pulitzer Prize was even awarded.

2. What is French author Stendhal's birth name?

Answer: Henri Beyle

Stendhal's birth name is Henri Beyle, hence the term 'Beylisme' used to describe his work.

3. Which of these authors is not considered one of the 'Lost Generation'?

Answer: D.H Lawrence

'The Lost Generation' was a term coined by American essayist Gertrude Stein to describe the men of the 1920's who had spent their young years fighting in the War and were not able to become civilized. These artist spent their time and money in Paris' cafes.

4. Which of these Ancient Greek playwrights is known for his comedic writings?

Answer: Aristophanes

Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles are all famous for their tragic plays.

5. Who told the fable of 'The Hare and the Tortoise'?

Answer: Aesop

Aesop is thought to have been a slave in the sixth century B.C.E. His other fables include 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'.

6. Which of these authors is not considered one of the 'Children of the Revolution'?

Answer: Voltaire

The 'Children of the Revolution' are those who were born into a world where they were supposed to have complete freedom. The French Revolution of 1789 was supposed to end monarchy in France forever. The literature of this era reflects the respest the authors had for their hero Napoleon.

7. Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' was originally written in which language?

Answer: French

This Irish playwright taught English in Paris and wrote his famous 'absurd' play in french and then translated it himself into English.

8. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter', what does the letter represent?

Answer: an adulteress

This novel takes place in Puritan New England where adulterers and other 'sinners' were humiliated for their 'crimes'.

9. Who was Guy de Maupassant's mentor?

Answer: Flaubert

Flaubert and Maupassant were good friends and their correspondences are now published.

10. Which of these activities is not overwelmingly present in 19th century Russian literature?

Answer: Buying flowers

These activities can all be found in works by Dostoevsky, Chekov and Tolstoy.

11. The theme 'absurd' is found in which type of literature?

Answer: Existentialist

Famous existentialist literature is written by Camus, Sartre and Ionesco.

12. The quote: 'Brevity is the soul of wit' can be found in which of Shakespeare's plays?

Answer: Hamlet

This quote was spoken by Polonius, a man who spoke much but said little.

13. Which author was known to have visited public executions?

Answer: Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy wrote such depressing novels as 'Jude the Obscure' and 'Tess of the D'Ubervilles'.

14. Which of these authors is not Irish?

Answer: Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe is English.

15. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written by which author?

Answer: L. Frank Baum

Many people know this story from the 1939 film starring Judy Garland.

Source: Author ariellegarellek

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