Jane Austen Major Works Trivia Quiz

Answer: Northanger Abbey

Although it was sold to a publisher in 1803, it was one of the last works to be published, in 1817, (posthumously with "Persuasion"). The first book to be published was "Sense and Sensibility" in 1811.

Answer: Elinor

Emma is the heroine of "Emma", Elizabeth is in "Pride and Prejudice" and Eleanor is Miss Tilney in "Northanger Abbey".

Answer: Jane Gardiner

In many families in Jane Austen's books, the firstborn daughter is named after the mother, so it is likely that Jane, the eldest, is named after her mother. 'Gardiner' is her brother's last name so it must have been her maiden name as well. Her sister is Mrs. Phillips, the Lucases aren't related, and Mr. Collins was her husband's cousin.

Answer: Anne Elliot

Anne Elliot was 27. Emma and Elizabeth were 20/21, Elinor was only 19- a remarkably mature 19 year old!

Answer: George Knightly

Mr. Knightly is about 37. He mentions that he was 16 when Emma was born. Captain Wentworth is 4 years older than Anne, so he's 31. Mr Darcy is 28 and Edmund Bertram is 24.

Answer: Emma Woodhouse

Emma was very rich, with a fortune of thirty thousand pounds. Catherine Morland had three thousands pounds, Elizabeth Bennet had about one thousand pounds and Fanny Price had nothing.

Answer: Weymouth

Jane was there with the Campbells and they met Frank. This is where their secret engagement was formed.

Answer: Mansfield Park

The play is "Lover's Vows", and while Sir Thomas is away his children decide to have some fun. They never did get to perform the play though, because Sir Thomas came home earlier than expected.

Answer: Northanger Abbey

"Northanger Abbey" is the shortest, followed by "Persuasion". "Emma" is the longest and "Mansfield Park" almost as long.

Answer: Emma

Mrs. Weston and Miss Bates appear often in the story. Robert Martin is Harriet's first suitor. Mrs. Suckling never appears, but is often talked about by her sister, Mrs. Elton.

Answer: nothing

He starts off INTENDING to give them one thousand each, but his wife says that's too much. Then he decides on 500 each, then on an annuity, and finally decides to help them when they move and send them food now and then. When they move, it is so far away he can't really send them food, so in the end he gives them nothing.

Answer: Mrs. Norris

Mrs. Norris really is nasty. She makes sure to let Fanny "know her place" and can be very rude and unfeeling. The other three ladies are actually kind to Fanny. Lady Bertram may use her a bit as a personal maid, but she is not rude to Fanny the way Mrs. Norris is. I would love to see a modern production of "Mansfield Park" that is true to the story, with Judi Dench as the nasty Mrs. Norris.

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

Caroline Bingley is Mr. Bingly's sister with her eye on Mr. Darcy. Charlotte Lucas is Elizabeth's friend. Colonel Forster's wife is good friends with Lydia Bennet.

Answer: Persuasion

Louisa and Capt. Benwick become engaged after Louisa's accident at Lyme. Lady Russell is the close friend of Anne Elliot.

Answer: Derbyshire

It is north of Hertfordshire, where the Bennets live. Mansfield Park is in Northampton and Northanger Abbey is in Gloucestershire.

Answer: Emma

This was the last book published in Jane Austen's lifetime. She finished "Persuasion" and began work on "Sanditon" but died before "Persuasion" could be published or "Sanditon" finished.

Answer: Northanger Abbey

Col. Tilney is Catherine's future father-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Allen take Catherine to Bath. Isabella Thorpe is Catherine's superficial friend.
I would like to see a production of this made into a movie. Isabella Thorpe and John Thorpe would be good comic roles.

Answer: Mr. Weston

His father, Mr. Weston, was widowed when Frank was very young. The Churchills were his mother's brother and sister-in-law. They had no children and were very rich, and were better able to raise Frank than a single soldier. When Frank came of age he took their surname since he was their heir.

Answer: Sense and Sensibility

Mrs. Jennings is Sir John's mother-in-law, and Lucy is Mrs. Jennings' cousin.

Answer: John

He signs a letter "John Willoughby".

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

"Mansfield Park" has Mr. Rushworth's friend Mr. Smith of Compton, who inspired Mr. Rushworth to want to improve his grounds. In "Sense and Sensibility" Willoughby's aunt, the owner of Allenham, is Mrs. Smith. In "Emma" there is Harriet Smith, and in "Persuasion", Mrs. Smith is Anne's invalid friend in Westgate buildings. And there is even a "Smith" mentioned in "Northanger Abbey"- when Catherine is hoping to be asked to dance by Mr. Tilney, he is already dancing with "Miss Smith" an acquaintance of Mrs. Hughes. (She is only mentioned by name once, I didn't think it would be fair to have that as an option)."Pride and Prejudice" is the only book where I couldn't find a Smith.

Answer: Courtship

Mr. Elton gave it to Emma, (for her only) but she assumed it was for Harriet. Harriet couldn't guess it. The riddle in full is:

"My First displays the wealth and pomp of kings,
Lords of the earth! Their luxury and ease.
Another view of man, my second brings;
Behold him there, the monarch of the seas!

But, ah! united, what reverse we have!
Man's boasted power and freedom, all are flown;
Lord of the Earth and sea, he bends a slave,
And woman, lovely woman, reigns alone."

Harriet guessed it might be "mermaid" or "trident".

Answer: Elinor Dashwood

Elinor's sister Marianne is very musical. Elinor is more into drawing. Elizabeth, Emma, and Anne all play the piano.

Answer: Sense and Sensibility

Colonel Brandon's first love, Eliza, has an illegitimate daughter, who grows up to have an illegitimate child of her own. Willoughby is the father of the second Eliza's child, so Col. Brandon challenges him to a duel. And the toothpick case is what Robert Ferras is ordering and takes over a quarter of an hour to choose while the Dashwoods are waiting to be served.

Answer: Northanger Abbey

"Mansfield Park" has Mrs. Rushworth running off with Henry Crawford. "Sense and Sensibility" has Willoughby getting Eliza Williams pregnant and deserting her. "Pride and Prejudice" had Lydia Bennet running away with George Wickham and living with him without being married. Even "Persuasion" has Mrs. Clay running off with William Elliot and living with him. "Emma" has well behaved charaters, but Harriet is the product of an illicit affair so I didn't offer that as a choice.

In "Northanger Abbey" even though Isabella behaves shockingly with Capt. Tilney it isn't exactly illicit and the book simply winds up with her not being engaged to anyone.