Literature By Definitions Trivia Quiz

Answer: Persuasion

Purse + Sways + Ion

"Persuasion" is a novel by English author Jane Austen. It is the last novel that she finished completely herself and was published posthumously in 1817, six months after her death.

The book was named by her brother Henry as they couldn't find any reference to a title in her notes, although other family members state that she referred to it as 'The Elliots'.

It has been published many times and been adapted into stage, film and television productions.

Answer: Robinson Crusoe

Rob + Bin + Son AND Crew + Sew

"Robinson Crusoe" was written by English author Daniel Defoe and published in 1719. The first edition was written in an autobiographical style and Crusoe was noted as its author, so it was originally believed to be a true story.

It is considered to be one of the most published books in history and has been adapted for radio, television series and films. It has even been staged as a pantomime and an opera.

Answer: Middlemarch

Middle + March

"Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life" is a novel by the English author George Eliot. Commenced in 1869, it was originally separated into eight different parts which began publication in 1871. It has also had multiple adaptations throughout the years.

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Anne Evans who wrote under the male pseudonym to ensure her novels would be taken seriously.

Answer: Odyssey

Odd + Is + Sea

The "Odyssey" is a Greek epic poem written by Homer. It is a sequel to his work the "Iliad", which was set during the Trojan War. The "Odyssey" follows the ten year journey it takes Odysseus (Ulysses in Latin) to travel home to Ithaca. They are believed to be the oldest existing works in Western literature, being composed toward the end of the 8th century BC.

The adaptions and 'sequels' that have followed over the centuries is exhaustive in number but two of the more well-known modern examples include the poem "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the novel of the same name by James Joyce.

Answer: Northanger Abbey

North + Hangar And Ab + Bee

"Northanger Abbey" is another of Jane Austen's works. This was actually Austen's first novel, which she sold for £10 in 1803 under the name of "Susan". The publisher decided not to print the work and it remained unpublished until after Austen's death. Not realising that Austen had since sold four popular novels, he sold it back to her brother for the same price. "Northanger Abbey" was then published in 1818 with the novel "Persuasion".

Answer: Hamlet

Ham + Let

"Hamlet" ("The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark") is one of Shakespeare's tragedies, believed to have been written at the end of the 17th century. It is his longest play and it has topped the list of those played by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon since 1879.

Hundreds of adaptations have appeared in plays, books, television, video games and operas. There are also multiple plots based upon the storyline, one of the most prominent being Disney's "The Lion King" in 1994.

Answer: Kidnapped

Kid + Nap + Ed

"Kidnapped" was written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886 and published in a magazine the same year. Written as a boy's novel, it has since gained critical acclaim for its political commentary of the historical backdrop upon which it was written. Many of the characters are real people that were involved in the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite rising.

The book is actually called: "Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: How he was Kidnapped and Cast away; his Sufferings in a Desert Isle; his Journey in the Wild Highlands; his acquaintance with Alan Breck Stewart and other notorious Highland Jacobites; with all that he Suffered at the hands of his Uncle, Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws, falsely so-called: Written by Himself and now set forth by Robert Louis Stevenson."

Answer: Emma

Em + Ma

Yet another offering by Jane Austen, "Emma", published in 1815, was her fourth novel. This differs from her other books in that she deliberately made the main character less likable and with a lot more flaws than her usual heroines.

Apart from the usual adaptations, the plot was used as the basis for the 1995 American movie "Clueless" and the Bollywood film "Aisha" in 2010.

Answer: Oliver Twist

Olive + Err and Twist

"Oliver Twist" (also known as "The Parish Boy's Progress") was penned by Victorian novelist Charles Dickens. It was his second novel and began serialisation in 1837. Dickens was known as a social critic and this work was no exception showing the life of poor and neglected children.

Yet another book with adaptions in many media forms this also became a major musical in 1960 which is still being performed around the world today.

Answer: Utopia

U + Top + ear

"Utopia" was written in Latin by Thomas More and published in 1516. It is a socio-political commentary based on a fictional island in the South Atlantic Ocean and the lives of its inhabitants and their customs. It was first published in English 35 years later.

The word 'Utopia' is actually derived from the Greek and means 'no-place' and any fictional society meets this definition but common usage has led it to mean a society that is better than our current one. It is believed the confusion comes from the Greek word Eutopia, which is pronounced the same in English, and means 'Good place'.

Thomas More was also a councillor to Henry VIII but he refused to take the Oath of Supremacy acknowledging Henry as Supreme Leader. He was thus convicted of treason and beheaded in 1535.

His famous last words were "I die the King's good servant, and God's first." He was canonised in 1935 as a saint and martyr.