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Quiz about More on Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers

More on "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L. Sayers Quiz

"Gaudy Night" was published in 1935, and is the third novel featuring Harriet Vane, who is investigating some unpleasant happenings at her former Oxford College.

A multiple-choice quiz by Ampelos. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Ampelos

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
358,001

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
253

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the name of the fictional college that Dorothy L. Sayers created in "Gaudy Night"? Hint

Lonsdale College

Shrewsbury College

Bartlemas College

College of St Christopher

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Question 2 of 10

2. On which "spacious and sacred" ground in Oxford did Dorothy L. Sayers locate her fictional college in "Gaudy Night"? Hint

Balliol College Cricket Ground

Christ Church Meadow

The Botanic Gardens

Magdalen College Deer Park

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Question 3 of 10

3. What are the unpleasant happenings that Harriet Vane is originally asked to investigate when she comes back for a Gaudy ("reunion") at her college in Oxford? Hint

Obscene graffiti on the college walls.

An impostor pretending to be a don.

Cheating on essays and examinations.

Poison-pen letters.

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the middle part of "Gaudy Night" Harriet bumps into (literally) Viscount Saint-George. Which of the following is NOT true of him? Hint

He is very fond of fast cars.

He is Lord Peter Wimsey's nephew.

He is a first-class honours student.

He is a student at Christ Church.

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Question 5 of 10

5. What makes Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night" an unusual sort of mystery novel? Hint

The crime is committed by a child.

The crime has been committed by a group.

The narrator is the guilty party.

There is no murder in the story.

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Question 6 of 10

6. Someone named "Wilfrid" is frequently mentioned in "Gaudy Night". Who is he? Hint

A good friend of Lord Saint-George.

A student whom Harriet catches in the college grounds.

A character in the mystery novel that Harriet is writing.

The porter at Shrewsbury College.

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Question 7 of 10

7. Harriet returns to her rooms at the College to discover that a gift from Lord Peter has been brutally destroyed. What is this gift? Hint

A set of crystal sherry glasses.

A painting of the College.

A valuable first edition.

A chess-set with red and white ivory pieces.

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Question 8 of 10

8. Where does Harriet first encounter Reggie Pomfret in "Gaudy Night"? Hint

At a luncheon hosted by Lord Saint-George.

At a drinks party in New College.

In the Porter's Lodge of her college.

Climbing over the wall of her College.

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Question 9 of 10

9. Where is Harriet when she realises that she does in fact love Lord Peter? Hint

In the University Church, listening to the University Sermon.

In a punt on the river.

In the common room of her college.

During the concert at Balliol College.

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Question 10 of 10

10. In what language does Lord Peter Wimsey propose to Harriet at the end of "Gaudy Night"? Hint

French

English

Italian

Latin

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the name of the fictional college that Dorothy L. Sayers created in "Gaudy Night"?

Answer: Shrewsbury College

All are fictional Oxford colleges. Lonsdale College was created by Colin Dexter for the "Inspector Morse" series, Bartlemas College by Veronica Stallwood in the "Kate Ivory series", and College of St Christopher in the "Gervase Fen mysteries" written by Edmund Crispin.

2. On which "spacious and sacred" ground in Oxford did Dorothy L. Sayers locate her fictional college in "Gaudy Night"?

Answer: Balliol College Cricket Ground

She locates Shrewsbury College in the part of Oxford known as "St Cross", north of Jowett Walk and between Mansfield and St Cross Roads. In the "Author's note" she apologises to Balliol for this infringement on their grounds.

3. What are the unpleasant happenings that Harriet Vane is originally asked to investigate when she comes back for a Gaudy ("reunion") at her college in Oxford?

Answer: Poison-pen letters.

Spiteful letters, made up from words cut from a newspaper, are being sent to both dons and students. One particularly poisonous letter causes a student to attempt to drown herself in the river. The letters escalate into petty thefts, vandalism and physical violence within the College.

4. In the middle part of "Gaudy Night" Harriet bumps into (literally) Viscount Saint-George. Which of the following is NOT true of him?

Answer: He is a first-class honours student.

Viscount Saint-George is the son of Lord Peter's older brother, Gerald the 16th Duke of Denver. He bumps into Harriet and spills the contents of her shopping bags. Later when he is laid up after driving his car too fast, Harriet has to help him write a letter to his uncle asking for money to get him out of his debts.

5. What makes Dorothy L. Sayers' "Gaudy Night" an unusual sort of mystery novel?

Answer: There is no murder in the story.

Dorothy L. Sayers called it "a novel -- not without detection". There are the poison-pen letters, some physical violence, and an attempt to drive a sensitive student to suicide, but no murder.

6. Someone named "Wilfrid" is frequently mentioned in "Gaudy Night". Who is he?

Answer: A character in the mystery novel that Harriet is writing.

Harriet is writing a detective story called "Death 'twixt Wind and Water" and is having trouble with the motivation of one of her male characters called Wilfrid, particularly why he should suspect that the woman he is in love with would both cheat on him and be guilty of murder.

7. Harriet returns to her rooms at the College to discover that a gift from Lord Peter has been brutally destroyed. What is this gift?

Answer: A chess-set with red and white ivory pieces.

Harriet saw the set in the window of an antique shop in the High Street, and Lord Peter buys it for her the day after she has had a frightening experience at the College. Only one red pawn survives the destruction of the chess-set.

8. Where does Harriet first encounter Reggie Pomfret in "Gaudy Night"?

Answer: Climbing over the wall of her College.

Reggie Pomfret is a student at The Queen's College, and has been helping an inebriated student back into her college without being detected. Harriet catches him as he is climbing back out of the College. Reggie is with Harriet when she encounters yet another instance of vandalism at Harriet's college.

9. Where is Harriet when she realises that she does in fact love Lord Peter?

Answer: In a punt on the river.

Lord Peter has just arrived the previous day from Warsaw and has fallen asleep in the punt after they have had a picnic on the river. He wakes up as she has been gazing at him, much to her embarrassment.

10. In what language does Lord Peter Wimsey propose to Harriet at the end of "Gaudy Night"?

Answer: Latin

The mystery is solved, and Lord Peter has taken Harriet to a Sunday evening concert at his college (Balliol). As they make their way along New College Lane, he proposes to her in Latin: "placetne, magistra?" ("Is this agreeable, my lady?"). Her reply is "placet" ("it is agreeable").

Source: Author Ampelos

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