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What the Dickens? Trivia Quiz

A very timely subject is this. Even Oprah recommends Dickens, choosing "Great Expections" and "Tale of Two Cities" as selections for her book club for December 2010. How familiar are you with these ten Dickensian characters?

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

Author
drbabe

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
333,211

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
1478

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Kenners158 (9/10), Guest 172 (10/10), haydenspapa (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This character was born in the Marshalsea Prison in London. She cares for her father in the prison until a reversal of fortune makes the family rich. Who is this heroine nicknamed Little Dorrit? Hint

Amy Dorrit

Dodo Dorrit

Fanny Dorrit

Emma Peel

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. If [the poor] would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Who said it? Hint

Ebenezer Scrooge

Daniel Quilp

Fagin

Uriah Heep

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who is the French woman in "A Tale of Two Cities" who runs a tavern and is constantly knitting? Hint

Madame Tussaud

Madame DeFarge

Madame Alexander

Madame Bovary

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Question 4 of 10

4. This character is the favorite of many. He befriends a young David Copperfield who has been put to work in a wine shop labelling bottles at the age of ten. Who is this character played in one movie version by W.C. Fields?
Hint

Wilkins Micawber

Jethro Tull

Uriah Heep

Mr. Murdstone

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Question 5 of 10

5. If you have ever read "Great Expectations," it is impossible to forget the recluse who raises her ward Estella to hate all men. Who is this old lady who was jilted at the altar and still wears her wedding dress decades later? Hint

Hetty Green

Elizabeth Borden

Agnatha Fultstag

Miss Havisham

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Question 6 of 10

6. One of my favorite Dickens character is also from the novel "David Copperfield." She is the aunt with whom he seeks refuge after leaving the bottle factory. What is this woman's name? Hint

Betsey Johnson

Countess Elizabeth Bathory Nadasdy

Elizabeth Blackwell

Betsey Trotwood

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. This character in "Oliver Twist" is a Jew who operates a band of young criminals in the streets of London. What is his name? Hint

Salomon

Shylock

Fagin

Shiloh

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Question 8 of 10

8. This couple runs a miserable boarding school in Yorkshire. They defraud the parents of the children by charging high fees while starving and mistreating the children. Who are these two characters? Hint

Mr. and Mrs. Fleers

Madame and Messieur Arnot

Mr. and Mrs. Squats

Mr. and Mrs. Squeers

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. This character disappears after spontaneously combusting. He is a collector of rags, bottles, and papers. Who is this character from "Bleak House?" Hint

Krank

Crook

Krook

Krack

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Question 10 of 10

10. This character from "The Old Curiosity Shop" is often referred to as an evil dwarf. He lends money to the heroine Little Nell's grandfather and later pursues them. Who is this monstrous villian? Hint

Quill

Quilp

Quail

Queep

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 19 2024 : Kenners158: 9/10
Nov 18 2024 : Guest 172: 10/10
Nov 16 2024 : haydenspapa: 9/10
Oct 05 2024 : kented: 9/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Amy Dorrit

Little Dorrit is the nickname for Amy Dorrit who was born in Marshalsea prison, a prison for debtors. She finds employment with Mrs. Clenham around whom there is much mystery. The plot revolves around the red tape involved in government as embodied by the Office of Circumlocution. Another timely theme concerns failure of business speculations and the ruination of fortunes that result.

2. If [the poor] would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Who said it?

Answer: Ebenezer Scrooge

Ebeneezer Scrooge is probably one of the characters most often immortalized in print and then in the movies. Films based on "A Christmas Carol" include "Scrooge" a musical version and the comedy "Scrooged" with Bill Murray. The three other choices are also Dickens villians.

3. Who is the French woman in "A Tale of Two Cities" who runs a tavern and is constantly knitting?

Answer: Madame DeFarge

This novel takes place during the French Revolution. Madame DeFarge uses knitting as a kind of encryption to record the name of her enemies upon whom she seeks revenge. Sydney Carton, a lookalike for the hero Charles Darnay, sacrifices himself to save Darnay stating "It is a far, far better thing than I have ever done..." Read the book to fill in the details.

Answer: Wilkins Micawber

His observation "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery." explains why he is constantly in financial trouble. Micawber was loosely based on Dickens' father John who went to debtor's prison because of his inability to pay his creditors.

In the end, Micawber exposes the villain and makes a new beginning in Australia.

Answer: Miss Havisham

Miss Havisham is dressing for her wedding when a letter arrives telling her that she has been deceived and defrauded by her fiance. All the clocks are stopped and everything stays the same for over 30 years. The wedding cake is covered with cobweb and spiders and the "bride" still wears only one shoe since she was in the process of dressing when the bad news came.

6. One of my favorite Dickens character is also from the novel "David Copperfield." She is the aunt with whom he seeks refuge after leaving the bottle factory. What is this woman's name?

Answer: Betsey Trotwood

On a personal note, one of my forebears liked this character so much that he named a small town in Ohio after her. Lewis E. Pfoutz applied for a post office francise in 1866 and chose the name of Trotwood since he had just read "David Copperfield." Betsey Johnson is a designer. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first female physician in the United States.

The Countess was probably the most notorious serial murderer of all time.

7. This character in "Oliver Twist" is a Jew who operates a band of young criminals in the streets of London. What is his name?

Answer: Fagin

Dickens removed many references to Fagin as "The Jew" in the novel "Oliver Twist" after becoming friends with a Jewish banker and his wife a few years after its publication. He also created a heroic Jewish character, Mr. Riah who helps young women find employment in his businesses in the novel "Our Mutual Friend."

8. This couple runs a miserable boarding school in Yorkshire. They defraud the parents of the children by charging high fees while starving and mistreating the children. Who are these two characters?

Answer: Mr. and Mrs. Squeers

Mr. Squeers defrauds parents, but his mistreatment of his young charges in not discovered because these children are not wanted by their parents. Mrs. Squeers is even worse, whipping and starving the children at the "school" while spoiling her own son.

9. This character disappears after spontaneously combusting. He is a collector of rags, bottles, and papers. Who is this character from "Bleak House?"

Answer: Krook

Spontaneous combustion is a myth that has been debunked. Within Krook's collection of papers lies the secret that solves a long-hidden mystery.

Answer: Quilp

Nell's grandfather loses the money lent by Daniel Quilp and so grandfather and granddaughter flee London together. Quilp persues them, but he meets a fitting end. This is another novel with a multitude of themes and interesting characters. In my opinion, it is one of Dickens' best.

Source: Author drbabe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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