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Quiz about Dramatic Lives of Literary People

Dramatic Lives of Literary People Quiz

This is another in my series of quizzes about the dramatic lives of creative people. It's difficult, perhaps, but (hopefully) interesting and informative.

A multiple-choice quiz by robert362. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
robert362

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
170,670

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
641

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This man wrote fine poetry, despite intervals of both poverty and mental illness. Sadly, he outlived five of his children. Hint

Ernest Dowson

William Blake

John Clare

Robert Burns

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Question 2 of 10

2. This author destroyed part of a manuscript that he had written, then more-or-less starved himself to death in "preparation" for doing more writing. Hint

Pushkin

Gogol

Zola

Mann

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Question 3 of 10

3. This author was married to the sister of the legendary Baron Von Richthoffen. Hint

Stephen Crane

D.H. Lawrence

Theodore Dreiser

Jack London

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Question 4 of 10

4. This author suffered the loss of his daughter "Susy" to spinal meningitis at the age of 24. Hint

Mark Twain

Sinclair Lewis

John Steinbeck

William Faulkner

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these poets committed suicide? Hint

Anne Sexton

William Ernest Henley

Elizabeth Browning

John Dryden

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Question 6 of 10

6. This author wrote a suicide note that began: "I am certain that I am going mad again ..." Hint

Sylvia Plath

Emily Dickinson

Marianne Moore

Virginia Woolf

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Question 7 of 10

7. The writing Bronte sisters all died relatively young. They all died of tuberculosis.

True

False

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Question 8 of 10

8. This playwright was investigated during the McCarthy period because of membership in the American Communist Party. Hint

Clifford Odets

Eugene O'Neill

Robert Anderson

William Inge

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Question 9 of 10

9. Charles Nordhoff (along with James Hall) wrote the "Bounty" trilogy. What happened to him? Hint

Suicide victim

Accident victim

Murder victim

Mysterious disappearance

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Question 10 of 10

10. This author's "horror fiction" was said to be partially the product of his struggle with mental illness later in his life. Hint

Stendhal

Proust

Gide

Du Maupassant

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This man wrote fine poetry, despite intervals of both poverty and mental illness. Sadly, he outlived five of his children.

Answer: John Clare

Clare lost one child in infancy and several others as young adults (mostly due to tuberculosis). His "I Am" is a fine poem - written from an asylum.

2. This author destroyed part of a manuscript that he had written, then more-or-less starved himself to death in "preparation" for doing more writing.

Answer: Gogol

He wrote "Dead Souls". Then, he wrote a second part - and destroyed it. He fasted in order to get ready to write another segment ... but apparently went too far and destroyed his health.

3. This author was married to the sister of the legendary Baron Von Richthoffen.

Answer: D.H. Lawrence

D.H. Lawrence had a dramatic life; he shocked and scandalized much of society with some of his writing. Being related by marriage to "the Red Baron" was just incidental.

4. This author suffered the loss of his daughter "Susy" to spinal meningitis at the age of 24.

Answer: Mark Twain

For all his wit and satirical humor, Twain took some hits from life along the way. This was a big one. (She was called "Susy", but it was, I believe, a middle name).

5. Which of these poets committed suicide?

Answer: Anne Sexton

Anne Sexton was not a happy camper; her life was marred by several unsuccessful suicide attempts. Finally, one attempt succeeded.

6. This author wrote a suicide note that began: "I am certain that I am going mad again ..."

Answer: Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf wrote that she could not bear to go through the ordeal one more time, so she wrote this note to her husband, Leonard, and ended her life.

7. The writing Bronte sisters all died relatively young. They all died of tuberculosis.

Answer: True

Despite their literary reputations, their lives (especially Emily and Anne) were brief. Tuberuculosis was among the most common causes of death at the time. Though Charlotte's death from the disease is disputed, her death certificate gives TB as the cause of death.

8. This playwright was investigated during the McCarthy period because of membership in the American Communist Party.

Answer: Clifford Odets

Odets was investigated by Joseph McCarthy and company during one of America's least impressive periods.

9. Charles Nordhoff (along with James Hall) wrote the "Bounty" trilogy. What happened to him?

Answer: Suicide victim

Nordhoff never quite matched the success of "Mutiny on the Bounty" (along with "Men against the Sea" and "Pitcairn's Island"). After struggling with depression and drinking, Nordhoff became a suicide victim.

10. This author's "horror fiction" was said to be partially the product of his struggle with mental illness later in his life.

Answer: Du Maupassant

It is said that syphilis led to mental illness ... which manifested itself in some of his writing. (Poor Guy!)

Source: Author robert362

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