Dark Thoughts of Madness Quiz | People

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which ancient Greek philosopher and scientist is reputed to have said, "No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness"?

Answer: Aristotle

Aristotle is often considered to be one of the greatest minds in history. He studied and wrote about philosophy, rhetoric, botany, zoology, and history, and influenced philosophy until the Renaissance and even beyond. He is also responsible for the following quote, "There is no great genius without a mixture of madness". These quotes may reflect moments of self-introspection.

2. Born in 1642, which English astronomer and scientist is purported to have said, "I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people"?

Answer: Isaac Newton

The English scientist Isaac Newton was a genius among his peers. That opinion has not changed. Newton was considered a little eccentric and on his deathbed is purported to have confessed to dying a virgin. This may have been shaped by his views of other people or, perhaps, by other peoples view of him.

3. Which 19th century American author, known for his macabre writings, is quoted as having said, "Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled."?

Answer: Edgar Allan Poe

This is the beginning of a quote attributed the master of horror, Edgar Allan Poe. The rest of this quote is as follows;
"Whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence-whether much that is glorious- whether all that is profound- does not spring from disease of thought- from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect."
Poe's skills at as a writer may have been just a reflection of the inner torment that plagued him all his life.

4. Which author of "To the Lighthouse" (1927) and "A Room of One's Own" (1929) is credited with the following quote? "Madness is terrific, I can assure you, and not to be sniffed at; and in its lava I still find most of the things I write about. It shoots out of one, everything shaped, final, not in mere driblets, as sanity does."

Answer: Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf was haunted by demons of the mind. It can be seen in some of her writings. This quote speaks for itself. So great was her melancholy, that at the age of 59, she filled her coat pockets with rocks and drowned herself in the River Ouse. There really is a thin line between genius and insanity.

5. Which Spanish novelist, born in 1547, is credited with this quote? "Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be"?

Answer: Miguel de Cervantes

Best known as the author of "Don Quixote", Miguel de Cervantes is recognized as one of the great writers of his time. His view of madness may have come from his five years as a slave/prisoner of war in Algiers or from being shot three times. His left arm was left useless after this occurred.

There is no doubt that the madness of war influenced his writing. The other three options were famous Spanish artists.

6. Which American actor, who starred in the movie "Awakenings" (1990), is quoted as having said, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it"?

Answer: Robin Williams

Robin Williams is one of Hollywood's most gifted actors, winning an Oscar, as well as multiple Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Known for his unusual sense of humor as well as his broad-ranging performing skills, Williams is known for his high IQ and the eccentricity that often goes with this.

His problems with both cocaine and alcohol have been covered extensively by the media. They may have also had an impact on his view of madness.

7. Which one of the following options, was an ancient Roman philosopher that is credited with the following quote? "Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness."

Answer: Seneca (the Younger)

Lucius Anneus Seneca is usually known simply as known for his stoic philosophy and his tragedies. He was a teacher of the Roman emporer Nero, who later ordered him to kill himself, after he was accused of taking place in a plot to assassinate his former student. An unusual man, living in a time of upheaval, many of his quotes point out the weaknesses of mankind. All four of the options are also Native American tribes of the Iroquois nation.

8. Which British poet and prominent figure in the Romantic movement is credited with having said, "Hatred is the madness of the heart."

Answer: Lord Byron

Lord Byron, the poet, was a prolific writer who was prone to periods of melancholy. He had many love affairs in his lifetime, often with married women. He traveled extensively, always searching for something that appeared to be unattainable. A passionate man, he really may have found hatred to be a madness of the heart, and was eloquent enough to put forth the thought in a way that others could understand.

Lady Caroline Lamb is credited with coining the phrase 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' specifically with reference to him.

9. The great actress Elizabeth Taylor is credited with saying, "Marriage is this grand madness, and I think if people knew that, they would perhaps take it more seriously."

Answer: False

Bono, the lead singer for Irish rock group U2, is credited with this quote. It appears that he took this view seriously and was married for over 30 years to his wife Ali Stewart, with whom he had four children. Maybe Elizabeth Taylor, who married seven times, could have learned something from him.

10. Which eccentric 20th century artist, known for his "persistence of memory", claimed "The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad."?

Answer: Salvador Dali

This quote comes from the quirky and eccentric Spanish artist known as Salvador Dali. He was known to accuse others of stealing his dreams or getting into his subconscious. He also had a great interest in the natural sciences and mathematics. There is no doubt that he had a very unconventional mind.

This can be seen in his work that depicts melting clocks and is known as "Persistence of Memory".

Source: Author dcpddc478

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Dark Thoughts of Madness Trivia Quiz

Let's see if you can figure out who opined these comments on madness. Some provide a very enlightening glimpse into the mind of the speaker.

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