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Oscar Wilde Biographical Quiz

This quiz concentrates on the life of Oscar Wilde. Good luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by Flapjack44. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Flapjack44

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
60,787

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
1307

Last 3 plays: Guest 80 (9/15), Guest 92 (5/15), Guest 93 (14/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What was Oscar Wilde's full birth name? Hint

William Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wilde

Cathal Oscar Fingal Wills Wilde

Oscar Cathal William O'Flahertie Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde

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Question 2 of 15

2. Who referred to Oscar Wilde as the 'Young Pagan'? Hint

His older brother

His mother

Marquis of Queensberry, (father of Lord Alfred Douglas

Edward Carson

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Question 3 of 15

3. While at Oxford, which Professor of Fine Art did Wilde desire to meet, to whom Wilde later wrote: 'The dearest memories of my Oxford days are my walks and talks with you...'? Hint

John Ruskin

Friedrich Max-Muller

Hunter Blair

Walter Pater

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Question 4 of 15

4. At which Oxford college did Wilde enrol? Hint

Magdalen

Brasenose

New College

Balliol

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Question 5 of 15

5. In what year did Wilde sail to the U.S. for a lecture tour? Hint

1882

1881

1884

1885

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Question 6 of 15

6. Whom did Wilde marry in 1884? Hint

Victoria Maynard

He did not marry in 1884

Constance Lloyd

Vivian Russel

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Question 7 of 15

7. Who did he meet in 1891, whose relationship with Wilde was later to be described as a 'fatal friendship'? Hint

Marquis of Queensberry

Lord Alfred Douglas

Theodore Wratislaw

Arthur Cunliffe

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Question 8 of 15

8. Which of Wilde's plays was banned in Britain? Hint

A Woman of No Importance

Salome

An Ideal Husband

Lady Windemere's Fan

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Question 9 of 15

9. What was 'Mr Whistler's 10 o'clock'? Hint

A lecture given in 1885 by Mr Whistler

A popular music hall song

An unfinished short story by Wilde

A regular study appointment granted by Oxford Don Professor Whistler

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which three famous writers did Wilde describe in the following terms: '...'s style was far too cumbrous, and ...'s too exaggerated.'... has influenced only journalism.'? Hint

George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens

Charlotte Bronte, Anthony Trollope, George Meredith

Anthony Trollope, George Eliot, Charles Dickens

W. B. Yeats, George Eliot, George Meredith

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Question 11 of 15

11. What event prompted a newspaper of the day to write: 'The aesthetic cult, in the nasty form, is over' and was described in another as 'a dash of wholesome bigotry'? Hint

Wilde was found guilty of deception

Wilde was found guilty of adultery

Wilde was found guilty of indecent assault

Wilde was found guilty of homosexual practices

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Question 12 of 15

12. What was the sentence handed down to Wilde after the Court case? Hint

Two years

Two years with hard labour

Three years with hard labour

Three years

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Question 13 of 15

13. To what had Wilde changed his name by the time of his death? Hint

Sebastian Melmoth

Lucian Melmoth

Sebastian Melmotte

Lucian Melmotte

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Question 14 of 15

14. Wilde's last words were reputedly: 'This _________ is terrible - one of us will have to go!' What word falls properly into the blank?

Answer: (One word)

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Question 15 of 15

15. Who was the chief mourner at Wilde's funeral? Hint

Lord Alfred Douglas

Charles Lucas

John Ruskin

W. B. Yeats

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was Oscar Wilde's full birth name?

Answer: Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde

He dropped the Fingal, O'Flahertie and Wills to become simply Oscar Wilde, and was quoted as saying at Oxford, 'Soon I shall discard another and be known simply as 'The Wilde' or 'The Oscar'.'

2. Who referred to Oscar Wilde as the 'Young Pagan'?

Answer: His mother

Wilde's mother, Jane Francisca Speranza Wilde was, like her son, a celebrated wit.

3. While at Oxford, which Professor of Fine Art did Wilde desire to meet, to whom Wilde later wrote: 'The dearest memories of my Oxford days are my walks and talks with you...'?

Answer: John Ruskin

Ruskin's aesthetic beliefs and dislike of city grime rubbed off on Wilde, who once commented 'I would give Manchester back to the shepherds and Leeds to the stockfarmers'.

4. At which Oxford college did Wilde enrol?

Answer: Magdalen

Other famous alumni from Magdalen College are the author C.S. Lewis, Sir Peter Medawar whose pioneering work in tissue transplants led to him winning a Nobel Prize for medicine, and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, David Souter.

5. In what year did Wilde sail to the U.S. for a lecture tour?

Answer: 1881

Wilde sailed in December 1881 for the 1882 tour. He was concerned that he did not have a talent for public speaking and was quoted as saying prior to the tour, 'I want a natural style, with a touch of affectation.'.

6. Whom did Wilde marry in 1884?

Answer: Constance Lloyd

They had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan.

7. Who did he meet in 1891, whose relationship with Wilde was later to be described as a 'fatal friendship'?

Answer: Lord Alfred Douglas

The relationship between them was passionate but stormy. Despite the troubles though, it lasted for many years.

8. Which of Wilde's plays was banned in Britain?

Answer: Salome

The play was refused a licence on the grounds that it depicted biblical characters on stage.

9. What was 'Mr Whistler's 10 o'clock'?

Answer: A lecture given in 1885 by Mr Whistler

The painter Whistler met Wilde many times, although the acquaintance was prickly. The lecture in question made a number of cutting criticisms about aestheticism and was largely held to be aimed at Wilde although his name was never expressly mentioned.

10. Which three famous writers did Wilde describe in the following terms: '...'s style was far too cumbrous, and ...'s too exaggerated.'... has influenced only journalism.'?

Answer: George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens

The criticisms were made in 1888 and 1889.

11. What event prompted a newspaper of the day to write: 'The aesthetic cult, in the nasty form, is over' and was described in another as 'a dash of wholesome bigotry'?

Answer: Wilde was found guilty of homosexual practices

The quotes were from 'The News of The World' and the 'St James's Gazette' respectively. The trial arose through Wilde's abortive libel action against (the now) Lord Queensberry.

12. What was the sentence handed down to Wilde after the Court case?

Answer: Two years with hard labour

Lord Queensberry, Charles Hawtrey and Charles Brookfield were reputed to have had a celebratory dinner that evening.

13. To what had Wilde changed his name by the time of his death?

Answer: Sebastian Melmoth

14. Wilde's last words were reputedly: 'This _________ is terrible - one of us will have to go!' What word falls properly into the blank?

Answer: wallpaper

15. Who was the chief mourner at Wilde's funeral?

Answer: Lord Alfred Douglas

Although Charles Lucas also attended.

Source: Author Flapjack44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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