The Last Few Moments Trivia Quiz

Answer: If his bowels had moved that day

Wyndham Lewis (1882-1957) was an English author whose novels include "The Human Age" trilogy, set in the afterlife, and the Parisian work "Tarr" which takes place prior to World War I. He was also known for his cubo-futuristic paintings, all of which look really peculiar to the unappreciative eye of this writer. His early literary works tended to be harsh assaults on various minorities, against the government's policies, extremely far right in their presentations, and very anti-Jewish. He also initially supported Adolf Hitler, looking on him as a "man of peace". The poet W.H.Auden once described Lewis as "that lonely old volcano of the Right". That pretty well sums up the first part of his life at least.

He was however a brave soldier during World War I, revised many of his political opinions as he grew older, and developed his painting style to a high standard. He went blind in 1951 as a result of a tumour, and this put a halt to his painting career. He continued to write from that time until his death, and left the world with a total of forty strangely compelling books to his name. From the beginning of the 21st century, his works and his paintings are being re-evaluated and appreciated in a new light. Many photographs of Lewis reveal that he was a man very conscious of his image, somewhat of a fop and dignified in a dandy sort of way. He would most definitely not have appreciated the final few moments of his life with the question relating to the state of his bowels.


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyndham_Lewis

Answer: He jumped out a window

General Erskine (1770-1813) was a member of the British army, and the son of another famous soldier. Erskine inherited the title on his father's death in 1795. Over time his behaviour on the field of battle became increasingly erratic, and the great Duke of Wellington was noted to have remarked that he thought Erskine was a madman. On complaining about Erskine's transfer to Portugal on another bout of duty, Wellington was informed by those in authority that Erskine was " ...sometimes a little mad, but in his lucid intervals he is an uncommonly clever fellow; and I trust he will have no fit during the campaign, though he looked a little wild as he embarked".

To add to Erskine's woes he was very near-sighted and once became lost in a fog during an engagement with the enemy. Following this and other misadventures, Wellington tried to put Erskine into a position where he could do as little damage as possible. By 1812, Erskine had gone completely insane and was cashiered from the army. In 1813, he jumped out a window to fall to his death below. Perhaps the poor man mistook it for a door.


Quotes used in this question were obtained at the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_William_Erskine,_2nd_Baronet

Answer: George V

King George V (1865-1936) was the King of Britain from 1910 to 1936. His reign witnessed the escalating problems between communism, socialism and fascism, the struggle of Ireland and India for independence, and the First World War. George spent many of his young adult years in the navy, and his life seemed to have been set on a career of distinction in this regard. However, on the death of his older brother Prince Albert Victor in 1892, he became next in line to the throne instead, and an entirely different future was to be his destiny in life. He also inherited Albert's fiancée, Mary, whom he married in 1893. Their letters and notes to each other which have since been revealed to the rest of the world show this marriage to have been one of the deepest affection and devotion.

George was a man of few words whenever he could step back from his official role, he liked the country life, shooting, collected stamps as a hobby, changed the family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, disliked racial discrimination, loved his father and his own family of six children, and considered himself a true Englishman through and through. When a noted writer once criticised George's court life as being "alien and uninspiring", George is said to have retorted "I may be uninspiring, but I'll be damned if I'm alien".

He swept away much of the formality of his court during his lifetime, his gruff kindness crossed all class distinctions, and his easy lack of pomp and circumstance brought the monarchy to a level that was more in keeping with the democracy he stood for. He also had a keen analytical awareness of the political and international events of the days, and foresaw long before many others the stormy seas that were to lie ahead. For the latter part of his life George suffered from ill health, and whether or not he made that comical remark to his doctor on being told to take a holiday to Bognor is debatable. It still makes a great story though, doesn't it?


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_V

Answer: Camp Justice

Hussein died bravely enough. His last words before the trap was sprung were "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is God's messenger". Camp Justice is located in an Iraqi army base in Baghdad.

Answer: Voltaire

Voltaire (1694-1778) was born in Paris and lived during the French Enlightenment period. He was a noted wit, writer and philosopher. His beliefs include the rights of the individual to freedom of speech and religion, and he also believed in the separation of the state from religion. During his life he continually spoke out against repression and pushed for social reforms, including in the French judicial processes. He wrote an astonishing 20,000 letters and 2,000 pamphlets in this regard.

His works included studies of history. He placed great emphasis on looking at historical events from the perspectives of "... more details, better ascertained facts, precise dates, more attention to customs, laws, mores, commerce, finance, agriculture (and) population". He also wrote poetry, prose (including his great satirical work "Candide"), philosophy, fascinating works on religion and religious thought, and on all the great issues of the day - and made quite a few enemies along the way. One of these included the great Mozart, who wrote to his father on the day that he heard of Voltaire's death, that "The arch-scoundrel Voltaire has finally kicked the bucket...".

History has come to regard Voltaire, not only for his magnificent writings, but also as the forefather of the French Revolution. He wasn't perfect by any means, though. He lived with his niece in a husband and wife relationship for many years, he insulted people left, right and centre, and he was extremely anti-Semitic.


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaire

Answer: I don't have to. I have had them shot

Narvaez was a famous Spanish soldier and statesman who lived from 1800 to 1868. He received the highest awards that Spain could bestow for his work for that nation. Various posts he held during the course of his life were field-marshal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to Paris, and the 26th, 28th, 34th, 36th, 45th, 52nd and 54th prime minister of Spain.

He died in that last serving role. He was, however, extremely reactionary, and he repressed enemies rather forcefully, to say the least. Though his last few words could be looked upon as an example of dark humour, they also epitomise the saying that "many a true word is spoken in jest".

Answer: Alexander Pope

Born in 1688, Pope was a sickly individual all his life. He suffered from tuberculosis as a child which left him shorter than most other adult men of the time (he only grew to a height of 4 foot six inches), and he had a severe curvature of the spine, respiratory illnesses and various other afflictions throughout his life. He died in 1744 after making that humorous statement about the ill-health that had plagued him for so long. None of these setbacks impinged on his skill as a writer however.

Other interesting facts associated with the name of Pope include the exquisite home he built upon, filled with beautiful gardens and indoor plants, ponds, a grotto, mirrors to reflect the best angles dotted here and there, and even a camera obscura to delight his guests. His was a true love of beauty. He translated Homer's "Iliad" into English which pleased many but upset others. The famous classical scholar Richard Bentley remarked that "it was a pretty poem, Mr Pope, but you must not call it Homer". He even attempted a new edition of Shakespeare's works in which he re-wrote the great bard's work in many places into heroic couplets, so that it became more regular and pleasing to his own artistic taste. He also removed an additional 2,000 lines that displeased him as well. The result was a disaster. In more modern times, Pope's own works still cause controversy now and then, with many scholars seeing more in them than perhaps their author intended.


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Pope

Answer: Why yes - a bulletproof vest

Rodgers (1910-1960) was the last person to be executed by firing squad before capital punishment was banned for what turned out to be only a short period of time in America. It was again made legal in the 1970s. He was the first born of eleven children and left home when he turned twelve. From that time, he was involved in various forms of criminal activity, and spent some twenty years of his life in various prisons as a result.

In 1957, while working at a mining firm in Utah, he became involved in an argument with a fellow employee there and shot him over and over again. His defence at his subsequent trial was that he was suffering insanity as a result of contracting syphilis. When sentenced to death, he was given a choice of which way he wanted to go - hanging or firing squad. Such consideration! The execution took place on March 30, 1960 following several failed appeals in the intervening years. Rodgers was strapped to a chair for the deed to be carried out. Because the weather was cool, he was offered a coat to keep warm. His reply was "Don't worry, I'll be where it's warm soon". Five men carried out the shooting and were paid $75 dollars each for the privilege.


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_W._Rodgers

Answer: Karl Marx

Marx is looked upon as the father of communism. He lived from 1818 to 1883. He was born into a comfortably off middle-class Rhenish family, attended university, married the daughter of a nobleman - and by the 1840s had become a leading voice in the communist movement. He believed that society progressed via class struggles between the wealthy capitalists and the lower poor class of the workers who helped enrich the capitalists even further. The problem he found in this was that the monies from these ventures remained in the hands of the wealthy and failed to spread further for the good of all concerned. He thought that unless this system was replaced with a more equitable one, society would end in self-destruction. He also believed that that the new system he proposed would lead into a "stateless, classless society called communism". The difference between Marx's beliefs and those of other philosophers is that he actively fought for his.

Marx, who has been described as "one of the most influential figures in human history" died from ongoing chest infections, in London, where he had lived the greater part of his life. A total of eleven people attended his funeral.

Quotes used in this question were obtained at the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_marx

Answer: Laurence Olivier

Olivier (1907-1989) was one of the most famous and accomplished stage and film actors of the last century. He received twelve Oscar nominations for his various roles on the screen, winning two of these. The most notable of those awards, for the purpose of this question, was for his portrayal of Hamlet in the great play by William Shakespeare. He also received an additional two honorary Oscars for his work, five Emmy Awards, and took out the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards three times. An astonishing achievement. His acting range and magnetism were incredible. and any character he played on stage and screen became totally believable. The American Film Institute has the English Olivier listed at number fourteen on their register of the "Greatest Male Stars of All Time".

His remarkable life, both private and professional, is way too detailed and absorbing to be detailed here. Suffice it to say perhaps that what Mozart is to the world of classical music, Laurence Olivier was to the world of acting. Briefly though, he was awarded a knighthood for this work in 1947, the youngest actor to ever receive same. This was followed up in 1970 by Queen Elizabeth awarding him a peerage in 1970. He is the only actor up until 2012 to be awarded such a distinction. Then, in 1981, and again the first actor to be given this honour, he was made a member of the Order of Merit. His final honour was bestowed on him in 1989, following his death from renal failure. One of the very few actors to be granted this right, he is buried in Poet's Corner, of the mighty Westminster Abbey in London.


Quotes used in this question were obtained from the following site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurence_Olivier