Thomas Hardy Trivia

1. What name did Hardy use for the area in the South England where most of his novels take place? He got from the name of an old Saxon kingdom.

From Quiz Thomas Hardy Geography

Answer: Wessex

Wessex comprised mostly Dorset but also Devon, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset.

From Quiz Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"

Answer: scholar; stonemason

After Jude's teacher leaves for Christminster on the path towards scholastic study, Jude decides that he wants to attend the university himself and acquire a Doctorate of Divinity. Societal circumstances, including his poverty and his early marriage to Arabella, prevent Jude's study at the University. Instead, Jude earns a living as an itinerant stone-cutter.

From Quiz Tess - Hardy's Favorite Heroine

Answer: A Pure Woman

Hardy had a special love for the character of Tess, and tried to show his readers that despite her flaws, she was innocent in the trials that ravaged her life. Victorian society, at the time, was very sensitive to talk of sex and sexuality, and even though Tess is clearly the victim in the story, many people who read the book (including women) declared that it was Tess's own fault.

From Quiz 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'

Answer: Durbeyfield

Tess's ancestors came to England with William the Conqueror and once were a potent family in the area. However, in the time of the novel Tess's father is the only descendant of the family and, being a pauperized drunkard, he cannot restore the bygone splendor of the family.

From Quiz Hardy Har Har

Answer: Native & native

Clym, Eustacia, Diggory, Thomasin, and Mrs. Yeobright are the main characters in this novel which opens on Guy Fawkes Day.

From Quiz The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Answer: Michael Henchard--twice

Susan and Michael marry for the first time when they are about 18. Susan lives with Newson and bears his child, but she never marries him. Then she marries Henchard again when the two are middle-aged.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: Sir John

The parson has an interest in old families and he discovers that Jack Durbeyfield is actually a branch from a knightly family, the D'Urbervilles, that almost became extinct, though it was very mighty in old days.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: A Pure Woman

Hardy thought she was more sinned against than sinner

From Quiz Far From The Madding Crowd

Answer: Wessex

Hardy revived the name from ancient times

From Quiz Thomas Hardy Geography

Answer: Salisbury

Salisbury was formerly called New Sarum. New Sarum was founded in the 13th century after the bishop quarreled with the captain of the castle of Old Sarum and built a new catherdral a mile away from Old Sarum in what is now Salisbury.

From Quiz Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"

Answer: she feigns pregnancy

Hardy's treatment of the unhappy marriage of Jude and Arabella exemplifies an important theme in the novel: marriage as a trap. Hardy critiques the permanency of a contract negotiated due to a fleeting lust between two individuals. Soon after their marriage, Jude realizes that although the "transitory instinct" of sexual attraction had passed, "the marriage remained."

From Quiz Tess - Hardy's Favorite Heroine

Answer: A deer

Tess is compared to the White Hart, who lived in the Vale forest, and was slain by a certain Thomas de la Lynd, one of King Henry III's subjects. The man was given a heavy fine for murdering a pure and innocent animal that the King had spared.

From Quiz 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'

Answer: She feels responsible for the death of the family's only horse

Because of Tess's lack of attention, the Durbeyfields lost their only horse, Prince, and the 'haggling business' became disorganized. For this reason she felt it her duty to visit the Stokes-d'Urbervilles even though she did not believe that such a visit might really help her family.

From Quiz Hardy Har Har

Answer: Tess & tess

Tess, Angel, Alec, John, and Joan are the main characters in this story of a pretty country girl and her misfortunes.

From Quiz The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Answer: Susan Henchard and Mr. Newson

The first little Elizabeth Jane, Michael's daughter, dies after Susan goes off with Mr. Newson. When Susan and Newson have their own little daughter, Susan names this child Elizabeth Jane, as well.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: Stoke

The family took the name of the D'Ubervilles because they thought that everyone of the line were dead, and though at first they were called Stoke-D'Urbervilles, eventually they became simply D'Urbervilles; that is why Tess's family thought that they were relatives, when in fact they were not.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: Teresa Durbeyfield

From Quiz Far From The Madding Crowd

Answer: His inexperienced dog chased them over the cliff

I always felt sorry for the dog

From Quiz Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"

Answer: her hair

Jude learns that Arabella wears a hairpiece when she removes it in preparation for bed. He does not discover Arabella's ability to produce false dimples or her feigned pregnancy until later.

From Quiz The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Answer: Her husband sells her to Newson

Michael Henchard gets drunk at a country fair and offers his wife for sale to whoever will offer him five pounds. Mr. Newson happens to come along and offer this sum. Susan, who is fed up (and naive enough to think her husband may lawfully sell her), goes with the man who has "bought" her. Luckily, he turns out to be very kind.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: Dancing on the village green

And he didn't even ask her to dance

From Quiz Far From The Madding Crowd

Answer: Saves her corn from fire

He made a habit of saving her crops

From Quiz Thomas Hardy Geography

Answer: Dorchester

You can still get a meal at "The Kings Arms" Hotel (at least it was still there in 1988). You will find a statue of Hardy on High Street.

From Quiz Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"

Answer: in a portrait owned by his aunt Drusilla

When Jude moves to Christminster, he asks his aunt to send the portrait to him. He later spies Sue at her place of employment and at church, and she comes to see him at the stonemason's yard. However, they do not actually converse until their arranged meeting on a street in Christminster.

From Quiz Tess - Hardy's Favorite Heroine

Answer: Feeding her strawberries

On her first visit to her rich relative, Tess is overawed by the wealth of Alec d'Urberville's estate. The latter is extremely attracted to her beauty and physical development, and charms her with his smooth talk and male attention. At one point, he plucks a ripe strawberry and holds it to her lips. Tess is flustered and insists she can take one herself, but Alec insists on feeding it to her, so " in a slight distress she parted her lips and took it in."

From Quiz The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Answer: They are searching for Michael Henchard

After Mr. Newson is lost at sea, Susan decides to search for her lawful husband, even though he treated her so poorly long ago. She and her daughter have very little money, and Susan hopes that Henchard can help to support them.

From Quiz Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Answer: Alec d'Urberville

Boo hiss the baddy

From Quiz Far From The Madding Crowd

Answer: Fanny Robin

Well he should have been kinder to her then

From Quiz Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"

Answer: Venus and Apollo

Sue's purchase of these figures significantly shows her appreciation of antiquity and her veneration of classical values rather than Christian teachings. To conceal the identities of the statues from her landlady, Sue lies that they are representations of Peter and Mary Magdalen. The opposition of philosophy and reason with Christian morality is a major theme of the novel.

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Last Updated Jul 25 2026 5:47 AM

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