Literary Terms & Quotes Trivia

1. Leo Tolstoy wrote: "Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." In which book does this quote appear?

From Quiz Right or Wrong: A Literary Perspective

Answer: A Confession

Although all the novels listed above were written by Russian writers, only "A Confession" was penned by Leo Tolstoy, and originally published in 1882. The book was written when Tolstoy was going through a mid-life crisis, tackling the biggest question of them all: the meaning of life.

From Quiz Yield!

Answer: Oscar Wilde

The quote continues, "Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful." It is spoken by the character Lord Henry to Dorian Grey in "The Portrait of Dorian Grey", the story of a beautiful, innocent young man's seduction, moral corruption, and eventual downfall. Lord Henry is suggesting that even Dorian's pure, innocent young life is secretly full of hidden, shameful desires. Wilde stated three of the characters were reflections of himself, "Basil Hallward is what I think I am, Lord Henry is what the world thinks me, Dorian is what I would like to be - in other ages, perhaps."

From Quiz What I Said Was...

Answer: The Charge of the Light Brigade

The correct line from is "Theirs but to do AND die". "The Charge of the Light Brigade" is narrative poem about the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War, written in 1854. The poem tells the story of a brigade consisting of 600 soldiers who rode on horseback into the "valley of death". They were obeying a command to charge the enemy forces even though the soldiers realized that their commander had made a terrible mistake.

From Quiz Mixed Quotes

Answer: Caliban in "The Tempest"

Caliban was controlled by Prospero through magic, after Caliban attempted to rape Miranda, Prospero's daughter. This quote comes from Act 3, Scene 2. In this scene Caliban complains that Prospero is a tyrant and has stolen the island from him.

From Quiz Dedicated To Whom?

Answer: Great Britain's last executioner.

Albert Pierrepoint wrote the book, "Executioner: Pierrepoint" in 1971. He was Great Britain's last executioner. Pierrepoint (March 30, 1905 to July 20, 1992) was a member of the family that included three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen. It has been reported that from 1932 to 1956 he put a noose around the neck of some 433 men and 17 women. Included in this list were about 200 Nazi war criminals, after World War II. The total number of executions is thought to be closer to 608 people. He never revealed the total.

From Quiz Did They Say That?

Answer: All that glisters is not gold.

From "The Merchant of Venice", Act 2.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 4

Answer: William Thackeray

From 'The Four Georges' (1855) by W M Thackeray this is from "George the Third". I always think of this with the first lines of 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 3

Answer: Aphra Behn

From "The Lucky Chance" IV (c. 1686) by Aphra Behn (1640-1689) who was a remarkable woman. She had been a copyist and a spy and had travelled to Suriname (around 1663). Much of the detail of her life is disputed, among several scholars, but what can be stated is that she was the first professional female dramatist, novelist and poet. She was not the first professional female writer as women had been writing cookery and religious books and even scientific and medical texts for hundreds of years.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 2

Answer: John Donne

From "The Bait" by John Donne (1571-1631). Although published in 1633 it was probably written in the lat 1590s. It is a parody of "The Passionate Shepherd" by Marlowe, as is "The Nymph's Reply" by Sir Walter Raleigh.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 1

Answer: Beamont and Fletcher

This is from "Philaster" Act V Scene III by Francis Beaumont(1584-1616) and John Fletcher (1579-1625) who collaborated with Shakespeare on several plays."Philaster" was first performed in 1608.

From Quiz Book Quotes

Answer: Artemis Fowl

A very funny action book about very modern fairy tale creatures and a twelve-year old genius who tries to steal some gold. Written by Eoin Colfer.

From Quiz Popular Literature Quotes

Answer: John Grisham's 'The Client'

This novel was made into a movie starring Susan Sarandon as Reggie Love, and a very young Brad Renfro as Mark Sway, the child who learned too much about the resting place of a certain senator's body. Tommy Lee Jones played Roy Foltrigg, the speaker of this quote.

From Quiz Literary Lines

Answer: It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness

The poem begins with the reference to best and worst, then goes to wisdom and foolishness, belief and incredulity, light and darkness, hope and despair - in that order.

From Quiz Literary Anecdotes And Small Talk

Answer: When his father-in-law rejected the marriage and dismissed the poet from the job he had with him

Donne lived from 1573(?) till 1631. He lost his political office as secretary to the Great Seal when he secretly married his boss's daughter. He and his wife had to move to a more modest house. He scratched the famous quotation of a windowpane of his new residence. Name of his boss: Sir George Moore.

From Quiz Quotes From Great Fiction Novels

Answer: 'The Power of One'

Written by Bryce Courtenay this follows the life of Peekay, a young boy in Africa, in the 1940's. Also made into a movie of the same name.

From Quiz Mixed Quotes

Answer: Ezra Pound's "Canto XLV (With Usura)"

Ezra Pound lived with William Butler Yeats at Stone Cottage in Sussex during the winters of 1913 through 1916. Usury can be a criminal offense and is defined as charging a greater rate of interest than allowed by law. In the United States the lawful interest rate is established by each state.

From Quiz Did They Say That?

Answer: Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.

This is from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". They are at sea, parched with thirst, and surrounded by seawater.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 4

Answer: Jane Austen

From 'Pride and Prejudice' (1813) by Jane Austen. I always think of this with two quotations by William Thackeray one from 'The Four Georges' (about being "splendid and idle") one from 'Vanity Fair' (about a "woman with fair opportunities").

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 3

Answer: Andrew Marvell

From "To His Coy Mistress" (c. 1649) by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)(and one of my favourite poems). He was a tutor, poet, satirist, politician and MP (from 1659, Hull). He also managed at the Restoration to save Milton's life by convincing Charles II's government not to execute him for anti-monarchical writings.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 2

Answer: William Shakespeare

This is from "Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare (1564-1616), probably written in the late 1590s. Incidentally, it is one of my favourite lines from the sonnets, as it epitomizes late autumn.

From Quiz Contemporaries - Quotations - 1

Answer: Ben Jonson

This is from "The Alchemist" (first performed c.1610) Prologue by Ben Jonson (1573 - 1637) which may also have been written with Shakespeare who acted in Jonson's first major success "Every Man in His Humour", 1597. Jonson seems to have been a 'Sid Ceasar' type character who associated with some of the best writers available.

From Quiz Book Quotes

Answer: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Written by Mark Twain, real name Samuel Clemens, many regard this book as one of the greatest novels ever written.

From Quiz Popular Literature Quotes

Answer: James Patterson's 'Four Blind Mice'

'Four Blind Mice' is one of several novels featuring Detective Alex Cross and his sidekick Sampson. The two men were friends since childhood, as described by the preceding quote.

From Quiz Lines from Books

Answer: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Written by Mark Twain as a sequel to "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", it is a coming of age story of a confused little boy. Mark Twain wrote a lot about life in the South during the Civil War era.

From Quiz Famous Lines from Literature

Answer: Charles Dickens

This is the opening line from Charles Dickens's famous work, "A Tale of Two Cities".

From Quiz Literary Anecdotes And Small Talk

Answer: Eliot

A palindrome of course.

From Quiz Authors and Their Words

Answer: Oscar Wilde

'The Picture of Dorian Gray'

From Quiz Memorable Quotes

Answer: Tennessee Williams

Familiar line from 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

From Quiz Literary Lapses

Answer: Wife

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" was written in 1797 and published in 1813. The opening line of the novel quickly became one of the most recognizable lines in literature. It is the line that rules over the entirety of the book. Mrs. Bennett takes the line to heart as she tries to set each one of her marriageable daughters up with the first single and wealthy man of whom she learns. Ironically, Jane Austen remained single for her entire life.

From Quiz What I Said Was...

Answer: manor, manner

The correct quote is actually referring to drunken carousing! It's from Shakespeare's "Hamlet", Act 1 Scene 4.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:45 AM

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