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"Gormenghast" And Beyond! Trivia Quiz

A quiz on the writings of "Gormenghast" author Mervyn Peake.

A multiple-choice quiz by bleedingwhiterose. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
bleedingwhiterose

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
131,903

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
222

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. In how many of Peake's stories, including the "Gormenghast" books does the character Titus Groan appear? Hint

Four

Three

Two

Five

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Question 2 of 15

2. Which of these plotlines from the "Gormenghast" books was left out of the mini series adaptation? Hint

Flay v. Swelter

Keda's lovers

Flay's banishment

The wild girl

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Question 3 of 15

3. Which of these elements of "Gormenghast" books WAS included in the mini series? Hint

The hall of Bright carvings

Rottcodd, cleaner of the bright carvings

The room of roots

Muzzlehatch's zoo

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Question 4 of 15

4. Which of these women does not appear in "Titus Alone"? Hint

Sally

Black Rose

Juno

Cheeta

5. Which of Peake's works does the following come from?- "All bare and cold in that gutter of gold/ You had no cause to be/ No more than it's right for the likes of you/ To be born in this century." Hint

"The Wit to Woo"

"The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb"

"Tintinnabulum"

"Danse macabre"

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Question 6 of 15

6. Complete the quotation from Peake's poem "I cannot give the reasons"- "I cannot be didactic or lucid, but I can be obscure and _______
_________" Hint

clear as mud

practically marzipan

cerebral

a lime green spray

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Question 7 of 15

7. Which of these short stories ends in the breaking of a valuable vase? Hint

"Same time, same Place"

"Danse Macabre"

"The connoiseurs"

"Boy in Darkness"

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Question 8 of 15

8. What is the name of the hero of "The Wit to Woo"? Hint

October Trellis

Mr Pye

Devius

Percy Trellis

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Question 9 of 15

9. In "The Wit to Woo" what is Sally Devius wearing when she first enters? Hint

nothing

underwear

a suit

A dress

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Question 10 of 15

10. "The wit to woo" was was highly successful when it was first performed.

True

False

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Question 11 of 15

11. In "Titus Alone" what happens in The Black House? Hint

Titus's family is grotequely mocked in pantomime

Muzzlehatch's animals are killed

Black Rose is tortured by Veil

Titus breaks up with Juno

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Question 12 of 15

12. In "Titus Alone" where is Titus when he rescues Black Rose from Veil? Hint

He doesn't

Gormenghast

The Under- River

The Factory

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Question 13 of 15

13. Mervyn Peake made notes for a planned autobiography that was never written.

True

False

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which of the following is not a nonsense poem? Hint

"She Stared At Him"

"An Old and Crumbling Parapet"

"My arms are rivers"

"How Good It Is To Be Alone"

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Question 15 of 15

15. "Titus alone" ends the same way as "Gormenghast".

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In how many of Peake's stories, including the "Gormenghast" books does the character Titus Groan appear?

Answer: Four

He appears in the whole "Gormenghast" trilogy and has generally been identified as the boy in the short story "Boy in Darkness". There is a fragment of a fourth Titus book but very small and unfinished.

2. Which of these plotlines from the "Gormenghast" books was left out of the mini series adaptation?

Answer: Keda's lovers

In the book Keda has two lovers, Rantel and Braigon who kill each other fighting over her.

3. Which of these elements of "Gormenghast" books WAS included in the mini series?

Answer: The hall of Bright carvings

The hall of bright carvings is commented on briefly by Titus, the tree is featured but not it's roots, Rottcodd is the name given to one of the Countess's captains and Muzzlehatch does not appear until "Titus Alone." which was not include in the mini series.

4. Which of these women does not appear in "Titus Alone"?

Answer: Sally

Sally Devius is the heroine in "The Wit to Woo".

Answer: "The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb"

"The Rhyme of the flying Bomb" is Peake's long poem about a sailor and a newborn baby.

6. Complete the quotation from Peake's poem "I cannot give the reasons"- "I cannot be didactic or lucid, but I can be obscure and _______ _________"

Answer: practically marzipan

This poem begins "I cannot give the reasons/ I only sing the tunes/ the sadness of the seasons/ the madness of the moons." The other options also feature in the poem apart from "Clear as mud"!

7. Which of these short stories ends in the breaking of a valuable vase?

Answer: "The connoiseurs"

This very short story has two men argue over the authenticity of a vase during which they break it only to discover on the inside the seal of it's authenticity.

8. What is the name of the hero of "The Wit to Woo"?

Answer: Percy Trellis

Percy Trellis fakes his own death and then pretends to be his own non- existent cousin October Trellis!

9. In "The Wit to Woo" what is Sally Devius wearing when she first enters?

Answer: underwear

I don't know if there was a reason for her wearing only underwear, this is Peake so probably not!

10. "The wit to woo" was was highly successful when it was first performed.

Answer: False

Unfortunately the play received reviews far under what Peake had hoped for it and the subsequent failure of "The Wit to woo" is said to have been one of the causes of his final illness.

11. In "Titus Alone" what happens in The Black House?

Answer: Muzzlehatch's animals are killed

The chapter in The Black House is one of the scariest in the boo, rendered all the more so by Peake's extreme illness leading to the scene being very fragmented. In it the girl Cheeta sets up a bizarre pantomime mocking all the inhabitants of Gormanghast to punish Titus. All the other events happen at other points in the book.

12. In "Titus Alone" where is Titus when he rescues Black Rose from Veil?

Answer: The Under- River

Veil is a horrible spidery character who tortures the miserable black Rose mercilessly. Titus kills him and saves her but she dies as soon as she reaches a place of comfort.

13. Mervyn Peake made notes for a planned autobiography that was never written.

Answer: True

These notes are fairly long and have been published in "Peake's Progress, selected writings and drawings."

14. Which of the following is not a nonsense poem?

Answer: "My arms are rivers"

This is one of Peake's love poems, although less well known than his nonsense poems they are extremely beautiful and worth reading.

15. "Titus alone" ends the same way as "Gormenghast".

Answer: True

It also ends the same way it began- with Titus turning his back on Gormenghast. "All roads lead to Gormenghast. Gormenghast is everything" his mother tells him.

Source: Author bleedingwhiterose

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