literature

Question 1

Longest Novel

Answer 1

“Clarissa” by Samuel Richardson is one of the longest novels in the English language, with around a million words.

Question 2

Oldest English Epic

Answer 2

“Beowulf” is the oldest known English epic poem, dating back to the 8th or 9th century.

Question 3

Pseudonym Use

Answer 3

The Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—initially published their works under male pseudonyms (Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell) to overcome gender bias in the 19th century literary world.

Question 4

Shakespeare’s Vocabulary

Answer 4

William Shakespeare is credited with adding over 1,700 words to the English language.

Question 5

First Published Novel

Answer 5

“Pamela” by Samuel Richardson is often considered the first modern English novel. It was published in 1740.

Question 6

Shortest Tragedy

Answer 6

“Macbeth” is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy.

Question 7

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Origins

Answer 7

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” originated from a story he told to entertain Alice Liddell and her sisters during a boat trip.

Question 8

Dystopian Classic

Answer 8

George Orwell’s “1984” introduced terms like Big Brother and doublethink into common usage.

Question 9

Harry Potter Impact

Answer 9

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is the best-selling book series in history, with over 500 million copies sold.

Question 10

First English Novel

Answer 10

Often considered the first English novel, “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe was published in 1719.

Question 11

First English Poet

Answer 11

Caedmon, an Anglo-Saxon poet, is often considered the first known English poet.

Question 12

The Canterbury Tales

Answer 12

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” is a collection of stories told by pilgrims traveling to Canterbury.

Question 13

Gothic Novel Pioneer

Answer 13

Horace Walpole is credited with writing the first gothic novel, “The Castle of Otranto” (1764).

Question 14

“Paradise Lost” Author

Answer 14

John Milton wrote the epic poem “Paradise Lost” in blank verse

Question 15

Jane Austen’s Anonymous Works

Answer 15

Some of Jane Austen’s early works were published anonymously.

Question 16

The Romantic Poets

Answer 16

William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and William Blake are often referred to as the “Big Six” Romantic poets.

Question 17

Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Answer 17

Shakespeare’s collection of 154 sonnets covers themes like love, time, and mortality.

Question 18

“Wuthering Heights” Setting

Answer 18

Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” is set in the desolate Yorkshire moors.

Question 19

The Brontë Sisters’ Novels

Answer 19

Charlotte Brontë wrote “Jane Eyre,” Emily Brontë wrote “Wuthering Heights,” and Anne Brontë wrote “Agnes Grey.”

Question 20

Pride and Prejudice” Opening Line

Answer 20

Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” famously begins with “It is a truth universally acknowledged…”

Question 21

“1984” Publication Year

Answer 21

George Orwell’s “1984” was published in 1949.

Question 22

“Frankenstein” Author

Answer 22

Mary Shelley wrote “Frankenstein” when she was just 18 years old.

Question 23

“Dracula” Author

Answer 23

Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” popularized the modern vampire myth.

Question 24

“Great Expectations” Protagonist

Answer 24

Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” follows the life of Pip.

Question 25

First English Dictionary

Answer 25

Samuel Johnson’s “A Dictionary of the English Language” (1755) was a landmark in lexicography.

Question 26

“The Waste Land” Author

Answer 26

T.S. Eliot wrote “The Waste Land,” a modernist poem reflecting post-World War I disillusionment.

Question 27

“To Kill a Mockingbird” Author

Answer 27

Harper Lee wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a classic novel addressing racial injustice.

Question 28

“Brave New World” Author

Answer 28

Aldous Huxley penned “Brave New World,” a dystopian novel.

Question 29

“Beowulf” Manuscript

Answer 29

The manuscript of “Beowulf” is housed in the British Library.

Question 30

“Catcher in the Rye” Protagonist

Answer 30

J.D. Salinger’s novel features the iconic character Holden Caulfield.

Question 31

“Sense and Sensibility” Author

Answer 31

Jane Austen wrote “Sense and Sensibility.”

Question 32

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” Author

Answer 32

Oscar Wilde wrote this novel exploring the consequences of vanity.

Question 33

“The Scarlet Letter” Author

Answer 33

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel revolves around the concept of sin.

Question 34

“Ode to a Nightingale” Poet

Answer 34

John Keats wrote the famous poem “Ode to a Nightingale.”

Question 35

“Moby-Dick” Author

Answer 35

Herman Melville penned the epic tale of Captain Ahab and the white whale.

Question 36

“Sherlock Holmes” Creator

Answer 36

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the detective Sherlock Holmes.

Question 37

“The Lord of the Rings” Author

Answer 37

J.R.R. Tolkien crafted this epic fantasy trilogy.

Question 38

“The Odyssey” Author

Answer 38

Homer is credited with the ancient Greek epic poem “The Odyssey.”

Question 39

“Sonnets from the Portuguese” Poet

Answer 39

Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote this famous sonnet sequence.

Question 40

“The Iliad” Author

Answer 40

Homer wrote the ancient Greek epic poem “The Iliad.”

Question 41

“The Jungle Book” Author

Answer 41

Rudyard Kipling wrote this collection of stories.