Now Reading: Who Wrote It? Classic Literature Quiz
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Who Wrote It? Classic Literature Quiz
Who Wrote It? Classic Literature Quiz
Think you know who wrote some of the most famous books in classic literature? This Who Wrote It? Classic Literature Quiz will test how well you can match well-known novels, plays, and stories to the authors who created them.
In this quiz, you will be asked about famous works from different periods of literary history, including Gothic fiction, adventure stories, social novels, early science fiction, and major works of European literature. Some authors may be instantly familiar, while others might be harder to remember, even if the book itself is famous.
This classic literature quiz is designed for casual readers, trivia fans, and anyone who enjoys books, history, and general knowledge. You do not need to be a literature expert to take part, but a good memory for famous authors will help!
Take the quiz and see how many classic books you can correctly match to their authors!
1. Who wrote Les Misérables (1862)?
Correct Answer: Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables, which was published in 1862. The novel follows Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who is released after serving 19 years for stealing bread and repeated escape attempts. Hugo began working on the novel in the 1840s and completed it while living in exile. The story is set in France and includes major events such as the June Rebellion of 1832 in Paris.
2. Which author wrote Wuthering Heights (1847)?
Correct Answer: Emily Brontë
Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights, which was first published in 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell. The book was Emily Brontë’s only novel. It received mixed reactions when it first appeared, partly because of its dark themes, unusual structure, and emotionally violent characters. Today, Wuthering Heights is considered one of the great classics of English literature.
3. Who wrote Moby-Dick (1851)?
Correct Answer: Herman Melville
Herman Melville wrote Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. The novel follows Captain Ahab’s obsessive hunt for the white whale Moby Dick, narrated by Ishmael, one of the most famous narrators in American literature.
Melville drew partly on his own experience at sea, including time spent on whaling ships in the Pacific. The book was not a major success during his lifetime, but it later became recognised as one of the great works of American literature.
4. Who wrote The Grapes of Wrath (1939)?
Correct Answer: John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath, which was published in 1939. The novel follows the Joad family, tenant farmers from Oklahoma who travel to California during the Great Depression after losing their farm. The story is set against the backdrop of the Dust Bowl and the struggles of migrant workers in 1930s America.
The Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940. Steinbeck later received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962 "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception." The Nobel committee specifically mentioned The Grapes of Wrath among the works that had earned him international recognition.
5. Which author wrote The War of the Worlds (1898)?
Correct Answer: H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds, which was published in 1898. The novel tells the story of a Martian invasion of southern England. Much of the action takes place around Surrey and London, where the Martians use advanced machines and heat-rays against humans.
The War of the Worlds became one of the most famous early science fiction novels. It helped establish the alien invasion story as a major theme in science fiction.
6. Which author wrote Pride and Prejudice (1813)?
Correct Answer: Jane Austen
Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice, which was first published in 1813. The novel follows Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates family expectations, social class, marriage, and her changing opinion of the wealthy Mr Darcy.
Austen originally wrote an earlier version of the story called First Impressions in the late 1790s. After it was rejected by a publisher, she later revised the novel and it appeared under the title Pride and Prejudice. The book is now one of Austen’s best-known works and one of the most famous novels in English literature.
7. Who wrote Frankenstein (1818)?
Correct Answer: Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, first published anonymously in 1818. She began developing the story in 1816 while staying near Lake Geneva with Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, John Polidori, and others. During a spell of bad weather, the group discussed ghost stories and challenged each other to write their own.
Shelley’s idea grew into the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a living being and then rejects it. The novel is now seen as a landmark of Gothic fiction and one of the earliest works of science fiction.
8. Which author wrote Don Quixote?
Correct Answer: Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes wrote Don Quixote, which was published in two parts in 1605 and 1615. The novel follows Alonso Quixano, a Spanish gentleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he decides to become a knight-errant named Don Quixote.
Cervantes had already been a soldier, prisoner, tax collector, and writer before Don Quixote was published. The book became one of the most important works of Spanish literature and is often described as one of the first modern novels.
9. Who wrote Crime and Punishment (1866)?
Correct Answer: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote Crime and Punishment, which was published in 1866. The novel first appeared in serial form in the Russian literary journal The Russian Messenger. It follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a poor former student in Saint Petersburg who murders a pawnbroker and then struggles with guilt and fear.
The book is one of Dostoevsky’s best-known works. Its major characters include Raskolnikov, Sonya Marmeladova, Porfiry Petrovich, Dmitri Razumikhin, and Arkady Svidrigailov.
10. Who wrote The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)?
Correct Answer: Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which was published in 1886. The novella is set in London and follows the mystery surrounding Dr Henry Jekyll and his connection to the violent Edward Hyde. The story became one of the most famous examples of Gothic fiction from the Victorian era.
Stevenson reportedly developed the idea after a dream. He wrote an early draft quickly, then rewrote it before publication. The book was a major success and helped make Jekyll and Hyde a lasting symbol of a split or double personality.
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