- 1. The Forty Days of Musa Dagh is a poignant and powerful novel written by Austrian-Jewish author Franz Werfel, first published in 1933. Set against the backdrop of the Armenian Genocide during World War I, the narrative unfolds in a remote mountainous region of Musa Dagh in Eastern Turkey, where Armenian villagers, facing imminent deportation and extermination by the Ottoman Empire, bravely resist their fate. The novel intricately weaves together themes of heroism, sacrifice, and the struggle for survival, as the villagers unite under the courageous leadership of Gabriel Bagradian, who embodies both the resilience and desperation of his people. Werfel's masterful prose paints a vivid picture of the natural beauty of Musa Dagh, juxtaposed with the stark horrors of war, while exploring the deep bonds of community and the moral complexities of resistance. Through its rich character development and emotional depth, The Forty Days of Musa Dagh serves as a somber reminder of the atrocities committed against the Armenian people, and stands as a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Who is the main protagonist of the novel?
A) Johannes Lepsius
B) Enver Pasha
C) Gabriel Bagradian
D) Juliette Bagradian
- 2. Musa Dagh is a mountain located in which modern-day country?
A) Armenia
B) Turkey
C) Syria
D) Lebanon
- 3. What is the villagers' decisive plan to survive?
A) To bribe Ottoman officials
B) To surrender to the authorities
C) To flee to Russia
D) To fortify themselves on Musa Dagh
- 4. How long do the defenders hold out on Musa Dagh?
A) Two weeks
B) Three months
C) Forty days
D) One hundred days
- 5. Which foreign power eventually rescues the survivors?
A) The British Army
B) The Russian Navy
C) The French Navy
D) The American Red Cross
- 6. Who is Juliette in the novel?
A) An Armenian nurse
B) Gabriel's French wife
C) Gabriel's sister
D) A Turkish spy
- 7. What is the name of Gabriel Bagradian's son?
A) Hagop
B) Kevork
C) Stephan
D) Aram
- 8. Which real-life German missionary and activist appears as a character?
A) Henry Morgenthau
B) Johannes Lepsius
C) Fridtjof Nansen
D) Talaat Pasha
- 9. Which major world war provides the backdrop for the novel?
A) World War I
B) World War II
C) The Crimean War
D) The Balkan Wars
- 10. What motivates Gabriel Bagradian to lead the defense?
A) A sense of duty to his people and heritage
B) Instructions from a foreign government
C) A promise made to his father
D) A desire for personal glory
- 11. Which character represents the conflict of cultural identity?
A) Juliette Bagradian
B) A priest
C) The Turkish commander
D) Johannes Lepsius
- 12. What was Franz Werfel's source of inspiration for the novel?
A) Witnessing Armenian refugees and learning their stories
B) His own military service in the Ottoman Empire
C) It is a completely fictional story.
D) A documentary film he saw
- 13. Which empire ruled over the Armenian population at the time of the events?
A) The Ottoman Empire
B) The Russian Empire
C) The Austro-Hungarian Empire
D) The Persian Empire
- 14. What is the novel's stance on the Armenian Genocide?
A) It is a clear and powerful condemnation.
B) It argues the events were exaggerated.
C) It presents the Ottoman perspective as valid.
D) It remains neutral on the issue.
- 15. In what year was 'The Forty Days of Musa Dagh' first published?
A) 1925
B) 1940
C) 1915
D) 1933
- 16. What is the primary language Franz Werfel wrote in?
A) Armenian
B) French
C) Turkish
D) German
- 17. From which city does Gabriel Bagradian return to his ancestral village?
A) Marseille
B) Vienna
C) Constantinople
D) Paris
- 18. Who is the spiritual leader of the Armenian community on Musa Dagh?
A) Pastor Nokhudian
B) Ter Haigasun
C) Bedros Hekim
D) Krikor
- 19. What is the name of the Bagradian family's ancestral village?
A) Antioch
B) Bitlis
C) Van
D) Yoghonoluk
- 20. What resource becomes critically scarce during the siege?
A) Water
B) Food
C) Building materials
D) Weapons
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