- 1. The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin is a biographical account that delves into the life of Nelly Ternan, a young actress who became the long-time mistress of the renowned Victorian author Charles Dickens. Tomalin intricately explores the complexities of Ternan's life, illustrating how she navigated the societal constraints of the 19th century while maintaining her own dignity and sense of self amid a deeply secretive romantic relationship. The book not only paints a vivid picture of Ternan as an individual, shedding light on her personal struggles and aspirations, but it also contextualizes her within the bustling theatrical world of the time and Dickens's own turbulent personal life. Through meticulous research and engaging narrative, Tomalin reveals the often-overlooked role that women like Ternan played in the lives of prominent men, emphasizing themes of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of agency in a patriarchal society. The narrative invites readers to reconsider the legacy of Dickens not only as an iconic literary figure but also as a man whose private life was marked by personal contradictions and the quiet resilience of the women connected to him, ultimately allowing Nelly Ternan to emerge from the shadows and find her voice in history.
Nelly Ternan had a secret long-term relationship with which famous Victorian novelist?
A) Anthony Trollope
B) William Makepeace Thackeray
C) Charles Dickens
D) George Eliot
- 2. How old was Nelly Ternan when she first met Charles Dickens?
A) 18
B) 16
C) 21
D) 25
- 3. What was the profession of Nelly Ternan and her family?
A) Musicians
B) Writers
C) Painters
D) Actors
- 4. In which country did Dickens and Ternan suffer a serious train crash in 1865?
A) England
B) France
C) Italy
D) United States
- 5. What was the primary reason this relationship was kept secret?
A) Dickens was a married public figure.
B) Ternan was terminally ill.
C) Ternan was from a criminal family.
D) Dickens was afraid of his publisher.
- 6. What significant act did Dickens do regarding his wife, Catherine, during his relationship with Nelly?
A) He publicly separated from her.
B) He formally divorced her.
C) He moved her to a different country.
D) He had her committed to an asylum.
- 7. What is a major theme of Tomalin's biography?
A) The golden age of Victorian theatre.
B) The erasure of women from history.
C) The technical evolution of the novel.
D) The history of British railways.
- 8. What was the name of Nelly Ternan's mother?
A) Elizabeth Ternan
B) Sarah Ternan
C) Eleanor Ternan
D) Frances Ternan
- 9. What was the name of Nelly Ternan's husband?
A) George Wharton Robinson
B) Wilkie Collins
C) John Forster
D) Henry F. Chorley
- 10. What is the significance of the title 'The Invisible Woman'?
A) It was Dickens's nickname for Ternan.
B) It refers to Ternan's deliberate erasure from history.
C) It is the title of a play Ternan performed in.
D) It describes Ternan's career as a spy.
- 11. Which of these was a close friend and biographer of Dickens who helped conceal the affair?
A) John Forster
B) Wilkie Collins
C) Alfred Lord Tennyson
D) Thomas Carlyle
- 12. In what year was Claire Tomalin's 'The Invisible Woman' first published?
A) 1990
B) 1970
C) 2000
D) 1980
- 13. What was the name of the play Dickens was involved in when he first met the Ternan family?
A) The Lady of Lyons
B) Money
C) The Corsican Brothers
D) The Frozen Deep
- 14. What does Tomalin's biography achieve regarding Nelly Ternan?
A) It proves she was a terrible actress.
B) It restores her as a significant figure in Dickens's life.
C) It shows she was the real author of his novels.
D) It reveals she blackmailed Dickens.
- 15. What was the profession of Nelly Ternan?
A) Novelist
B) Actress
C) Governess
D) Suffragist
- 16. What was the name of the railway accident Dickens and Ternan were involved in?
A) The Tay Bridge disaster
B) The Staplehurst rail crash
C) The Paddington train wreck
D) The Clapham Junction collision
- 17. What was the name of Dickens's wife, from whom he separated?
A) Agnes
B) Estella
C) Catherine
D) Georgina
- 18. Which of Dickens's novels was being serialized at the time of the Staplehurst crash?
A) David Copperfield
B) Our Mutual Friend
C) A Tale of Two Cities
D) The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- 19. How did Dickens and Ternan likely meet?
A) At a publishing house
B) Through family friends
C) During a theatrical production
D) At a literary salon
- 20. What is Claire Tomalin's profession?
A) Biographer and journalist
B) Novelist
C) Literary critic
D) Historian
- 21. Which of Dickens's sisters-in-law remained his housekeeper after his separation?
A) Helen Ternan
B) Mary Hogarth
C) Georgina Hogarth
D) Fanny Ternan
- 22. For roughly how many years did the relationship between Dickens and Ternan last?
A) 13 years
B) Until his death (8 years)
C) 5 years
D) 20 years
- 23. How many children did Nelly Ternan have?
A) One
B) None
C) Three
D) Two
- 24. What was Nelly Ternan's full first name?
A) Eleanor
B) Elizabeth
C) Emily
D) Ellen
- 25. Which of Dickens's novels is thought to have been influenced by his relationship with Ternan?
A) Oliver Twist
B) Great Expectations
C) A Christmas Carol
D) Hard Times
- 26. In which country did Nelly Ternan live for a time with Dickens?
A) Germany
B) America
C) Italy
D) France
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