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The Picture of Dorian Gray - Quiz
Contributed by: Byrne
  • 1. Which Shakespeare character does Wilde mention in the preface of The Picture of Dorian Gray?
A) Laertes
B) Prospero
C) Hamlet
D) Caliban
  • 2. When Dorian describes his portrait in the 1891 version, which play does he quote?
A) The Tempest
B) Sybil
C) Vivian Grey
D) Hamlet
  • 3. In Hamlet, who is the brother of Ophelia who swears mortal revenge?
A) Laertes
B) Lord Henry
C) Dorian
D) Caliban
  • 4. What is the title of the 1884 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans that influenced The Picture of Dorian Gray?
A) The Tempest
B) À rebours
C) Sybil
D) Vivian Grey
  • 5. What did Oscar Wilde call his adaptation of Huysmans's novel in a letter to a correspondent?
A) A stolen manuscript
B) A direct copy
C) A critical review
D) A fantastic variation
  • 6. What does the text claim about the references to specific chapters of the French novel within Dorian Gray?
A) They are perfectly precise
B) They are deliberately inaccurate
C) They are entirely missing
D) They refer to a different book
  • 7. Which British Prime Minister wrote the novel Vivian Grey?
A) Oscar Wilde
B) Benjamin Disraeli
C) Joris-Karl Huysmans
D) Richard Ellmann
  • 8. Which novel's title was possibly fused with the name Violet Fane to create 'Sibyl Vane'?
A) Hamlet
B) À rebours
C) The Tempest
D) Sybil
  • 9. What happens to the portrait in the tale recounted within the novel Vivian Grey?
A) The eyes move when the subject dies
B) The portrait changes into a monster
C) The portrait remains unchanged forever
D) The portrait burns to ashes
  • 10. Who is the literary critic that identified À rebours as the 'poisonous French novel'?
A) Benjamin Disraeli
B) Richard Ellmann
C) Joris-Karl Huysmans
D) Oscar Wilde
  • 11. How does Disraeli describe the mind of a youth who has known the world in Vivian Grey?
A) Happiness is found in ignorance
B) Youth is a time of endless joy
C) To deem all things vain is the bitter portion
D) Knowledge is the greatest power
  • 12. Whose perspective on art and life does Dorian initially adopt?
A) Lord Henry
B) Basil Hallward
C) Dominic Manganiello
D) Sibyl Vane
  • 13. What is Basil's primary role in relation to Dorian according to the text?
A) He is the cause of Sibyl's death
B) He teaches Dorian about criminal impulses
C) He encourages Dorian to be superficial
D) He warns Dorian about Lord Henry
  • 14. What does Dominic Manganiello suggest that creating art can enact?
A) Innate criminal impulses
B) Traditional Victorian values
C) A rejection of vanity
D) A sense of absolute morality
  • 15. What kind of culture is Dorian exposed to in Victorian London?
A) Strict religious devotion
B) Authenticity and deep emotional bonds
C) Equality and social progression
D) Superficiality and moral hypocrisy
  • 16. What did Lord Henry believe was the origin of human irrationality before Sibyl's death?
A) Vanity
B) Gender roles
C) Social status
D) Art
  • 17. What is the irony regarding Sibyl Vane's death?
A) Dorian causes her death using Henry's own motives
B) Lord Henry tried to save her life
C) Sibyl dies because she ignored Dorian
D) Basil actually caused her death
  • 18. According to the text, what can Basil evoke in Dorian?
A) A fear of his own portrait
B) A hatred for art
C) A change of heart
D) A desire for eternal youth
  • 19. What does Basil claim has no soul, though art does?
A) Man
B) Lord Henry
C) Dorian
D) The portrait
  • 20. How is homoeroticism manifested in the novel?
A) Through the rejection of all female characters
B) Through the public scandal of the protagonists
C) Through interactions between male characters
D) Through explicit romantic declarations
  • 21. What does the interaction between Basil and Lord Henry at the beginning of the novel foreshadow?
A) The destruction of the painting
B) The relationship between the artist and his muse
C) A rebellion against Victorian social norms
D) The inevitable death of Dorian
  • 22. To whom does the name 'Dorian' possibly allude?
A) The Dorians of ancient Greece
B) Wilde's personal mentor
C) A mythical figure from folklore
D) A prominent Victorian statesman
  • 23. What did the Dorians of ancient Greece introduce, according to the text?
A) Male same-sex initiation rituals
B) New forms of landscape painting
C) Strict moral codes for youth
D) The concept of eternal beauty
  • 24. What does the decay of Dorian's portrait reflect?
A) His genuine growth as a human being
B) The healing power of art
C) His physical aging process
D) The deception of societal expectations
  • 25. How are female characters like Sibyl portrayed in the novel?
A) As figures who influence Dorian positively
B) As proponents of Victorian moral values
C) As victims of limited roles and harsh judgments
D) As powerful leaders of society
  • 26. Who painted the portrait of Dorian Gray?
A) Basil Hallward
B) James Vane
C) Lord Henry Wotton
D) Alan Campbell
  • 27. What is Lord Henry Wotton's primary philosophy?
A) Hedonism
B) Stoicism
C) Altruism
D) Asceticism
  • 28. To which Shakespearean character does Lord Henry liken Sibyl Vane?
A) Juliet
B) Cordelia
C) Ophelia
D) Desdemona
  • 29. What is the profession of James Vane?
A) Painter
B) Sailor
C) Chemist
D) Soldier
  • 30. What does Dorian Gray introduce Adrian Singleton to?
A) Opium addiction
B) The theater
C) Gambling
D) Forgery
  • 31. Why does Sibyl Vane lose her ability to act?
A) She loses interest in drama
B) She becomes ill
C) She experiences real love
D) She loses her voice
  • 32. Who is Hetty in the story?
A) Lord Henry's daughter
B) Sibyl Vane's mother
C) A farm girl
D) Dorian's sister
  • 33. What is the primary critique represented by Lord Henry?
A) The industrial revolution
B) The scientific method
C) The British monarchy
D) Victorian culture
  • 34. Why does the friendship between Alan Campbell and Dorian end?
A) Dorian moved away
B) They fought over money
C) Dorian's reputation
D) Alan grew jealous of Dorian
  • 35. What is the setting of The Picture of Dorian Gray?
A) Dublin, Ireland
B) New York, USA
C) London, England
D) Paris, France
  • 36. What does Lord Henry believe is the only aspect of life worth pursuing?
A) Wealth
B) Knowledge
C) Beauty
D) Virtue
  • 37. What is the name of the actress Dorian courts?
A) Sibyl Vane
B) Hetty Merton
C) Mary Shelley
D) Jane Doe
  • 38. What nickname does Sibyl Vane give to Dorian?
A) The Artist
B) Prince Charming
C) The Golden Boy
D) Lord Gray
  • 39. Who does Dorian blackmail to help dispose of Basil's body?
A) James Vane
B) A local constable
C) Alan Campbell
D) Lord Henry
  • 40. What is the name of the girl Dorian considers running away with?
A) Sibyl Vane
B) Mary Hallward
C) Alice Vane
D) Hetty Merton
  • 41. How many chapters were in the 1891 edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray?
A) Fifteen
B) Eighteen
C) Thirteen
D) Twenty
  • 42. Who was the critic that Wilde respected and who influenced one specific textual modification?
A) Walter Pater
B) Charles Carrington
C) James Vane
D) Stoddart
  • 43. What was a primary reason for some of the edits made between the magazine and novel editions?
A) Removing Sibyl Vane
B) Increasing the page count
C) Correcting grammatical errors
D) Obscuring homoerotic references
  • 44. What sub-plot is introduced through the character of James Vane?
A) Religious conflict
B) Political rebellion
C) Scientific discovery
D) Class struggle
  • 45. In what year was the revised version of The Picture of Dorian Gray published by Ward, Lock & Company?
A) 1891
B) 1900
C) 1895
D) 1890
  • 46. Who published the authorised edition of the novel in the decade after Wilde's death?
A) Ward, Lock & Company
B) Charles Carrington
C) Stoddart
D) Walter Pater
  • 47. Who was the publisher that Stoddart spoke to about the novella?
A) Catulle Sarrazin
B) George Lippincott
C) Ward Lock
D) Oscar Wilde
  • 48. Approximately how many words did Stoddart delete from the original text?
A) Fifty
B) One hundred
C) Five hundred
D) One thousand
  • 49. What was the name of the fictional book title removed from the text?
A) Le Secret de Raoul
B) Lippincott's Monthly
C) The Portrait of the Artist
D) The Picture of Dorian Gray
  • 50. Who was the author of the fictional book Le Secret de Raoul?
A) Oscar Wilde
B) George Lippincott
C) Catulle Sarrazin
D) Stoddart
  • 51. In which month and year was the 1890 novella first published?
A) June 1890
B) July 1891
C) July 1890
D) December 1890
  • 52. Who deleted parts of the story without Oscar Wilde's knowledge?
A) Ward Lock
B) The printer
C) George Lippincott
D) Stoddart
  • 53. What subject matter was among the passages removed due to fears of indecency?
A) Financial fraud
B) Political revolution
C) Homosexuality
D) Religious heresy
  • 54. Which company published a collection of complete novels later in 1890?
A) Lippincott's Magazine
B) Ward, Lock & Company
C) Penguin Books
D) Oxford University Press
  • 55. Who is the author of The Picture of Dorian Gray?
A) Basil Hallward
B) Oscar Wilde
C) J. M. Stoddart
D) Arthur Conan Doyle
  • 56. In which periodical was the shorter version of the story published?
A) The Langham Review
B) The London Literary Journal
C) The Gothic Gazette
D) Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
  • 57. Who inspired the original idea for the novel when she painted Wilde's portrait?
A) Basil Hallward
B) Frances Richards
C) Dorian Gray
D) J. M. Stoddart
  • 58. Which other writer was commissioned alongside Wilde by J. M. Stoddart at the Langham Hotel?
A) Lord Henry Wotton
B) Arthur Conan Doyle
C) Basil Hallward
D) Frances Richards
  • 59. How many novels did Oscar Wilde write?
A) Two
B) Zero
C) Three
D) One
  • 60. According to the text, how long did it take Wilde to submit the manuscript after being commissioned?
A) Seven months
B) Twelve months
C) One month
D) Two years
  • 61. Where is the original typescript of The Picture of Dorian Gray currently housed?
A) The Wilde Museum
B) The British Library
C) Oxford University
D) UCLA
  • 62. Which press published the 2011 'uncensored' edition of the novel?
A) Lippincott's Press
B) Fortnightly Press
C) Penguin Classics
D) Belknap Press
  • 63. Approximately how many words were deleted by J. M. Stoddart before the 1890 publication?
A) 1,000 words
B) 100 words
C) 500 words
D) 50 words
  • 64. In which publication was the preface first published?
A) The London Times
B) Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
C) The Fortnightly Review
D) The Belknap Journal
  • 65. Which philosophical influence is identified in the preface?
A) Stoicism
B) Taoism
C) Existentialism
D) Nihilism
  • 66. Whose translation of Zhuang Zhou did Wilde review?
A) Herbert Giles
B) Chuang Tsǔ
C) Basil Hallward
D) J. M. Stoddart
  • 67. What was the occupation of Dorian Gray's father?
A) Renowned portrait painter
B) Junior officer in the infantry
C) Successful merchant
D) Wealthy Victorian aristocrat
  • 68. How does Dorian describe the east end in chapter 7?
A) A place of beauty and culture
B) A Gothic creation with dim streets
C) A wealthy industrial center
D) A peaceful retreat from society
  • 69. What is the only thing Dorian deems worth having?
A) Social status
B) Intellectual pursuit
C) Youth
D) Wealth
  • 70. According to the text, what does Dorian claim he will do when he grows old?
A) Seek redemption
B) Destroy his portrait
C) Retire to the country
D) Kill himself
  • 71. Which poet was rumored to be the inspiration for Dorian Gray?
A) Lord Ronald Gower
B) Charles Haslewood Shannon
C) John Gray
D) Robert de Montesquiou
  • 72. What did some reviewers suggest Wilde merited due to the content of his novel?
A) Prosecution for violating public morality laws.
B) A public apology from the government.
C) Exile from the United Kingdom.
D) A prestigious literary award.
  • 73. Which publication claimed the novel contained an element that would 'taint every young mind'?
A) The Irish Times
B) Daily Chronicle
C) Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
D) Scots Observer
  • 74. What was a primary reason for the moralistic scandal surrounding the novel?
A) Its negative portrayal of the church.
B) Its use of slang language.
C) Its political commentary.
D) Its homoeroticism.
  • 75. Which retailer withdrew the July 1890 issue of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine from its stalls?
A) Charles Carrington
B) The Daily Chronicle
C) Waterstones
D) WHSmith
  • 76. What happened to the novel during Wilde's 1895 trials?
A) It was officially banned by the Queen.
B) It was declared the best book of the year.
C) It was labeled a perverted novel.
D) It was burned in public.
  • 77. Until what decade was The Picture of Dorian Gray mostly ignored by critics?
A) 1940s
B) 1990s
C) 1980s
D) 1960s
  • 78. How did Joyce Carol Oates characterize the novel?
A) Historically inaccurate
B) Too long
C) Deeply flawed
D) Exceptionally good
  • 79. On which list did Allie Townsend place the novel in 2010?
A) Best Victorian literature
B) Top 100 influential books
C) Greatest Gothic tragedies
D) Must-read horror classics
  • 80. Who adapted the novel for the London stage in 1913?
A) Oscar Wilde
B) David Llewellyn
C) G. Constant Lounsbery
D) John Logan
  • 81. Which actress received an Academy Award nomination for playing Sibyl Vane?
A) Allie Townsend
B) Joyce Carol Oates
C) Angela Lansbury
D) No one was nominated
  • 82. Who played Lord Henry in the 2009 film adaptation?
A) Stuart Townsend
B) Reeve Carney
C) Colin Firth
D) Ben Barnes
  • 83. In the 2013 audio dramas, who played the role of Dorian Gray?
A) Colin Firth
B) Reeve Carney
C) Alexander Vlahos
D) Ben Barnes
  • 84. In which TV show does Reeve Carney portray Dorian Gray?
A) Vaudeville Theatre
B) Dorian Gray
C) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
D) Penny Dreadful
  • 85. When were the first Dorian Awards announced?
A) October 2010
B) January 1900
C) March 2014
D) January 2010
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