World Classics — Set 1
Books & Authors · विश्व क्लासिक · Questions 1–10 of 60
Who is the author of the ancient Greek epic poems 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey'?
Correct Answer: A. Homer
• **Homer** = He is traditionally regarded as the greatest of ancient Greek epic poets. • **Ancient Greek** — His epic poems 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey' laid the foundation for Western literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Virgil]: Roman poet, known for 'The Aeneid'; [Sophocles]: Ancient Greek tragedian, author of 'Oedipus Rex'; [Euripides]: Ancient Greek tragedian, author of 'Medea'.
Which novel, written by Miguel de Cervantes, is often cited as the first modern novel?
Correct Answer: A. Don Quixote
• **Don Quixote** = It is often cited as the first modern novel, following the adventures of a noble who loses his sanity. • **1605** — The first part of this masterpiece of Spanish literature was published. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Robinson Crusoe]: Written by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719; [Moby Dick]: Written by Herman Melville, published in 1851; [Gulliver's Travels]: Written by Jonathan Swift, published in 1726.
The tragedy 'Hamlet' was written by which world-famous playwright?
Correct Answer: C. William Shakespeare
• **William Shakespeare** = He wrote 'Hamlet', one of the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature. • **Early 17th century** — 'Hamlet' was likely written around 1600-1602. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Christopher Marlowe]: Contemporary Elizabethan playwright, known for 'Doctor Faustus'; [Ben Jonson]: Contemporary Elizabethan and Jacobean playwright, known for 'Volpone'; [John Milton]: English poet, known for the epic poem 'Paradise Lost'.
Who authored the classic 19th-century novel 'Pride and Prejudice'?
Correct Answer: D. Jane Austen
• **Jane Austen** = She wrote 'Pride and Prejudice', a classic novel critiquing the British gentry and social standing of women. • **1813** — This novel, focusing on the protagonist Elizabeth Bennet, was first published. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Charlotte Bronte]: Author of 'Jane Eyre'; [Mary Shelley]: Author of 'Frankenstein'; [George Eliot]: Author of 'Middlemarch'.
Which Russian author wrote the philosophical and psychological masterpiece 'Crime and Punishment'?
Correct Answer: A. Fyodor Dostoevsky
• **Fyodor Dostoevsky** = He wrote 'Crime and Punishment', a philosophical and psychological masterpiece exploring mental anguish and moral dilemmas. • **1866** — This novel was first published, depicting a man attempting to justify a crime. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Leo Tolstoy]: Russian novelist, known for 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina'; [Anton Chekhov]: Russian playwright and short-story writer, known for plays like 'The Cherry Orchard'; [Ivan Turgenev]: Russian novelist and playwright, known for 'Fathers and Sons'.
The epic poem 'The Divine Comedy', which details a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, was written by?
Correct Answer: C. Dante Alighieri
• **Dante Alighieri** = He wrote the epic poem 'The Divine Comedy', detailing a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. • **Early 14th century** — This work helped establish the Tuscan dialect as the standardized Italian language. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Petrarch]: Italian scholar and poet, known for his sonnets; [Boccaccio]: Italian writer, poet, and humanist, known for 'The Decameron'; [Machiavelli]: Italian diplomat and political theorist, known for 'The Prince'.
Who wrote the classic novel 'War and Peace', which chronicles the French invasion of Russia?
Correct Answer: D. Leo Tolstoy
• **Leo Tolstoy** = He wrote 'War and Peace', a classic novel famous for its vast scope and detailed depiction of the Napoleonic era. • **1869** — The publication of this novel chronicling the French invasion of Russia was completed. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Fyodor Dostoevsky]: Russian author, known for 'Crime and Punishment' and 'The Brothers Karamazov'; [Maxim Gorky]: Russian writer, founder of socialist realism, known for 'The Mother'; [Nikolai Gogol]: Russian dramatist and novelist, known for 'Dead Souls'.
The allegorical novel 'Animal Farm' was written by which author?
Correct Answer: A. George Orwell
• **George Orwell** = He wrote 'Animal Farm', a satirical novella reflecting events leading up to the Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era. • **1945** — This allegorical novel, depicting animals revolting for equality, was first published. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Aldous Huxley]: Author of the dystopian novel 'Brave New World'; [Ray Bradbury]: Author of the dystopian novel 'Fahrenheit 451'; [H.G. Wells]: English writer, known for science fiction like 'The War of the Worlds'.
Who is the author of 'Les Misérables', a novel focusing on social injustice in 19th-century France?
Correct Answer: C. Victor Hugo
• **Victor Hugo** = He wrote 'Les Misérables', an epic novel focusing on social injustice and Jean Valjean's quest for redemption. • **1862** — This novel, set in 19th-century France, was first published after nearly twenty years of writing. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Gustave Flaubert]: French novelist, known for 'Madame Bovary'; [Émile Zola]: French novelist, leading figure in naturalism, known for 'Germinal'; [Alexandre Dumas]: French writer, known for 'The Three Musketeers' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.
Which ancient Chinese philosopher is traditionally credited with writing the 'Tao Te Ching'?
Correct Answer: D. Laozi
• **Laozi** = He is the legendary figure traditionally credited with writing the 'Tao Te Ching' and founding Taoism. • **6th century BCE** — This ancient Chinese philosopher is traditionally believed to have lived during this period. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Confucius]: Ancient Chinese philosopher, founder of Confucianism; [Sun Tzu]: Ancient Chinese military strategist, author of 'The Art of War'; [Mencius]: Confucian philosopher, considered the 'second sage' after Confucius.