Jane Austen is one of the best known and most celebrated authors of British literature, inspiring legions of fans across the globe. Her work was generally well-received upon publication, with several high profile reviewers, but it was not immensely popular. Sir Walter Scott in particular praised Austen’s intriguing characters and sense of realism. Another favourable review (commonly attributed to Richard Whately) drew lasting comparisons with giants such as Homer and Shakespeare.
Today, Austen is more popular than ever, with fans often self-opprobriously identifying as ‘Janeites.’ This cultural movement could even be said to be the very first literary ‘subculture’, inspiring societies, events, and scholarship around the globe. With this popularity in mind, we thought it was a good time to test your knowledge of Jane Austen’s novels and characters — with a quiz based on the author’s lesser-known quotations. How well do you really know Austen’s writings?
[qzzr quiz=”419595″ width=”100%” height=”auto” redirect=”true” offset=”0″]Featured and quiz image credit: ‘Two Strings To Her Bow’ by John Pettie (1882). Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
One of the best novelists in english literature .her stories was simple and lucid
I think there is an error in the quiz. The question on the “do not attack me with your watch” line. I believe that was spoken by Miss Crawford, not by Fanny.
Fanny Price is not the woman who was talking to Edmond Bertram about time. That should have been attributed to Mary Crawford.
Hi Dianna,
Many thanks for spotting this error! It has now been corrected.
Many thanks,
Yasmin
OUPblog deputy editor
Hi Susan,
Many thanks for spotting that! This has now been corrected.
Many thanks,
Yasmin
OUPblog deputy editor
Question number 7 is badly worded. By asking “what character described a family visit as…,” it indicates that the character actually said that particular line. Obviously, Isabella didn’t say any such thing, nor is it the kind of comment she’s likely to make, so I was really confused.