We all know about Mr Darcy or Scarlett O’Hara – but what about Mr Collins or Mizz Hamilton? Without these more minor characters the more major books would not be what they are. So this quiz is to celebrate them – the co-stars, the unsung heroes and heroines who lurk in the shadows of the more famous protagonists.
We’ve also just turned our best quizzes into a book that you can keep! Take our quizzes home, or purchase it as a gift for a friend.
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Question of
A – Hardy gave us two male A’s who do their utmost to spoil things for poor Tess. But which one had the surname D’urberville?
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Alec
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Angel
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Question of
B – The first Mrs Rochester.
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Bertha
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Blanche
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Question of
C – Rosalind’s cousin, conspirator and daughter of the Duke in As You Like It.
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Camilla
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Celia
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Question of
D – Miss Barry, the bosom friend of Anne Shirley and neighbour of Green Gables.
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Diana
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Dora
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Question of
E – The evil Monks, half-brother of Oliver Twist who does his best to destroy his little brother.
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Edmund
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Edward
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Question of
F – Mrs Cleary, Meggie’s mother in The Thorn Birds. An aristocratic woman who has come down in the world.
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Faith
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Fiona
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Question of
G – Hamlet’s mother (and aunt), Claudius’ wife (and sister in law)… it’s complicated!
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Gertrude
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Greta
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Question of
H – Mr Pocket the younger. Pip’s closest friend in London and teacher of how to be a true ‘gentleman.’
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Henry
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Herbert
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Question of
I – Mrs Heathcliff, despite Cathy’s warnings.
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Ivy
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Isabella
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Question of
J – Dr Watson, Mr Holmes’ sidekick, friend, assistant and narrator of some of the novels.
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John
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James
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Question of
K – Alice (in Wonderland) defends this character at the trial after the evidence becomes increasingly absurd.
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Knave of Hearts
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King of Hearts
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Question of
L – Two sets of identical twins, two sisters. Adriana is the eldest of the two, who is the younger in Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors?
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Luciana
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Lavinia
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Question of
M – The moral heart of Gone with the Wind who stays true however much Scarlett and Rhett bluster.
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Marianne
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Melanie
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Question of
N – The narrator and neighbour of The Great Gatsby.
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Nick
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Nat
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Question of
O – A member of the Inner Party who poses as a member of The Brotherhood, in order to deceive and capture Winston in 1984.
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O’Malley
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O’Brien
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Question of
P – The name of Katniss’ younger sister whose place Katniss takes in The Hunger Games.
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Poppy
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Primrose
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Question of
Q – The Captain of The Orca and professional shark hunter in Jaws.
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Quint
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Quince
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Question of
R – This agent of the Cardinal duels with d’Artagnan on his road to Paris then their paths cross many times before the novel’s end.
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Richelieu
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Rochefort
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Question of
S – Former televangelist and the Commander’s wife in the fundamentalist theocracy of The Handmaid’s Tale.
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Serena Joy
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Sylvia June
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Question of
T – Mr Hagen, the most trusted non-Corleone in the family circle. Adopted son of The Godfather.
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Tony
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Tom
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Question of
U – In Rider Haggard’s She, this character becomes romantically linked to one of the protagonists and defies She to stay with him.
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Ustane
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Ursula
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Question of
V – Miss Claythorne – one of the possible killers in Agatha Christie’s bestseller And Then There Were None.
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Violet
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Vera
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Question of
W – Mr Collins. Lizzie Bennet’s unsuccessful suitor, clergyman and sycophant who is the butt of much delightful Austen irony.
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William
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Walter
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Question of
X – A wedding present for Poseidon, then used by Achilles in battle but what is the name of this immortal horse of such famous owners?
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Xanthus
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Xephyrus
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Question of
Y – The most famous skull in literature. “Alas, poor – ! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy…”
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Yorvik
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Yorick
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Question of
Z – The surname of Fern’s uncle and aunt in whose barn Wilbur first meets Charlotte.
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Zimmerman
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Zuckerman
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