Desperate Remedies MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature


Updated on: November 13, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 16 min

Desperate Remedies MCQs

1. Where did Ambrose Graye spend Christmas 1835?

A. Hocbridge town
B. London Bloomsbury
C. Cambridge College
D. West England estate

B. London Bloomsbury.
Ambrose, the young architect, went to London to spend the Christmas holidays with his friend Huntway in Bloomsbury.

2. What news ended Ambrose Graye’s hope for Cytherea?

A. Her cousin returned
B. She was unwell
C. Mother inherited a fortune
D. Friend answered letters

C. Mother inherited a fortune.
Cytherea’s mother unexpectedly inherited a large fortune and estates, leading to Ambrose’s renunciation.

3. What was taking place at the Hocbridge Town-Hall?

A. Town Council meeting
B. Reading from Shakespeare
C. Public auction
D. Church spire viewing

B. Reading from Shakespeare.
Persons were assembled in the Elizabethan Town Hall for a much-talked-of reading from Shakespeare.

4. Who was supervising the church spire construction nearby?

A. Edward Springrove
B. Miss Aldclyffe
C. Mr. Graye, the architect
D. Mr. Gradfield, surveyor

C. Mr. Graye the architect.
The spire was being completed under the superintendence of Miss Graye’s father, the architect to the work.
5. What was the fate of Mr. Graye’s most notable speculation?

A. Unwise loans
B. Costly litigation
C. Speculation shipwreck
D. Sudden sickness

C. Speculation shipwreck.
He lost his capital by investing in an Italian brig that put into harbor in distress and subsequently sank.

6. Why did Owen and Cytherea leave Hocbridge?

A. Seek better jobs
B. Escape creditors
C. End apprenticeship
D. Avoid cold shade

D. Avoid cold shade.
They departed to escape the worry and supercilious judgment of the neighbors regarding their poverty.

7. What job did Cytherea initially plan to seek in Creston?

A. Lady’s maid
B. Music teacher
C. Governess/companion
D. Architect apprentice

C. Governess/companion.
Relying on her careful education, her plan was to advertise for a situation as a governess or companion.

8. Who was Owen Graye going to complete his articles with?

A. Mr. Gradfield
B. Mr. Huntway
C. Edward Springrove
D. Mr. Thorn

A. Mr. Gradfield.
Owen planned to fulfill his indentures in Creston with Mr. Gradfield, an architect and surveyor.

9. What feature did Cytherea focus on while musing about marriage?

A. Had a small scar
B. Left fourth finger
C. Smooth and tapering
D. Right-hand ring

B. Left fourth finger.
She contemplated her own left fourth finger, leading to a train of romantic ideas about rings.
10. What was the name of Mr. Gradfield’s melancholy head clerk?

A. Ambrose Graye
B. Æneas Manston
C. Edward Springrove
D. John Springrove

C. Edward Springrove.
The head clerk, whom Owen became friendly with, was named Springrove, a bookworm and a poet.

11. What emotion did Springrove’s impending departure cause Cytherea?

A. Joy and relief
B. Indescribable sadness
C. Eagerness to meet
D. Determined indifference

B. Indescribable sadness.
She felt an overwhelming sadness when she learned that Springrove was leaving Creston for London in a fortnight.

12. Where did Cytherea and Edward Springrove first meet?

A. Reading at Town Hall
B. Train arrival, Creston
C. Steamboat trip Lewborne
D. Dinner at Knapwater

C. Steamboat trip Lewborne.
They met on the shore at Lewborne Bay when Cytherea waited for her brother to return to the steamer.

13. What physical trait did Edward Springrove exhibit?

A. Dark hair, Grecian nose
B. Round face, snub nose
C. One thin line forehead
D. Short and stout

C. One thin line forehead.
Across his otherwise smooth forehead ran one thin, premature line, contrasting with his healthy features.

14. What happened when Cytherea and Edward’s eyes met?

A. They quickly looked away
B. Edward apologized deeply
C. Their eyes mutually locked
D. Cytherea blushed deeply

C. Their eyes mutually locked.
Their eyes met and became “mutually locked together,” conveying the sudden conviction that a tie had begun.
15. What activity occupied Cytherea and Edward for five evenings?

A. Walking the streets
B. Writing letters
C. Rowing on the bay
D. Visiting Owen

C. Rowing on the bay.
After their first meeting, they rowed on the bay for several consecutive evenings, with Cytherea steering.

16. What made Edward confess “something forbade” his love?

A. He saw Owen return
B. She mentioned marriage
C. After the first kiss
D. He was too poor

C. After the first kiss.
After he kissed her, he became pale and said something forbade him to love her until the kiss came.

17. What did Owen hear that related to Cytherea’s unusual name?

A. A dream interpretation
B. A story from a gateman
C. A fact about a fire
D. A joke in the office

B. A story from a gateman.
Owen heard a story from a gateman about a woman who fainted and unknowingly uttered the name “Cytherea”.

18. What job did Cytherea choose for her second advertisement?

A. Architect assistant
B. Governess abroad
C. Nursery governess
D. Lady’s maid

D. Lady’s maid.
Feeling desperate, she advertised for a situation as a Lady’s Maid, though she was inexperienced.

19. What impression did Cytherea make when turning away from Miss Aldclyffe?

A. Precision and beauty
B. Coquettish charm
C. Faint accent reproach
D. Determined resolution

A. Preciseness and beauty.
Her movement when turning had precision and beauty, coupled with a faint accent of reproach in her face.
20. What initials were marked on the sheep near Knapwater House?

A. C. G.
B. A. M.
C. E. S.
D. J. R.

C. E. S..
Cytherea discovered the initials “E.S.” (Edward Springrove) marked on every stock ewe in the park.

21. How did Cytherea get the lady’s maid situation?

A. Edward’s father recommended her
B. Miss Aldclyffe admired her looks
C. Owen’s contact knew her
D. Mrs. Morris chose her

A. Edward’s father recommended her.
Farmer Springrove recommended Cytherea to Mrs. Morris, Miss Aldclyffe’s housekeeper, leading to the interview.

22. What did Miss Aldclyffe show Cytherea late at night?

A. A letter from Ambrose
B. A diamond brooch
C. A miniature locket
D. A dark secret plan

C. A miniature locket.
Miss Aldclyffe disclosed a locket containing a miniature, which Cytherea recognized as her father.

23. Who did Cytherea realize Miss Aldclyffe must be?

A. Ambrose’s first love
B. Edward’s mother
C. Her aunt
D. A distant cousin

A. Ambrose’s first love.
Cytherea realized Miss Aldclyffe was the woman of the gateman’s story, her father’s first love.

24. Why did Cytherea decide to leave Miss Aldclyffe’s service?

A. She was insulted
B. She found a new job
C. Miss Aldclyffe was cruel
D. She learned the secret

A. She was insulted.
After an argument where Miss Aldclyffe called her an untruthful “girl of impudence,” Cytherea resigned immediately.
25. What did Miss Aldclyffe offer Cytherea to induce her to stay?

A. More money
B. Lady’s maid training
C. Companion position
D. Marriage advice

C. Companion position.
Miss Aldclyffe offered Cytherea the position of companion, as she desperately desired her presence.

26. What news followed the Captain’s death (Miss Aldclyffe’s father)?

A. Miss Aldclyffe inherited
B. Estate went to the rector
C. Manston became the owner
D. Fortune was lost

A. Miss Aldclyffe inherited.
The Captain’s will, executed five years earlier, bequeathed the entire estate to his daughter Cytherea (Miss Aldclyffe).

27. What job did Miss Aldclyffe advertise for in the Field newspaper?

A. Head gardener
B. Land steward
C. Architect designer
D. Tutor companion

B. Land steward.
Miss Aldclyffe placed an advertisement seeking a competent, unmarried gentleman to manage her estate.

28. What characteristic did the advertisement emphasize for the steward?

A. Integrity and skill
B. Artistic as well
C. Under thirty years
D. Superior education

B. Artistic as well.
The advertisement sought a man with “an artistic as well as a practical knowledge” of planning and layout.

29. Which candidate was hired despite the lawyer’s reservations?

A. Edward Springrove
B. Mr. Gradfield
C. Æneas Manston
D. John Springrove

C. Æneas Manston.
Miss Aldclyffe overruled Mr. Nyttleton’s advice, insisting on hiring Æneas Manston as the new steward.
30. What reason did Manston give for the lawyer’s disapproval of him?

A. He was a spendthrift
B. He was a bookworm
C. He was a voluptuary
D. He was too intellectual

C. He was a voluptuary.
Mr. Nyttleton plainly stated that Manston was “a voluptuary with activity,” which he considered a bad form of man.

31. What extreme natural event occurred during Cytherea’s first meeting with Manston?

A. Severe drought
B. Hailstorm damaging crops
C. Earthquake tremor
D. Terrific thunderstorm

D. Terrific thunderstorm.
Manston compelled Cytherea to step into the porch of the Old House to escape the thunder, lightning, and rain.

32. What music did Manston play that deeply affected Cytherea?

A. Harps and violins
B. Grand piano
C. Organ at old house
D. Flute in the porch

C. Organ at old house.
Manston played extemporized organ music, which swayed Cytherea’s emotions disproportionately to the notes’ power.

33. What did Manston disclose as the reason for his initial backwardness?

A. He was too poor
B. He was already married
C. He feared Miss Aldclyffe
D. He wanted to go to London

B. He was already married.
Manston was compelled to admit to Miss Aldclyffe that he had been secretly married to a woman named Eunice.

34. What calamity supposedly killed Manston’s wife, Eunice?

A. Died in London
B. Sickness in Liverpool
C. Burned in the fire
D. Fell down stairs

C. Burned in the fire.
The Three Tranters Inn burned down, and it was widely concluded that Mrs. Manston perished in the ruins.
35. What caused Farmer Springrove’s financial dilemma after the fire?

A. Edward’s wages
B. Uninsured houses
C. Manston’s demands
D. Leases expired

B. Uninsured houses.
Farmer Springrove’s leased houses were burned down and uninsured, forcing him into a serious liability.

36. What condition did Miss Aldclyffe propose to help Farmer Springrove?

A. Edward pays the debt
B. Edward marries Adelaide
C. Owen takes a job
D. Edward leaves town

B. Edward marries Adelaide.
Miss Aldclyffe suggested she would cancel the rebuilding requirement if Edward married his cousin Adelaide Hinton.

37. Who did Edward believe Manston was attempting to compromise?

A. Miss Aldclyffe’s reputation
B. Edward’s father
C. Cytherea’s character
D. Adelaide Hinton

C. Cytherea’s character.
Edward felt Manston influenced Aldclyffe to make Cytherea seem fickle, breaking Edward’s own faith.

38. What major external pressure forced Cytherea to accept Manston’s proposal?

A. Miss Aldclyffe’s threats
B. Edward’s absence
C. Owen’s worsening illness
D. Fear of scandal

C. Owen’s worsening illness.
Owen’s doctors advised an expensive operation, and Manston offered support contingent on Cytherea’s acceptance.

39. What confirmed the colour of Manston’s first wife’s eyes?

A. A written verse
B. Owen’s photograph
C. Adelaide’s memory
D. Manston’s admission

A. A written verse.
A love verse Manston wrote to his first wife, Eunice, mentioned her eyes as being “azure”.
40. What happened to Edward’s engagement to Adelaide right before Cytherea’s wedding?

A. They broke up
B. They married
C. She jilted him
D. They postponed it

C. She jilted him.
Edward revealed that Adelaide had jilted him the day before, marrying a rich man named Farmer Bollens.

41. Who was the railway porter who confessed to Mr. Raunham?

A. John Springrove
B. Richard Crickett
C. Joseph Chinney
D. Gad Weedy

C. Joseph Chinney.
Chinney, the nervous porter, confessed that Mrs. Manston escaped the fire by taking an early morning train.

42. What detail about Mrs. Manston’s escape made investigators suspicious?

A. She was partially dressed
B. She wore a veil
C. She left the watch and keys
D. She bribed the porter

C. She left watch and keys.
She left her keys and watch behind, which had been used at the inquest to prove she died in the fire.

43. Who was the woman Manston brought in to impersonate his wife?

A. Adelaide Hinton
B. Anne Seaway
C. Eunice Rondley
D. Miss Aldclyffe

B. Anne Seaway.
Manston confessed he hired Anne Seaway, an adventuress he knew, to impersonate Eunice Manston.

44. What was the confirmed colour of Anne Seaway’s eyes?

A. Azure blue
B. Black midnight
C. Brown Hazel
D. Grey pale

B. Black midnight.
Owen Graye confirmed the woman impersonating Eunice had eyes “as black as midnight” after feigning deafness.
45. What was Manston’s eventual fate?

A. Fled to London
B. Convicted of bigamy
C. Suicide in gaol
D. Executed for murder

C. Suicide in gaol.
Manston killed himself in the county gaol after writing a full confession about the murder of his first wife.

46. What did Manston admit was his motive for the deception with Anne Seaway?

A. Escape poverty
B. Escape murder charge
C. Win Aldclyffe’s land
D. Win Cytherea back

B. Escape murder charge.
He admitted he murdered Eunice accidentally in rage, and feared the gallows if the true circumstances emerged.

47. Who witnessed Manston burying Eunice’s body?

A. Anne Seaway
B. Owen Graye
C. Edward Springrove
D. Detective Raunham

A. Anne Seaway.
Anne Seaway witnessed Manston digging up and attempting to re-bury his wife’s body in the grove.

48. Who was Manston’s actual biological mother?

A. Eunice Manston
B. Anne Seaway
C. Miss Aldclyffe
D. Cytherea Graye

C. Miss Aldclyffe.
Miss Aldclyffe confessed on her deathbed that Manston was her illegitimate son, born when she was seventeen.

49. How did Miss Aldclyffe try to ensure her son inherited the property?

A. Left it to Cytherea
B. Left it to his “wife”
C. Left it to the rector
D. Left it to his heirs

B. Left it to his “wife”.
Miss Aldclyffe bequeathed her estate to “the wife of Æneas Manston” so her son would inherit indirectly.
50. What role did Edward Springrove take after Manston’s death?

A. Detective assistant
B. Architect in London
C. Steward at Knapwater
D. Married Cytherea

C. Steward at Knapwater.
Edward was hired as steward for Mr. Raunham (who inherited the estate) and soon married Cytherea.

Brief Overview

Desperate Remedies is a novel by Thomas Hardy. It was first published anonymously in 1871. It is considered a sensation novel because its plot incorporates shocking elements like crime, blackmail, and bigamy to thrill the reader.

The story follows Cytherea Graye after her father, Ambrose, an architect, dies and leaves her poor. Ambrose had once been in love with a woman named Cytherea, who left him suddenly.

Cytherea soon falls in love with a kind clerk named Edward Springrove, but they are separated. This is due to Edward’s existing engagement and the deceptive interference of Miss Aldclyffe. Cytherea then takes a job as a maid for Miss Aldclyffe and discovers that the woman was her father’s first sweetheart.

Miss Aldclyffe pressures Cytherea to marry the handsome estate steward, Manston, to help her sick brother, Owen. The marriage happens, but Cytherea soon finds out that Manston’s first wife, Eunice, did not die in a fire as everyone thought, but is actually alive. Cytherea realizes her marriage is void and leaves Manston immediately.

Miss Aldclyffe dies, revealing that Manston is her secret son. Manston is then caught hiding Eunice’s body. He confesses that he accidentally killed her during a fight and then covered up the crime. Manston kills himself in jail. Cytherea inherits the entire estate. She finally marries Edward, and they live happily in Knapwater House.

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