Thomas Hardy

Study question Thomas Hardy

Facts about Thomas Hardy

➾ Hardy was a healthy yet fragile child who showed unusual sensitivity to music and could read almost before walking.

➾ While apprenticed to an architect, Hardy intensely self-studied Greek daily between four and eight in the morning.

➾ His final architectural job, restoring a church in Cornwall, was how he met his first wife, Emma Lavinia Gifford.

➾ Hardy’s first published novel, Desperate Remedies, required him to advance £75, most of which was eventually returned.

➾ He stopped writing novels after the severe critical backlash and controversy caused by the publication of Jude the Obscure.

➾ Hardy often altered novels like Tess to soften his social satire and make them suitable for family readers during magazine serialization.

➾ He believed in ‘meliorism’ (gradual improvement of the world) until 1914, when the horrors of World War I shattered that view.

➾ Hardy’s love for architecture, music, and country folklore was fostered by the varied interests of his stonemason father and reading mother.

➾ Although his first marriage was unhappy, the death of his wife Emma in 1912 prompted him to write some of his most profound poetry.

➾ Hardy secretly wrote his own authorized autobiography, which was later published under the name of his second wife, Florence Dugdale.

➾ Hardy had a divided burial: his ashes were interred in Westminster Abbey while his heart was buried separately at Stinsford near his ancestors.

Thomas Hardy MCQs

1. When was Thomas Hardy born?

A. January 11, 1928
B. September 2, 1840
C. June 2, 1840
D. June 22, 1840

C. June 2, 1840
He was born on this date in Dorset, England.

2. In what location was Thomas Hardy born?

A. Dorchester, Dorset
B. Stinsford, Dorset
C. Higher Bockhampton, Stinsford, Dorset
D. Max Gate, Dorchester

C. Higher Bockhampton, Stinsford, Dorset
He was born in England, in a small cottage in this hamlet, where his father lived.

3. What was the primary business of Thomas Hardy’s father?

A. Farming and agriculture
B. Stone masoning and building
C. Teaching and schooling
D. Church restoration

B. Stone masoning and building
Thomas Hardy Sr. was a master mason and local builder.

4. Hardy was sensitive to which art form, often playing the dance fiddle for his family?

A. Painting
B. Drama
C. Architecture
D. Music

D. Music
Music, particularly local folk music, was a lifelong passion and influence on his writing.

5. Which ancient language did Hardy begin studying at the age of twelve?

A. Greek
B. French
C. Latin
D. German

C. Latin
He began the study of Latin at age twelve.

6. At what age did Hardy become a student of the architect John Hicks?

A. Twelve
B. Sixteen
C. Eighteen
D. Twenty-two

B. Sixteen
He began his apprenticeship in architecture under Hicks in Dorchester in 1856.

7. How did Hardy pursue his Greek studies while apprenticed to Hicks?

A. By attending night classes in Dorchester.
B. By receiving tutoring from John Hicks.
C. By studying between four and eight in the morning.
D. By reading books supplied by George Meredith.

C. By studying between four and eight in the morning.
This commitment to self-education highlights his early intellectual ambition.

8. Which Dorset poet, who kept a school next to Hicks’ office, influenced Hardy?

A. George Meredith
B. Horace Moule
C. Arthur Blomfield
D. The Reverend William Barnes

D. The Reverend William Barnes
Barnes, known for his dialect poetry, encouraged Hardy’s literary interests.

9. In what year did Hardy go to London to work for the architect Arthur Blomfield?

A. 1856
B. 1862
C. 1867
D. 1870

B. 1862
He moved to London to further his architectural career.

10. In what year did ill health force Hardy to leave London and return to Dorchester?

A. 1865
B. 1867
C. 1870
D. 1874

B. 1867
London life proved detrimental to his health, forcing him back to Dorset.

11. What was the title of Hardy’s first novel, which was rejected by publishers?

A. Desperate Remedies
B. Under the Greenwood Tree
C. The Poor Man and the Lady
D. A Pair of Blue Eyes

C. The Poor Man and the Lady
This novel, never published, dealt with social class and romantic ambition.

12. Which critic advised Hardy regarding his first rejected novel?

A. Horace Moule
B. Arthur Blomfield
C. George Meredith
D. The Reverend William Barnes

C. George Meredith
Meredith, working as a reader for Chapman and Hall, recommended Hardy abandon the book but try again.

13. Where did Hardy meet his first wife, Emma, while on a restoration job?

A. Higher Bockhampton
B. Weymouth
C. St. Juliot in Cornwall
D. Max Gate

C. St. Juliot in Cornwall
He met Emma Gifford in 1870 while surveying the restoration of a church there.

14. In what year did Thomas Hardy marry Emma Lavinia Gifford?

A. 1870
B. 1871
C. 1874
D. 1878

C. 1874
They married in London, coinciding with the success of Far From the Madding Crowd.

15. What was the title of Hardy’s first published novel in 1871?

A. Under the Greenwood Tree
B. Desperate Remedies
C. The Return of the Native
D. Far From the Madding Crowd

B. Desperate Remedies
This complex melodrama was his first novel to reach publication.

16. Which 1872 novel was Hardy’s first popular success?

A. A Pair of Blue Eyes
B. The Poor Man and the Lady
C. Under the Greenwood Tree
D. Tess of the d’Urbervilles

C. Under the Greenwood Tree
This gentle novel was his second published work and proved popular with critics and readers.

17. Which 1874 novel’s success allowed Hardy to give up architecture?

A. Desperate Remedies
B. The Mayor of Casterbridge
C. Far From the Madding Crowd
D. The Woodlanders

C. Far From the Madding Crowd
Its serialization in the Cornhill Magazine and subsequent popularity allowed him to dedicate himself entirely to writing.

18. For how many years did Hardy primarily concentrate on writing fiction?

A. Five years
B. Ten years
C. Fifteen years
D. Twenty years

D. Twenty years
He concentrated primarily on writing novels from 1870 until 1891 (Tess) and 1895 (Jude).

19. What fictional region did Hardy create for his novels?

A. Casterbridge
B. Stinsford
C. Wessex
D. Egdon Heath

C. Wessex
He named his fictionalized version of Dorset and the surrounding counties “Wessex,” drawing on Anglo-Saxon history.

20. Which 1878 novel was admired for its setting of Egdon Heath?

A. The Woodlanders
B. A Laodicean
C. The Return of the Native
D. Two on a Tower

C. The Return of the Native
Egdon Heath, the desolate, ancient landscape, functions almost as a character in this novel.

21. What was the name of the house Hardy built near Dorchester?

A. Stinsford Cottage
B. Egdon Hall
C. Max Gate
D. Casterbridge Manor

C. Max Gate
He designed and built this home where he lived for the rest of his life.

22. Which novel, set in a fictionalized Dorchester, features Michael Henchard?

A. The Return of the Native
B. The Woodlanders
C. The Mayor of Casterbridge
D. A Pair of Blue Eyes

C. The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) centers on the tragic rise and fall of the self-made Michael Henchard in the town of Casterbridge (Dorchester).

23. In what year did Tess of the d’Urbervilles begin its serial run?

A. 1889
B. 1891
C. 1894
D. 1897

B. 1891
It was serialized with modifications due to the controversial content.

24. Which novel’s controversy caused Hardy to abandon novel writing?

A. Tess of the d’Urbervilles
B. Far From the Madding Crowd
C. The Well Beloved
D. Jude the Obscure

D. Jude the Obscure
The vicious public outcry and moral outrage following the publication of Jude the Obscure (1895) led him to stop writing novels entirely.

25. What was the title of Hardy’s last novel, published in 1897?

A. Jude the Obscure
B. The Well Beloved
C. Tess of the d’Urbervilles
D. The Woodlanders

B. The Well Beloved
Although Jude the Obscure (1895) was his last major novel, The Well-Beloved was his final published novel.

26. What was the title of Hardy’s first volume of poetry, published in 1898?

A. Late Lyrics and Earlier
B. Winter Words
C. Wessex Poems
D. Satires of Circumstance

C. Wessex Poems
This collection, published after he abandoned fiction, marked his full-time return to poetry.

27. What was the title of his three-part epic verse drama on the Napoleonic Wars?

A. Winter Words
B. The Dynasts
C. Poems of 1912–13
D. Wessex Tales

B. The Dynasts
This monumental work (1903–08) is a blend of poetry and drama.

28. What major honour did the King award Hardy in 1910?

A. Knight Commander of the Bath
B. Poet Laureate
C. The Order of Merit
D. The Nobel Prize in Literature

C. The Order of Merit
King George V appointed him to the Order of Merit, a high civilian honour.

29. When did Hardy’s first wife, Emma, die?

A. 1910
B. 1912
C. 1914
D. 1928

B. 1912
Emma died suddenly in November 1912, inspiring his most poignant love poems (Poems of 1912–13).

30. Whom did Hardy marry in 1914?

A. Jemima Hand
B. Florence Emily Dugdale
C. Grace Melbury
D. Eustacia Vye

B. Florence Emily Dugdale
He married his secretary, Florence Dugdale, in 1914.

31. What was the title of Hardy’s final volume of verse?

A. Late Lyrics and Earlier
B. Human Shows
C. Winter Words
D. Moments of Vision

C. Winter Words
This final collection was published in 1928, the year of his death.

32. On what date did Thomas Hardy die?

A. June 2, 1840
B. January 11, 1928
C. September 4, 1874
D. December 31, 1927

B. January 11, 1928
He died on this date at Max Gate.

33. Where were Hardy’s cremated remains interred?

A. Max Gate, Dorchester
B. Stinsford Churchyard
C. Westminster Abbey, Poets’ Corner
D. St. Juliot, Cornwall

C. Westminster Abbey, Poets’ Corner
His ashes were interred in Poets’ Corner, a high honour.

34. Where was Hardy’s heart buried?

A. Max Gate, Dorchester
B. Stinsford, near the graves of his ancestors
C. Poets’ Corner
D. St. Juliot in Cornwall

B. Stinsford, near the graves of his ancestors
His heart was removed and buried separately in the churchyard where he had played the fiddle as a young man.

35. Hardy published his novels in serial form, similar to which other English novelist?

A. Scott
B. Dumas
C. Dickens
D. Keats

C. Dickens
Like Charles Dickens, Hardy serialized many of his novels in monthly or weekly magazines.

36. Which collection was the first that Hardy released?

A. Life’s Little Ironies
B. A Changed Man
C. A Group of Noble Dames
D. Wessex Tales

D. Wessex Tales
This collection of short stories was published in 1888.

37. His mother inspired a taste for literature, while his father shared a love of architecture and what?

A. Science
B. Philosophy
C. Music
D. Theology

C. Music
Both parents fostered his cultural interests.

38. Darwinian evolutionism eventually made Hardy what?

A. A Meliorist
B. A severe critic of traditional religion/An agnostic
C. A fatalist
D. A church restorer

B. A severe critic of traditional religion/An agnostic
Scientific theories contributed to his loss of faith in a beneficent God.

39. Hardy lived during the industrial revolution, which led to the disintegration of what?

A. The British empire
B. The family building business
C. Rural customs and traditions
D. The London architectural scene

C. Rural customs and traditions
His novels often lament the passing of the traditional agricultural way of life.

40. The period of changing beliefs in Hardy’s time brought about what feeling?

A. The joy of modernism
B. The ‘ache of modernism’
C. The pursuit of happiness
D. The Immanent Will

B. The ‘ache of modernism’
He coined this phrase to describe the spiritual and existential pain resulting from the erosion of old beliefs.

41. Hardy read Darwin’s Origin of the Species and what other document that influenced his religious views?

A. The Dynasts
B. Wessex Poems
C. Essays and Reviews
D. A Changed Man

C. Essays and Reviews
This publication of liberal theology further challenged traditional Christian doctrines.

42. Hardy struggled to reconcile a beneficent God with the existence of what?

A. The inevitability of war
B. Omnipresent evil and unhappiness
C. The shifting of population
D. The success of his own novels

B. Omnipresent evil and unhappiness
The problem of suffering became central to his philosophical outlook.

43. Until 1914, Hardy considered himself a “meliorist,” believing that what was happening?

A. The universal scheme was unchanging.
B. The universe was completely governed by Fate.
C. The universal scheme was gradually improving.
D. Only poetry could capture human suffering.

C. The universal scheme was gradually improving.
Meliorism is the belief that the world can be made better through human effort.

44. What event shattered Hardy’s belief in meliorism in 1914?

A. The death of his first wife
B. The reaction to Jude the Obscure
C. The absurdity and horror of war
D. The publication of The Dynasts

C. The absurdity and horror of war
The outbreak of World War I made the idea of gradual moral improvement seem impossible.

45. What philosophical outlook is most readily associated with Hardy the novelist?

A. Meliorism
B. Naturalism
C. Romanticism
D. Fatalism

D. Fatalism
Although he considered himself a meliorist, his novels’ pervasive sense of doomed protagonists and tragic coincidence leads critics to label his work as fatalistic.

46. In Hardy’s philosophy, what motif is placed with tremendous importance?

A. Love
B. Nature
C. Time
D. Night

C. Time
His works often focus on the corrosive effects of the past and the relentlessness of time.

47. In Hardy’s philosophy, who is Fate’s most potent instrument against Man’s happiness?

A. The Wessex rustic
B. The Critic
C. Woman
D. The Deity

C. Woman
Hardy’s perception of women (e.g., Sue Bridehead, Tess) as unpredictable and often destructive forces is a recurring idea.

48. Hardy critiques ‘Convention and Law’ because they are contrived by whom, yet work against him?

A. Cruel Nature
B. The Immanent Will
C. Man himself
D. The established Church

C. Man himself
He argues that rigid social laws created by humanity often cause unnecessary suffering to the individuals they are meant to govern.

49. Hardy suggests that most of Tess’s misery was generated by her conventional aspect, and not by what?

A. Angel Clare’s judgment
B. Her innate sensations
C. Alec’s evil intentions
D. The agricultural life

B. Her innate sensations
He frames Tess as a pure woman whose suffering is caused by the cruel social conventions and judgments of others.

50. In The Dynasts, Hardy projects a universe governed by a blind force called what?

A. Fate
B. The Spirit of the Years
C. The Immanent Will
D. The Wessex destiny

C. The Immanent Will
This term refers to the unconscious, indifferent cosmic force that drives the universe, often resulting in human suffering.

A Pair of Blue Eyes MCQs

1. What is the outstanding characteristic of Elfride Swancourt?

A. Deep hidden melancholy
B. Emotions near the surface
C. Skillful conversationalist
D. Well-formed manner

B. Emotions near surface.
Her emotions were clearly visible to observers because they lay very near the surface.

2. What physical ailment confines Elfride’s father, the rector, to his room?

A. Persistent cold
B. An attack of gout
C. Severe toothache
D. Chronic headache

B. An attack of gout.
The rector, Mr. Swancourt, was suddenly laid up and suffering from an attack of gout.

3. How old is the rector, Elfride’s father?

A. Barely forty
B. Past sixty
C. Man of fifty
D. Nearly seventy

C. Man of fifty.
Mr. Swancourt is described as a genial-faced, handsome man of fifty.

4. What type of meal does Elfride suggest is appropriate for their tired visitor?

A. Heavy formal dinner
B. Simple cold luncheon
C. High tea, substantial
D. Light biscuits and tea

C. High tea, substantial.
High tea was chosen because it was substantial enough for a tired man after a long journey.

5. What name does the visitor give to Elfride upon meeting her?

A. Mr. Fitzmaurice
B. Mr. Stephen Smith
C. Mr. Hewby’s partner
D. Lord Luxellian

B. Mr. Stephen Smith.
The stranger introduces himself as Mr. Smith, whom Elfride calls Stephen Smith later.

6. In which general geographic area is the parish located?

A. Northern England town
B. Lower Wessex outskirts
C. Suburban London area
D. Far eastern coast

B. Lower Wessex outskirts.
The parish is situated on the sea-swept outskirts of Lower Wessex, a remote spot.

7. How far away is the nearest railway terminus from the rectory?

A. Seven miles
B. Thirteen miles
C. Fifteen miles
D. Twenty miles

C. Fifteen miles.
The area is remote, with no railway within fifteen miles of the rectory.

8. What is Stephen Smith’s age when he first visits the rectory?

A. Nineteen years old
B. Just over twenty
C. Twenty-five years
D. Thirty years old

B. Just over twenty.
Though Mr. Swancourt guessed nineteen, Stephen states that he is just over twenty.

9. Which historical lineage does Mr. Swancourt believe Stephen belongs to?

A. Leaseworthy Smiths
B. Hedgers and ditchers
C. Caxbury Manor Smiths
D. Oldest county family

C. Caxbury Manor Smiths.
Mr. Swancourt insists Stephen belongs to the ancient Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor.

10. Who does Stephen Smith name as his devoted friend and instructor?

A. Mr. Hewby
B. Lord Luxellian
C. Henry Knight
D. William Worm

C. Henry Knight.
Stephen speaks highly of Henry Knight, calling him the noblest man in the world and his friend.

11. How did Stephen acquire his knowledge of Latin and Greek?

A. From an Oxford college
B. By correspondence via letter
C. Taught by Mr. Swancourt
D. By private tutoring daily

B. By correspondence via letter.
His instruction came by letter; he sent exercises, and Knight returned them corrected.

12. What specific affliction does the mason, William Worm, complain of?

A. Dead silence
B. People frying fish
C. Terrible head pain
D. Constant singing

B. People frying fish.
Worm describes the noise in his head as being just like people frying fish: fry, fry, fry.

13. Who often writes the rector’s sermons for him?

A. William Worm
B. Henry Knight
C. Elfride Swancourt
D. Unity, the maid

C. Elfride Swancourt.
Elfride reveals that she often writes her father’s sermons, which he then preaches.

14. Why is Stephen’s London employer, Mr. Hewby, angry?

A. Stephen arrived late
B. He is taking too long
C. The sketches were poor
D. He lacked experience

B. He is taking too long.
Stephen’s boss, “Old H.,” is in a towering rage with him for being so long about the church sketches.

15. What is the title of the romance Elfride is writing?

A. A Pair of Blue Eyes
B. Romance of Lyonnesse
C. Endelstow Rectory Tales
D. The Court of Arthur

D. The Court of Arthur.
Elfride tells Stephen the title is “The Court of King Arthur’s Castle; a Romance of Lyonnesse”.

16. At Endelstow House, what shadow does Elfride see involving Stephen?

A. Stephen kissing a lady
B. Stephen fighting a man
C. Stephen putting on a cloak
D. Stephen arguing softly

A. Stephen kissing a lady.
Elfride sees the shadow of Stephen putting a cloak around a lady, likely culminating in a kiss.

17. What is the occupation of Stephen Smith’s father?

A. Wealthy farmer
B. Working master-mason
C. Successful architect
D. Local innkeeper

B. Working master-mason.
Stephen confesses that his father is John Smith, a cottager and working master-mason.

18. What is Elfride’s initial, immediate reaction to Stephen’s humble origins?

A. Feeling angry and betrayed
B. Saying it seemed odd
C. Declaring deep disgust
D. Ending the relationship

B. Saying it seemed odd.
She admits the idea of his background is strange and seems odd, but quickly says she loves him anyway.

19. What professional title did Mr. Swancourt assume that ‘assistant’ implied for Stephen?

A. Clerical trainee
B. Architect’s clerk
C. Sort of partner
D. Master workman

C. Sort of partner.
Mr. Swancourt misunderstood the term ‘assistant,’ believing it meant a sort of partner.

20. What specific taste does Mr. Swancourt claim reveals an “upstart”?

A. Liking poetry
B. Disliking fine art
C. An unedified palate
D. Bad chess playing

C. An unedified palate.
Mr. Swancourt doubts Stephen is a gentleman because he dislikes sauces, showing an unedified palate.

21. What does Stephen’s mother predict about her son’s marriage potential?

A. He will never marry
B. He might marry higher
C. Elfride is too good
D. Elfride is too scheming

B. He might marry higher.
Mrs. Smith suggests Stephen wait, as he “might go higher than a bankrupt pa’son’s girl”.

22. Why did Elfride object to Knight taking the specific myrtle plant?

A. It was too small
B. It was a sentimental gift
C. It lacked pretty leaves
D. She needed it for seeds

B. It was a sentimental gift.
She explains her initial refusal was due to a “feeling” because the myrtle was a gift.

23. How did Elfride choose to travel the distance to St. Launce’s for the elopement?

A. In the carriage
B. On her pony
C. By train alone
D. In a hired gig

B. On her pony.
She used her pony, Pansy, to ride the miles of hard road to the station at St. Launce’s.

24. What critical realization does Elfride have upon reaching the London station?

A. She should marry at once
B. She is utterly terrified
C. She must immediately go home
D. Stephen has deceived her

C. She must immediately go home.
Upon alighting, Elfride tells Stephen, “I must go home again—I must—I must!”.

25. What consequence of returning unmarried does Stephen warn Elfride about?

A. Missing the last train
B. Compromising her good name
C. Her father’s fury
D. Losing his love

B. Compromising her good name.
Stephen warns her that going back unmarried might compromise her good name in the eyes of others.

26. Who does Elfride’s father, Mr. Swancourt, eventually marry?

A. Miss Bicknell
B. Mrs. Jethway
C. Mrs. Troyton
D. Unity, the maid

C. Mrs. Troyton.
The rector marries Mrs. Troyton, the new, wealthy owner of the estate over the hedge.

27. What is Mr. Swancourt’s stated primary reason for his second marriage?

A. To gain her money
B. To please Elfride
C. For her great beauty
D. For her good connections

B. To please Elfride.
He confesses to Elfride, “I married her for your sake,” to improve her social standing.

28. Which of Mrs. Swancourt’s relatives is revealed to be Elfride’s critic?

A. Lord Luxellian
B. Henry Knight
C. Walter Hewby
D. Stephen Smith

B. Henry Knight.
Mrs. Swancourt discovers that Henry Knight, her cousin, is the one who reviewed Elfride’s book.

29. What aspect of Elfride’s writing does the critic praise in his review?

A. Stirring incidents
B. Domestic emotional trifles
C. Inventive faculty
D. Antiquarian research

B. Domestic emotional trifles.
The review notes her skill in “a murmuring of delicate emotional trifles,” but not the main story.

30. What is Stephen’s immediate motivation for pursuing the job in Bombay?

A. To travel abroad
B. To gain new skills
C. To earn money quickly
D. To escape the rector

C. To earn money quickly.
He sees the job as a way to “go over and make a little money” before returning to ask for Elfride.

31. What dangerous act does Elfride perform on the church tower?

A. Ringing the bells
B. Smoking secretly
C. Walking on the parapet
D. Throwing stones down

C. Walking on the parapet.
Knight is horrified when he finds Elfride walking dangerously upon the narrow parapet of the tower.

32. What behaviour of Elfride’s does Knight note in his private journal?

A. Her frequent crying
B. Her clumsiness with food
C. Her tendency to ‘show off’
D. Her silent contemplation

C. Her tendency to ‘show off’.
Knight notes her youthful “artifice” and “showing-off,” triggered by her walking the parapet.

33. When Knight first describes his ideal woman, what is his preference for hair colour?

A. Light brown hair
B. Dark abundant hair
C. Fair golden hair
D. Medium chestnut

B. Dark abundant hair.
Knight stated his preference for “dark” hair, which makes Elfride (with pale brown hair) vexed.

34. By what name is the steamer Stephen known when traveling home?

A. The London Express
B. The Amaryllis
C. The Puffin
D. The Blue Eyes

C. The Puffin.
Elfride, looking through the telescope, identifies the approaching small steamboat as “The Puffin”.

35. How does Elfride manage to save Knight from falling off the cliff?

A. Finds a long rope
B. Summons local help
C. Strips and makes a rope
D. Climbs down to him

C. Strips and makes a rope.
She tore her clothing, made a rope from her linen, and replaced only her outer dress.

36. What is the unexpected document Elfride leaves Knight after the rescue?

A. A love poem
B. A letter of apology
C. A bank receipt
D. A map of the cliffs

C. A bank receipt.
Knight finds a banker’s receipt for two hundred pounds, which Elfride had forgotten.

37. Whose white tombstone does Stephen see staring him in the face at the churchyard?

A. Lord Luxellian’s
B. His own grandfather’s
C. Young Jethway’s
D. Henry Knight’s

C. Young Jethway’s.
Stephen is startled to see the new, white tomb of young farmer Jethway upon turning the corner.

38. What pivotal act does Stephen witness Elfride perform at The Crags’ summer-house?

A. Planning a second flight
B. Burning his letters
C. Embracing Henry Knight
D. Arguing with her father

C. Embracing Henry Knight.
Stephen sees Knight’s arm around Elfride’s waist, showing their relationship is intimate.

39. What is Stephen Smith doing when Knight finds him in the Luxellian family vault?

A. Hiding from Knight
B. Arguing with his father
C. Sketching on a coffin
D. Writing in a pocket-book

D. Writing in a pocket-book.
Stephen is standing in front of the coffins, writing or sketching in a small pocket-book.

40. What minor untruth does Elfride substitute for her full confession to Knight?

A. That she wrote the sermon
B. That she liked his eyes
C. That she misled him on her age
D. That she hated the mason

C. That she misled him on her age.
She confessed to misleading him slightly about her age (whether twenty was her last or next birthday).

41. Who directly accuses Elfride of causing her son’s death and threatening scandal?

A. Mrs. Smith
B. Mrs. Swancourt
C. Mrs. Jethway
D. Martin Cannister

C. Mrs. Jethway.
Mrs. Jethway, Felix’s mother, accuses Elfride of killing her son by being false to him.

42. What shocking fact about his past does Knight confess to Elfride on the Juliet steamer?

A. He avoided all women
B. He was once married
C. He had many lovers
D. He was once a sailor

A. He avoided all women.
Knight admits that he had been “rather absurd in [his] avoidance of women” and never kissed another lady.

43. What does Elfride murmur in her sleep that reveals her anxiety to Knight?

A. A fear of the sea
B. Not to tell him her secret
C. A demand for music
D. A description of Bombay

B. Not to tell him her secret.
She mutters, “Don’t tell him—he will not love me… And he says he will not have a kissed woman”.

44. Where does Elfride confess that her first former lover kissed her?

A. On the river bridge
B. On the cliff seat
C. In the conservatory
D. Near the old well

B. On the cliff seat.
Knight pressures her into admitting that her former lover first kissed her in “this seat” (the cliff seat).

45. Which specific revelation regarding her flight breaks the engagement with Knight?

A. She stayed away overnight
B. She loved Stephen greatly
C. She wrote letters secretly
D. She kissed Felix Jethway

A. She stayed away overnight.
The single word “No” to whether she returned the same day was the bolt that destroyed the relationship.

46. Where does Elfride flee to immediately after Knight leaves Endelstow?

A. To her father’s cottage
B. To Henry Knight’s chambers
C. To Mrs. Jethway’s house
D. To St. Launce’s hotel

B. To Henry Knight’s chambers.
Elfride takes the train to London and turns up at Knight’s chambers in Bede’s Inn.

47. What key fact does Stephen reveal about his elopement attempt to Knight in London?

A. They married secretly
B. They went to Plymouth
C. Elfride was found out
D. They returned unmarried

D. They returned unmarried.
Stephen tells Knight the full story: they went to London but returned again without being married.

48. What is the stated mutual intention of Knight and Stephen upon reaching Camelton?

A. To travel abroad
B. To reconcile their friendship
C. To propose marriage to Elfride
D. To visit John Smith

C. To propose marriage to Elfride.
Knight states he is going to ask Elfride to be his wife, and Stephen replies, “So am I”.

49. What is the ominous object that is unloaded from the train at Camelton?

A. Heavy ironwork
B. A carriage of mourners
C. A polished satin-wood coffin
D. Lord Luxellian’s baggage

C. A polished satin-wood coffin.
The men witness a satin-wood coffin being unloaded by eight men from the train’s special van.

50. According to the coffin plate, who did Elfride marry before her death?

A. Stephen Smith
B. Henry Knight
C. Lord Luxellian
D. Felix Jethway

C. Lord Luxellian.
The plate clearly shows the inscription “Elfride, Wife of Spenser Hugo Luxellian, Fifteenth Baron Luxellian”.

Brief Overview

A Pair of Blue Eyes is a novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1873. The novel is considered partly autobiographical as it draws heavily on Hardy’s courtship with his first wife, Emma Gifford. The story details a love triangle driven by social class and moral judgment.

The story centers on Elfride Swancourt, a young girl living in a rectory on the remote English coast. Stephen Smith, a young architect’s assistant, comes to her home for work, and they quickly fall in love. Stephen reveals he is the son of a local mason. Elfride’s father, Mr. Swancourt, forbids the marriage due to the difference in social class.

Elfride and Stephen decide to run away to London in secret to marry. However, Elfride changes her mind during the journey, and they return home unmarried. Mr. Swancourt marries a wealthy widow, Mrs. Troyton.

The triangle is completed when Henry Knight, a brilliant author and Stephen’s friend, visits. Elfride falls in love with Knight, who later saves her life when she nearly falls from a tall cliff. Knight asks Elfride about any former lovers. She hides the whole truth about her attempted elopement with Stephen.

Knight later discovers her secret from a neighbor’s letter. He is severely disappointed by her dishonesty, immediately breaking off their engagement. Elfride follows him to London, but her father brings her back home.

Overwhelmed by her sadness and emotional exhaustion, Elfride marries Lord Luxellian, a wealthy local peer. Both Stephen and Knight later return to Endelstow and learn that Elfride is dead and has been buried as Lady Luxellian.