World Literature Quiz
From Homer to magical realism. Ten questions on the novels, plays and epics that keep turning up on every list of books you should have read.
Play nowTen books, ten authors, no spoilers.
Ten questions, no timer, no penalty for guessing. Use the number keys 1-4 if you are in a hurry.
The books everyone quotes and fewer people finish
A handful of authors supply most of the phrases that entered everyday English.
Shakespeare alone contributed hundreds of expressions still in daily use, while Orwell gave us a vocabulary for surveillance that outlived his own century. Literature questions usually target three things: who wrote it, which character belongs to which book, and the opening line. Pairing each major author with one unmistakable title covers far more ground than trying to remember plots.
Scoring: one point per correct answer. 0-3 makes you a Beginner, 4-7 an Explorer and 8-10 a Master. Your best result is kept in this browser, so you can come back and try to beat it.
Frequently asked
How many questions are in the World Literature Quiz?
Ten multiple-choice questions with four options each and exactly one correct answer. A full round takes about 4 minutes.
Is the World Literature Quiz free to play?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no paywall and no download — the quiz runs entirely in your browser.
How difficult is this quiz?
It is rated Medium. Ten books, ten authors, no spoilers. Every answer is followed by a short explanation, so even a low score is useful preparation for the next attempt.
Is my score saved?
Your best result is stored in your browser with localStorage, so it survives a refresh and is shown at the top of the page next time you visit. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Related quizzes
Three more rounds picked to follow this one, starting inside culture.