Literature Trivia Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Books and Poetry
Quick, free quiz with fresh literature questions. Instant results.
This literature trivia quiz helps you test what you know about classic novels, poems, and devices. Answer quick questions, see your score at once, and discover new favorites along the way. For more, try our easy literature quiz, dive into classic literature trivia, or switch it up with book trivia.
Study Outcomes
- Apply literary devices -
Use your knowledge of terms such as metaphor, simile, and alliteration to answer medium-level literature trivia questions.
- Recall classic authors and works -
Retrieve key details about renowned writers and their famous texts to confidently tackle trivia literature questions.
- Interpret poetic themes -
Analyze themes and imagery within poems to enhance your performance on lit trivia challenges.
- Navigate medium-level trivia -
Employ strategic reasoning to approach and solve questions in this literature trivia quiz with greater accuracy.
- Evaluate reading comprehension -
Assess your quiz results to identify strengths and areas for improvement in your literary knowledge.
Cheat Sheet
- Literary Devices Mastery -
Familiarize yourself with devices like metaphor, simile, alliteration, and personification using the Purdue OWL guide (owl.purdue.edu). Try the mnemonic "MAPP" (Metaphor, Alliteration, Personification, Pun) to recall core definitions swiftly. Spotting these in texts sharpens your edge on literature trivia quiz questions.
- Narrative Perspective & Point of View -
Review first-person, third-person limited, and omniscient viewpoints with examples from the MLA handbook or the University of North Carolina Writing Center. Remember "I see" for first-person and "He knows it all" to differentiate omniscient POV. Recognizing POV quickly boosts your speed on lit trivia.
- Sonnet Structures & Rhyme Schemes -
Study the Shakespearean (ABAB CDCDEFEF GG) versus Petrarchan (ABBA ABBA CDECDE) sonnet patterns via the Folger Shakespeare Library. Use the rhyme scheme chant "ABAB CDCD EFEF GG" to lock in the Shakespearean form. Knowing these schemes earns points on poetry-focused trivia literature questions.
- Major Literary Periods Timeline -
Map key eras - Renaissance, Neoclassical, Romantic, Victorian - using a Britannica timeline (britannica.com). Employ the phrase "Rabbits Never Run Very Fast" (Renaissance, Neoclassical, Romantic, Victorian, Fiction) to memorize sequence. A clear timeline helps you place works and authors quickly.
- Iconic Opening Lines & Flashcards -
Compile famous openings like "Call me Ishmael" (Melville) and "It was the best of times" (Dickens) using flashcards inspired by JSTOR memory studies. Quiz yourself daily in random order to strengthen recall under quiz conditions. Recognizing these lines instantly can be a trivia lifesaver.