Jane Eyre, Chapter XVIII quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What word do Rochester and his team act out in the charades game?

   • Correct answer: Bridewell
   • Bridegroom
   • Blackwell
   • Bridesmaid

   The word is "Bridewell," acted out in three scenes: a wedding ceremony (Bride), Eliezer and Rebecca at a well (Well), and a prisoner in chains (Bridewell).

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2. 2

   Question 2. Which biblical scene do Rochester and Blanche enact in the second charades tableau?

   • Moses at the well in Midian
   • Correct answer: Eliezer and Rebecca at the well
   • Jacob and Rachel at the well
   • Ruth and Boaz in the barley field

   Rochester dresses as an Eastern emir seated by a marble basin, and Blanche approaches as an Israelitish princess with a pitcher, re-enacting the story of Eliezer meeting Rebecca at the well.

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3. 3

   Question 3. Why does Lady Ingram say Jane should not join the charades?

   • She says the party already has enough players
   • She says Jane is too plain to appear beside the ladies
   • Correct answer: She says Jane looks too stupid for any game of the sort
   • She says governesses should not play with guests

   When Mr. Eshton suggests Jane be asked to join, Lady Ingram dismisses her by saying, "she looks too stupid for any game of the sort."

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4. 4

   Question 4. From what country has Mr. Mason recently arrived?

   • France
   • Madeira
   • Barbados
   • Correct answer: Jamaica

   Jane overhears references to Jamaica, Kingston, and Spanish Town, identifying the West Indies as Mason's residence.

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5. 5

   Question 5. To what animals does Jane compare Mr. Mason and Mr. Rochester?

   • A tabby cat and a jungle tiger
   • A timid dove and a hunting hawk
   • A gentle lamb and a hungry lion
   • Correct answer: A sleek gander and a fierce falcon

   Jane says the contrast between them is like that "between a sleek gander and a fierce falcon: between a meek sheep and the rough-coated keen-eyed dog."

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6. 6

   Question 6. What does the gypsy fortune-teller demand regarding her audience?

   • She will see only the gentlemen of the party
   • She will see only the married ladies and the dowagers
   • Correct answer: She will see only the young and single ladies
   • She will see anyone who pays a shilling

   The gypsy insists she will have "no gentlemen" and no ladies "except the young, and single."

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7. 7

   Question 7. How does Blanche Ingram behave after her session with the fortune-teller?

   • She laughs merrily and treats the visit as a joke
   • Correct answer: She looks stiff and cold, then sits in prolonged gloom
   • She eagerly tells everyone what the gypsy foretold
   • She urges the other young ladies to visit the gypsy

   Blanche returns looking "neither flurried nor merry," walks stiffly to her seat, pretends to read but never turns a page, and her face grows "momently darker, more dissatisfied."

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8. 8

   Question 8. What reason does Jane give for Rochester's apparent plan to marry Blanche Ingram?

   • Correct answer: He is marrying for family, rank, and connections
   • He wants a mother and a proper teacher for Adele
   • Lady Ingram has demanded it to secure his fortune
   • He adores her beauty and her musical talent

   Jane concludes Rochester is going to marry Blanche "for family, perhaps political reasons, because her rank and connections suited him," not out of love.

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9. 9

   Question 9. Which of these events actually happened in this chapter?

   • Jane participates as a performer in the charades game alongside Rochester and Blanche.

     Didn't happen

     Jane does not participate. When Rochester asks if she will play, she shakes her head, and Lady Ingram prevents her from being invited to join the audience team either.

   • Mr. Mason arrives at Thornfield while Rochester is away on business in Millcote.

     Happened

     Rochester has been summoned to Millcote on business and is not expected back until late. Mason arrives during his absence and installs himself as a guest.

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10. 10

    Question 10. What does the word "halcyon" mean as used in the phrase "halcyon sunshine of the genial spring weather"?

    • Correct answer: Peaceful, happy, and prosperous
    • Stormy, wild, and turbulent
    • Brief, fleeting, and soon over
    • Burning, harsh, and intensely hot

    "Halcyon" means denoting a period of calm, happiness, and prosperity, derived from a mythical bird said to calm the seas.

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11. 11

    Question 11. What does "meretricious" mean in the phrase "it was not elicited by meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres"?

    • Truly beautiful, with a natural charm that lasts
    • Gentle, modest, and quietly persuasive in manner
    • Deserving of praise and reward because of real merit and worth
    • Correct answer: Apparently attractive but having no real value or integrity

    "Meretricious" means superficially alluring but lacking genuine worth — Jane uses it to contrast Blanche's calculated charm with the authentic warmth Rochester shows Jane.

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12. 12

    Question 12. What is a "beldame" as used in Blanche's command "order the beldame forward"?

    • A beautiful young lady of rank; a fine belle
    • Correct answer: An old woman, especially an ugly one; a hag
    • A fortune-teller's helper or apprentice
    • A lady's maid or personal attendant

    "Beldame" (or beldam) is an archaic term for an old woman, especially one considered ugly or unpleasant. Blanche uses it dismissively to refer to the gypsy.

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