Heart of Darkness Characters Quiz
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad · 5 multiple-choice questions with answers · about 4 min
Test your knowledge of Heart of Darkness with 5 characters questions with answers and explanations — motives, relationships and how characters change. Ideal for revision once you have read the whole novella.
Motives, relationships and how characters change. Drawn from the whole novella — contains spoilers.
Skills tested: Character · Difficulty: Standard
Heart of Darkness Characters questions
The answers and an explanation for each question appear as you play, and on the answer-key page of the printout.
- What strikes Marlow about the Company's chief accountant?
His spotless clothes amid all the misery · His great kindness to the sick workers · His bitter hatred of Mr Kurtz · His plan to return home to Europe
- How does Marlow regard the hungry crew on the steamer?
He is struck by their restraint despite hunger · He fears they will attack the white men · He thinks they are lazy and unwilling · He trusts them less than the pilgrims
- How does the young Russian speak of Kurtz?
With devoted admiration, as a great mind · With fear and open hatred · As a madman who must be shot · As a fool cheated by the manager
- What is Kurtz famous for at the stations?
Building the finest hospital · Converting thousands to Christianity · Sending in more ivory than anyone else · Mapping the whole river
- What does Marlow find most disturbing about Kurtz at the end?
That he is physically very strong · That he refuses to speak to Marlow · That he has no restraint at all · That he is planning to escape to Europe
More Heart of Darkness practice: all Heart of Darkness quizzes · characters quiz · plot recall quiz · challenge quiz · read Heart of Darkness free
Content note: the novella depicts colonial brutality and uses the racist language of its period; Chinua Achebe's 1975 critique is widely taught alongside it.
Original questions written for Pagine. Quotations are from the public-domain text.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Heart of Darkness Characters quiz free?
Yes. All 5 questions are free with answers and explanations. Play online with instant feedback, or print it as a test with an answer key — no sign-up needed.
What does the Heart of Darkness Characters quiz cover?
5 characters questions drawn from every part of Heart of Darkness. Motives, relationships and how characters change. It tests character at standard level.
Does it contain spoilers?
Yes — it draws on the whole novella, including the ending.
Can I use it with a class?
Yes. Print it with the answer key for a reading check, homework or revision lesson, or share the link so students can take it online.
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