V11LLAIN QUIZ: URIAH HEEP
"I am very umble to the present moment, Master Copperfield, but I've got a little power!"
If you have a name like “Uriah Heep,” and a penchant for chanting “Heep! Heep!” as a nervous tic, you’re probably one of Dickens’s supporting characters, instead of a stalwart lead. The more you learn about Heep, the worse he becomes: moist, dead-fish handshake; skeletal build, kiss-up-kick-down attitude at work, and a master plan of thieving once he’s gained enough trust by stooping and genuflecting to superiors. (He’s also a ginger: maybe the bizarre anti-ginger prejudice began here?)
Dickens’s novels often lacked true villains: those who ended up in prison were often the heroes. Dickens grew up with his dad in Marshalsea prison: when I was in London a few weeks ago I saw the remains of it. The whole neighborhood is no a tribute to Dickens; he’s got a primary school named after him, and Little Dorrit Park is nearby. No Uriah Heep bench there, though.
Heep is among the worst type of villains because of his cowardice: he hides his malevolent intent behind a simpering, sniveling toady personality that’s actually much worse. He’s as miserable as he makes everyone around him: how much do you know about Uriah Heep?
1. Dickens made David Copperfield to be a first-person “fictional autobiography,” which was inspired by this Charlotte Bronte book, published two years before in 1847.
There are nasty rumors that Dickens based Uriah Heep on this Danish children’s author, who often wrote about his own unattractiveness.
David Copperfield, since it is about David’s growth into a young man, can be described with thus German word that means “education-novel.”
Heep is the antagonist of David Copperfield: for five cents, what other Dicken book has a metal in its name?
5. Oscar nominee Roland Young played Heep in George Cukor’s 1935 film, best remembered for what always-drunk funny man as Mr. Micawber?
6. Uriah Heep was the name of a British 1970s heavy metal band, who in turn inspired what parody band?
7. The Uriah Heep character of The Simpsons is this sniveling assistant to Mr. Burns.
8. A 1993 animated version of David Copperfield portrayed everyone as animals, cut Uriah Heep, and replaced him with a “cheese monster” villain, What animal was David?
9. In a 1999 BBC miniseries, this future Harry Potter grew up to face off against Heep.
10. In the 2019 The Personal History of David Copperfield, this James Bond Q actor (and Paddington’s voice!) played Heep.
Not to spoil your next book club, but this book by Barbara Kingsolver is an updated David Copperfield set in the 21st century: Heep is now “U-Haul” a devious football equipment manager.
1. Dickens made David Copperfield to be a first-person “fictional autobiography,” which was inspired by this Charlotte Bronte book, published two years before in 1847.
JANE EYRE
There are nasty rumors that Dickens based Uriah Heep on this Danish children’s author, who often wrote about his own unattractiveness.
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
David Copperfield, since it is about David’s growth into a young man, can be described with thus German word that means “education-novel.”
BILDUNGSROMAN
Heep is the antagonist of David Copperfield: for five cents, what other Dickens book has a metal in its name?
NICHOLAS NICKLEBY
5. Oscar nominee Roland Young played Heep in George Cukor’s 1935 film,m best remembered for what always-drunk funny man as Mr. Micawber?
WC FIELDS
6. Uriah Heep was the name of a British 1970s heavy metal band, who in turn inspired what parody band?
SPINAL TAP
7. The Uriah Heep of The Simpsons is this sniveling assistant to Mr. Burns.
WAYLON SMITHERS
8. A 1993 animated version of David Copperfield portrayed everyone as animals, cut Uriah Heep, and replaced him with a “cheese monster” villain, What animal was David?
A CAT
9. In a 1999 BBC miniseries, this future Harry Potter grew up to face off against Heep.
DANIEL RADCLIFFE
10. In the 2019 The Personal History of David Copperfield, this James Bond Q actor (and Paddington’s voice!) played Heep.
BEN WHISHAW
Not to spoil your next book club, but this book by Barbara Kingsolver is an updated David Copperfield set in the 21st century: Heep is now “U-Haul” a devious football equipment manager.
DEMON COPPERHEAD