GCSE Susan Hill | Text Revision in The Woman in Black

English Literature Quiz - The Woman in Black - Understanding the Text (Questions)

This GCSE quiz helps you understand The Woman in Black, following Arthur Kipps’s journey from confident solicitor to haunted narrator and exploring how Hill shapes the story.

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Fascinating Fact:

The core story follows young Arthur’s journey from rational London solicitor to traumatised survivor after his time at Eel Marsh House.

In GCSE English Literature, understanding The Woman in Black means following Arthur Kipps closely as narrator. The novel shows how memory, setting and structure build tension and reveal lasting fear.

Key Terms

Narrator: The voice that tells the story. In this novel it is Arthur Kipps speaking in the first person.
Frame narrative: A story told by a character looking back on past events, creating a story within a story.
Gothic fiction: A type of story that mixes fear, the supernatural and strong emotion in dark or isolated settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is The Woman in Black mainly about in GCSE English?

The Woman in Black is about Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor who visits Eel Marsh House to settle an estate and is haunted by a vengeful ghost. The novel explores grief, guilt and the impact of trauma.

How does Susan Hill create tension in The Woman in Black?

Hill creates tension through first person narration, isolated settings, shifting weather and unsettling sounds that Arthur cannot explain. Short sentences, repetition and delayed explanations keep the reader uneasy.

Why does Arthur Kipps tell his story years after the events?

Arthur tells his story years later because he has tried to bury the memories but cannot escape them. Writing the account is his attempt to face and control his past experiences.

Try These Related Quizzes

Why is Arthur sent to Crythin Gifford?

[ ]	His employer, Mr Bentley, wants him to solve the mystery of the Woman in Black
[ ]	His employer, Mr Bentley, wants him to sort through the deceased Mrs Drablow's papers
[ ]	Mrs Drablow left instructions for her lawyers to attend her funeral
[ ]	Mr Bentley wishes to attend Mrs Drablow's funeral in person, but is unwell

Arthur believes that the business in Crythin Gifford will be...

[ ]	complex
[ ]	frightening
[ ]	straightforward
[ ]	exciting

Who is Stella?

[ ]	Mrs Drablow's servant
[ ]	The Woman in Black
[ ]	Mr Bentley's daughter
[ ]	Arthur's fiancée

Where does Arthur first meet Mr Daily?

[ ]	On the train
[ ]	At Mrs Drablow's funeral
[ ]	At Eel Marsh House
[ ]	In London

What happens when Arthur decides to stay at Eel Marsh House overnight for the first time?

[ ]	He hears a ghostly pony and trap
[ ]	He sees the Woman in Black in the island's small graveyard
[ ]	He hears the sound of the rocking chair coming from the locked room
[ ]	He sees the Woman in Black in the house

How many nights does Arthur manage to stay at Eel Marsh House?

[ ]	One
[ ]	Two
[ ]	Three
[ ]	Four

How did Nathaniel Drablow die?

[ ]	He died of a chill after getting lost in the marshes
[ ]	He drowned
[ ]	He caught a fever and died
[ ]	His mother saw the ghost of the Woman in Black and he died unexpectedly shortly afterwards

What emotion motivates the Woman in Black's malevolence towards parents and children?

[ ]	Hatred of children
[ ]	Envy of the innocence of children
[ ]	Hatred of adoptive parents
[ ]	Grief at the loss of her child

What causes the terrible accident in which Stella and the baby, Joseph, die?

[ ]	The pony is startled by the sight of Arthur standing in the path
[ ]	The Woman in Black startles the pony by moving as if she will step into its path
[ ]	Stella is so nervous after seeing the Woman in Black that she accidentally frightens the pony
[ ]	The pony is startled by the sound of a gunshot

10.

Who is the fictional audience for Arthur's terrible tale?

[ ]	Mr Daily
[ ]	The Woman in Black
[ ]	Arthur writes the story down for himself only
[ ]	Arthur's wife and step-children

English Literature Quiz - The Woman in Black - Understanding the Text (Answers)

Why is Arthur sent to Crythin Gifford?

[ ]	His employer, Mr Bentley, wants him to solve the mystery of the Woman in Black
[x]	His employer, Mr Bentley, wants him to sort through the deceased Mrs Drablow's papers
[ ]	Mrs Drablow left instructions for her lawyers to attend her funeral
[ ]	Mr Bentley wishes to attend Mrs Drablow's funeral in person, but is unwell

Arthur is sent to represent Mr Bentley's law firm at Mrs Drablow's funeral and to find and sort through her papers

Arthur believes that the business in Crythin Gifford will be...

[ ]	complex
[ ]	frightening
[x]	straightforward
[ ]	exciting

The dry facts shared by Mr Bentley give Arthur the impression that his business will be swift and uncomplicated; his pauses and the manner in which he emphasises particular words give the reader a clue that he is aware Mrs Drablow's affairs are not at all straightforward

Who is Stella?

[ ]	Mrs Drablow's servant
[ ]	The Woman in Black
[ ]	Mr Bentley's daughter
[x]	Arthur's fiancée

Arthur is reluctant to leave Stella behind in London while he travels North on business

Where does Arthur first meet Mr Daily?

[x]	On the train
[ ]	At Mrs Drablow's funeral
[ ]	At Eel Marsh House
[ ]	In London

Arthur meets Samuel Daily on his final train between Homerby and Crythin Gifford. They begin their friendship with a typical conversation about the weather

What happens when Arthur decides to stay at Eel Marsh House overnight for the first time?

[ ]	He hears a ghostly pony and trap
[ ]	He sees the Woman in Black in the island's small graveyard
[x]	He hears the sound of the rocking chair coming from the locked room
[ ]	He sees the Woman in Black in the house

Arthur sees the Woman in Black in the graveyard and hears the ghostly echo of the pony and trap's dreadful fate on his first visit to Eel Marsh House and yet feels brave enough to stay overnight on his next visit

How many nights does Arthur manage to stay at Eel Marsh House?

[ ]	One
[x]	Two
[ ]	Three
[ ]	Four

The first time Arthur stays overnight, he hears the rocking chair in the locked nursery; on the second occasion he finds the door to the nursery unlocked and later that night saves Spider from being sucked into the mud when she chases into the marshes after a ghostly whistle. Arthur is rescued from the island immediately after this event by Mr Daily

How did Nathaniel Drablow die?

[ ]	He died of a chill after getting lost in the marshes
[x]	He drowned
[ ]	He caught a fever and died
[ ]	His mother saw the ghost of the Woman in Black and he died unexpectedly shortly afterwards

Nathaniel Drablow, his nurse, his dog, the driver of the trap, Mr Keckwick, and the pony die when the pony and trap leave the causeway and become trapped in the mud while the tide is rising during a sudden sea-fret

What emotion motivates the Woman in Black's malevolence towards parents and children?

[ ]	Hatred of children
[ ]	Envy of the innocence of children
[ ]	Hatred of adoptive parents
[x]	Grief at the loss of her child

Jennet Humfrye never recovers from the loss of her child. Her malevolence as a ghostly apparition is driven by this grief, her desire for vengeance born of envy for the happiness she was denied in life