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King Lear Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
King Lear Quizzes, Trivia

King Lear Trivia

King Lear Trivia Quizzes

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Perhaps if Lear had disposed of his kingdom more thoughtfully, there would have been fewer deaths to record along the way - but then, this wouldn't have been one of Shakespeare's great tragedies.
7 King Lear quizzes and 90 King Lear trivia questions.
1.
  Shakespeare's 'King Lear' Multiple Choice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This is a quiz on one of Shakespeare's more overlooked great tragedies. It should be easy if you're familiar with the plot.
Average, 15 Qns, KatidydWM, May 03 19
Average
KatidydWM
May 03 19
4557 plays
2.
  King Lear    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
Keats called this play "the fierce dispute, betwixt damnation and impassion'd clay". Good luck in a very challenging quiz. Enjoy.
Difficult, 25 Qns, Fiachra, May 26 19
Difficult
Fiachra
May 26 19
1514 plays
3.
  King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I thought the body count in "Hamlet" was high. How much do you know about these 10 characters who do not make it to the final curtain in "King Lear?"
Average, 10 Qns, rblayer, Dec 11 03
Average
rblayer
1636 plays
4.
  Fleeing the Scene   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I am Edgar, son of the Earl of Gloucester, and I fled from the court at the start of the play, but while I tried to stay in safety, the incredible loss of this play has affected me - answer these questions about those who perished while I was in exile.
Average, 10 Qns, merylfederman, Jun 25 12
Average
merylfederman gold member
307 plays
5.
  Shakespeare's 'King Lear' Quiz Challenge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Have you read King Lear? Try this quiz.... It's fairly easy.
Average, 10 Qns, JCSon, Dec 08 20
Average
JCSon gold member
Dec 08 20
1744 plays
6.
  Shakespeare- "King Lear"    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
An assortment of questions on this great play.
Tough, 10 Qns, crazy_curlz, Jun 10 12
Tough
crazy_curlz
300 plays
7.
  Cordelia    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz about my favorite character in "King Lear" - Cordelia.
Average, 10 Qns, MiracleMWang, Mar 26 07
Average
MiracleMWang
801 plays
trivia question Quick Question
When Edgar is disguised and pretending to be insane, by what name does he go?

From Quiz "Shakespeare's 'King Lear'"





King Lear Trivia Questions
1. "Where's my knave? My fool?- Go you and call my fool hither...Where's my fool, ho? I think the world's asleep." Who fetches his fool?

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: An attendant

In this, Act 1 scene 4, Kent has returned incognito and already there are signs that Regan and Goneril are not so full of devotion.

2. Why does King Lear disinherit Cordelia?

From Quiz Cordelia

Answer: She was honest

It's a funny thing how peoples' minds work. But, I guess he was old and thought she didn't love him.

3. This poor fellow was stabbed in the back by Regan while he tried to prevent an atrocity.

From Quiz King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre

Answer: a servant.

Of course, in another very bloody Shakespeare play, this poor character inflicted fatal wounds to his opponent before dying.

4. Who was Kent describing in these lines? "I cannot wish the fault undone the issue of it being so proper."

From Quiz King Lear

Answer: Edmund

These lines are spoken as Gloucester, Edmund and Kent await the arrival of Lear. Everyone is aware that some momentous decisions are to be announced, there is a buzz a sense of expectancy.

5. Which noble refuses to take Cordelia to wife because she has no dowry?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: Duke of Burgundy

6. King Lear is the king of what country?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: Britain

This play is set in Britain before even King Arthur's time.

7. This evil act of blinding my father was not unavenged, because the man who gave his life managed to injure the Duke mortally - later on it is revealed that the Duke died. Which evil Duke is this?

From Quiz Fleeing the Scene

Answer: Duke of Cornwall

The Duke of Cornwall, one of King Lear's sons-in-law and just as evil as Lear's two older daughters, suffered death for his evil deed. Thank goodness, and a morally upright servant.

8. "Why, what a monstrous fellow art thou, thus to rail on one that's neither know of thee nor knows thee?" Who says that?

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: Oswald

This line brings a smile to my face, but Oswald really was a scumbag. A mercenary dogs-body, more than happy to perform the most morally ambiguous of tasks.

9. Who is banished for speaking plainly to Lear?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: Kent

King Lear intends to divide his realm among his three daughters, promising the largest share to the one who loves him most. The elder Goneril and Regan flatter their father with their professions of love, but Cordelia's plain honesty is somewhat less than satisfactory to the king. Cordelia, therefore, finds herself disinherited, and when Kent (rightly) comes to her defense, he is banished from the realm for failing to hold his tongue.

10. The Earl of Gloucester has two sons, Edgar and Edmund. What is unusual about the younger?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: he is illegitimate

Edmund is envious of his older brother. He is jealous of the attention Gloucester gives to Edgar and he hates the stigma of being a bastard.

11. Which character speaks these lines in reference to being placed in the stocks? "Some time I shall sleep out, the rest I'll whistle"

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: Kent

The stocks don't look too comfortable to me, but it was a chance for Kent to have a little rest and wait till Lear finds out.

12. Who are Cordelia's two suitors?

From Quiz Cordelia

Answer: King of France & Duke of Burgundy

The Duke of Burgundy refused to marry Cordelia after he found out that she had no dowry. As Shakespeare put it: "Peace be with Burgundy! Since that respects of fortune are his love, I shall not be his wife."

13. This letter carrier for Goneril is slain by Edgar when he attacks Gloucester.

From Quiz King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre

Answer: Oswald

Earlier in "King Lear", the Earl of Kent was put in the stocks for assaulting the luckless Oswald.

14. Who did Lear address in this remark. "Come not between the dragon and his wrath"?

From Quiz King Lear

Answer: Kent

Kent, like Lear, had a passionate temper which he lost in Cordelia's defence. It earned him banishment.

15. In the play's conclusion, for whose love do the two eldest daughters of King Lear compete?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: Edmund

16. In the beginning of the play King Lear's youngest daughter has two suitors. Whom does she end up marrying?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: King of France

After King Lear has disowned Cordelia, the Duke of Burgundy withdraws his suit. The King of France however, loves Cordelia for herself and so he marries her even without land. He says, 'She is herself a dowry.'

17. Lear wishes to speak with Regan and Cornwall. Among other things, what does Lear say when told that they are asleep?

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: Fetch me a better answer

How callous of them. They won't even see him. He might be a little temperamental but he has just given them half of everything he owned.

18. Who does Cordelia end up marrying?

From Quiz Cordelia

Answer: King of France

Edgar doesn't get married, Burgundy refuses her, and Cornwall already has a wife. The King of France is good to his queen.

19. This character dies from wounds inflicted by his own servant.

From Quiz King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre

Answer: Cornwall

Cornwall's wife, Regan, was then free to marry her paramour, Edmund.

20. What did Edmund find "thrown in at his casement"?

From Quiz King Lear

Answer: Nothing

Edmund claimed that a letter from Edgar was thrown in his window. In reality he had written it himself. It was part of his elaborate scheme to turn the gullible Gloucester against his legitimate son. It worked like a dream.

21. How does Goneril die?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: She stabs herself

22. The Earl of Kent protests to King Lear's disownment of Cordelia. He says, 'I'll tell thee thou dost evil.' For disagreeing with the king, what is his punishment?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: he is banished on penalty of death

Kent does not leave however, but disguises himself to continue to serve King Lear. He tries to save Lear from himself.

23. "O, Reason not the need" Where is the scene set in which that line is spoken?

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: Gloucester's castle

This is the first line of a great passage.

24. Who was the only daughter of King Lear who truly loved and cared for him, and ended up being hanged?

From Quiz King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre

Answer: Cordelia

Cordelia's refusal to falsely declare great love for her father King Lear, not only cost her a share of his kingdom, but set into motion a sequence of events leaving ten people dead, herself included.

25. Complete the Fool's request to Lear. "Prithee nuncle, keep a schoolteacher that can teach thy Fool to ....?

From Quiz King Lear

Answer: Lie

The Fool claims if he could lie he would become rich and powerful like Goneril and Regan. This remark is part of a long series of jibes in which the Fool points out Lear's foolishness in giving everything away.

26. Who says, 'This shows you are above, You justicers, that these our nether crimes So speedily can venge'?

From Quiz Shakespeare's 'King Lear'

Answer: Duke of Albany

27. Yet another death that I partially caused - who knew if my flight caused this? Perhaps if I had stayed I might have prevented this? But my father did die in my presence after we had formally re-united. How did he die?

From Quiz Fleeing the Scene

Answer: His heart burst/gave out

When I told my father of my true identity, his heart "burst smilingly" upon realizing that I was the "madman" who had been helping him all along. I will never forgive his torturers, or myself for leaving him to their mercy.

28. Why does Edgar not reveal his true identity to Gloucester when he happens upon him, now a poor blinded man?

From Quiz Shakespeare- "King Lear"

Answer: He still believes his father is set against him

Gloucester is Edgar's father. Gloucester is painfully disillusioned and knows now that it was Edmund who was treacherous, not Edgar. Edgar doesn't know this.

29. Finish the quote: "Mine enemy's ____, though he had ____ me, should have stood that night against my fire.

From Quiz Cordelia

Answer: Dog, bit

She is talking about the dreadful thunderstorm that her father was out in.

30. Who is the only character actually killed by King Lear.

From Quiz King Lear - Another Shakespearean massacre

Answer: the hangman.

The hangman was only following the orders of his master, Edmund, when he hanged Cordelia. With his dying words, Edmund tried to revoke the death warrant, but it was too late.

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