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Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" Trivia Quiz

A quiz on the 1996 film "Hamlet", with Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, Derek Jacobi as Claudius, and Julie Christie as Gertrude. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by Caseena. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Caseena

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
326,396

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
11 / 15

Plays
313

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" transports the action of the play to the 19th century. What else is unique about his version? Hint

All of action takes place on an actual stage.

It is a musical.

It takes place in England instead of Denmark.

It contains the full text of the play.

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Question 2 of 15

2. Which of these typically comedic actors does not have a part in this adaptation of "Hamlet"? Hint

Jack Lemmon

Bob Hope

Billy Crystal

Robin Williams

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Question 3 of 15

3. What season is the film set in? Hint

Summer

Spring

Winter

Autumn

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Question 4 of 15

4. Where does the ghost first speak to Hamlet? Hint

Gertrude's room

A forest

A chapel

The lobby

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Question 5 of 15

5. Elsinore palace has many hidden doors and secret passageways. Which of these does not double as a door? Hint

Mirror

Wall

Fireplace

Bookcase

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Question 6 of 15

6. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's first appearance is in a scene with the king and queen; they greet Hamlet later. By what means do they make their entrance to him? Hint

Horseback

Zeppelin

Horse-drawn sledge

Train

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Question 7 of 15

7. What actor of epic proportions portrays the Player King? Hint

Laurence Olivier

Peter Falk

Michael Caine

Charlton Heston

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Question 8 of 15

8. All film versions of "Hamlet" have their own interpretations of the famous "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. In Branagh's version, what is Hamlet doing in the scene? Hint

Looking at himself in a mirror

Sharpening a sword

Standing on a roof

Walking through a crypt

9. Just after the play, Hamlet uses a musical metaphor to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they cannot "play upon" him to try to divine the source of his madness. What instrument does he use in his metaphor? Hint

Recorder

Piano

Cello

Xylophone

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Question 10 of 15

10. Before going to see his mother, Hamlet almost kills Claudius. How does he almost do it? Hint

Stabs him in the head in a confessional

Impales him from behind a tapestry

Puts poison in his cup at dinner

Strangles him in his room

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Question 11 of 15

11. What does Ophelia give to Laertes during her mad scene? Hint

A frog

A book of poetry

Real flowers

Imaginary flowers

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Question 12 of 15

12. We see Yorick in a flashback.

True

False

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Question 13 of 15

13. Why do the gravediggers and the priest think that Ophelia should not have a Christian burial? Hint

She may have committed suicide.

She had asked her brother not to give her a Christian burial.

She was not a Christian.

She never had her last rites.

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Question 14 of 15

14. Who is crowned king at the end? Hint

Laertes

Hamlet

Fortinbras

Bernardo

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Question 15 of 15

15. What is the final thing we see in the film? Hint

Horatio leaving the country on a ship

Ophelia in her watery grave

The burning of Elsinore palace

The tearing down of the statue of old Hamlet

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" transports the action of the play to the 19th century. What else is unique about his version?

Answer: It contains the full text of the play.

The film runs 242 minutes, just over four hours. Some viewers call it "The Eternity Version" in reference to its length. While a few of the speeches are slightly transposed, the film contains all of the scenes and lines of dialogue from the play.

2. Which of these typically comedic actors does not have a part in this adaptation of "Hamlet"?

Answer: Bob Hope

Jack Lemmon plays Marcellus (a non-comedic role), Billy Crystal is one of the gravediggers, and Robin Williams portrays Osric.

3. What season is the film set in?

Answer: Winter

A couple of scenes feature actual blizzards. Branagh wanted to shoot with real snow, so when a blizzard started one day, he hauled the actors out of their lunch break to shoot the scene where Horatio (Nicholas Farrell) gets the letter from Hamlet. The actors had to keep putting on more clothes because of the cold.

4. Where does the ghost first speak to Hamlet?

Answer: A forest

He speaks to Hamlet here, to tell his son to avenge his murder. The ghost, played by Brian Blessed, appears to Hamlet again in Gertrude's room after the play scene.

5. Elsinore palace has many hidden doors and secret passageways. Which of these does not double as a door?

Answer: Fireplace

The fact that walls and bookcases are doors induces paranoia that anyone could be listening or spying on anyone at any time.

6. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's first appearance is in a scene with the king and queen; they greet Hamlet later. By what means do they make their entrance to him?

Answer: Train

The miniature train that they arrive on is part of the setup at Blenheim Palace, where the exteriors for the film were shot. Timothy Spall and Reece Dinsdale play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

7. What actor of epic proportions portrays the Player King?

Answer: Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston is known for starring in many epics, such as "Ben-hur", "El Cid" and "The Ten Commandements". His character recites part of the the story of Pyrrhus, Priam, and Hecuba during the Trojan War. He later acts in the play that Hamlet uses to determine whether or not his uncle murdered his father.

8. All film versions of "Hamlet" have their own interpretations of the famous "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy. In Branagh's version, what is Hamlet doing in the scene?

Answer: Looking at himself in a mirror

The mirror is a two-way mirror; Claudius and Polonius are on the other side, ready to observe the encounter between Hamlet and Ophelia. The 1990 film version of "Hamlet", with Mel Gibson in the title role, has Hamlet walking through a crypt while reciting the monologue.

Answer: Recorder

He breaks off his friendship with them in this scene, one of my favorites from the play and the film. His old school friends have been spying on him for the king and queen and he lets them know that he doesn't appreciate it. Later, he has them unknowingly deliver their own death warrants to the King of England.

10. Before going to see his mother, Hamlet almost kills Claudius. How does he almost do it?

Answer: Stabs him in the head in a confessional

He imagines stabbing Claudius in the ear; Claudius had poisoned old Hamlet by pouring poison into his ear. Hamlet decides not to kill the king at this point because not only does he want Claudius dead, he doesn't want Claudius to go to heaven, which he thinks will happen if Claudius dies while in prayer.

Interestingly, Derek Jacobi plays another Claudius, Emperor Claudius, in the miniseries "I, Claudius".

11. What does Ophelia give to Laertes during her mad scene?

Answer: Imaginary flowers

Most productions have Ophelia giving out real flowers, but imaginary flowers also work to display her madness. Kate Winslet plays Ophelia and Michael Maloney plays her brother, Laertes.

12. We see Yorick in a flashback.

Answer: True

While Hamlet holds the skull, the film fades into a scene with Yorick, the king's jester. It further illustrates the point that the skulls that the gravediggers knock around were once lively human beings. Comedian Ken Dodd plays Yorick.

13. Why do the gravediggers and the priest think that Ophelia should not have a Christian burial?

Answer: She may have committed suicide.

Suicide does not warrant a Christian burial, so the priest has reservations about burying Ophelia this way. It's still arguable whether Ophelia drowns herself on purpose, drowns by accident, or if she falls into the water and decides not to try to save herself. However, Laertes insists on her virgin rites and a Christian burial.

14. Who is crowned king at the end?

Answer: Fortinbras

By the time Fortinbras (Rufus Sewell) arrives, the entire royal family of Denmark is dead. As Fortinbras also has a claim to the throne, he takes it, and so Denmark is not left without a king at the end.

15. What is the final thing we see in the film?

Answer: The tearing down of the statue of old Hamlet

As the Player King might say, we end where we began. The first thing we see in the movie is the name "Hamlet" engraved in stone, under a statue of old Hamlet. Fortinbras' soldiers tear it down at the end.

Source: Author Caseena

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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