Forecasting the Weather Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sebastian

Viola is rescued from the wreck, but believes Sebastian has been drowned. She disguises herself as a young man, and takes a position as a servant to Duke Orsino, who uses 'him' as an intermediary to woo the reluctant Olivia. Viola falls in love with Orsino, while Olivia falls for Viola (in her masculine disguise). Fortunately, Sebastian has also survived and, after some confusion due to the likeness between the twins, Sebastian is able to marry Olivia while Viola captures the heart of Orsino. Antonio is the sea captain who rescues Sebastian while Malvolio is the steward for Olivia.

Answer: Sonnet 18

Of course, if I'd given you the opening lines of 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day; Thou art more lovely and more temperate' I'm sure you'd have spotted it instantly. This is one of Shakespeare's best known sonnets in which he compares the object of his love to the summer season which can be too hot and last for too short a time, while she will be immortalised by the poem. H. E. Bates used the title 'The Darling Buds of May' for his 1958 book about the Larkin family, which was later televised with Catherine Zeta-Jones in an early acting role.

Answer: Prospero

Prospero orders Ariel to create the storm to shipwreck his brother, Antonio, who has usurped Prospero's position as Duke of Milan. Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, have been living on an island for twelve years, and the consequences of the storm enable Prospero to bring his brother to justice and reclaim his rightful position. Ariel is a spirit who has aided Prospero, and who is released from his service at the end of the play, while Caliban is a native of the island who has been enslaved. Ferdinand is the Prince of Naples who falls in love with Miranda, and she with him.

Her speech 'O brave new world; that has such people in't' gave Aldous Huxley his title for the 1931 novel.

Answer: Fool

Lear has divided his kingdom between Regan and Goneril, who have, at his insistence, falsely flattered him with their declarations of love. His youngest daughter, Cordelia, has been disinherited for having refused to go along with his demands. Lear, having discovered the truth about his older daughters' true feelings for him, runs into the storm, which matches the the storm of emotions he is suffering. Fool, as he is listed in the list of characters, goes with him, to point out the error of the king's ways.

By the end of the play, Lear and all three daughters are dead. Edgar, Edmund and Oswald are all characters from the play.

Answer: Syracuse

As if having two sets of twins wasn't complicated enough, each pair also shares the same name. The master twins are named Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse while the slave twins are Dromio of Ephesus and Dromio of Syracuse. The father of the two Antipholuses saves one of them and one Dromio, while his wife saves the other pair, ending up in different towns.

Many years later, Antipholus of Syracuse, accompanied by Dromio of Syracuse, arrives in Ephesus to try and trace his brother, leading to numerous instances of mistaken identity before all eventually becomes clear.

Answer: Portia

Antonio, the merchant of the title, has borrowed money from the moneylender, Shylock, but is unable to repay it as it seems his ships have been lost at sea. Shylock is insisting that the terms of the contract, a pound of Antonio's flesh, be met. Portia has disguised herself as a lawyer, and tries to persuade Shylock to show mercy, using the famous words quoted. Shylock insists on taking his 'pound of flesh' but is thwarted when Portia points out that his contract makes no mention of spilling blood.

The other character listed, Jessica, is Shylock's daughter.

Answer: As You Like It

Duke Senior has been usurped by his younger brother, Frederick, and set up an alternative court in the Forest of Arden. Senior's daughter, Rosalind, has remained at the original court but then finds herself exiled as well. She flees, in disguise as a shepherd, and ends up in the same forest, unrecognised by her father. Eventually, Frederick sees the error of his ways, and Duke Senior is restored to his rightful position.

The song quoted is sung by Lord Amiens to Duke Senior, and appears in the same scene as, and just after, Jacques's famous speech about the stages of man's life, which begins 'All the world's a stage'.

Answer: Banquo

It is the meeting with the witches which sets the tragic chain of events into motion. At the time, Macbeth is Thane of Glamis, but the witches also address him as Thane of Cawdor and as the future king. Banquo is informed by the witches that, though he will never be king himself, he will be the father of kings.

When Macbeth is given the title of Thane of Cawdor, he believes in the prediction and decides to hasten his ascension to the throne by murdering the current king, Duncan. Matters soon escalate, leading Macbeth to arrange the murders of both Banquo and the family of Macduff in an attempt to retain the power he has usurped. Malcolm is the son of the late king, and the rightful heir, while Fleance is Banquo's son.

Answer: Romeo

If I'd quoted from the beginning of the scene, you would have spotted the right answer instantly as the words come from the famous balcony scene and start with 'But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks. It is the east and Juliet is the sun'. Romeo is secretly watching Juliet, and his words are comparing her to the rising sun, which banishes the pale moon.

The other characters, although in love with their respective amours, are not known for mooning around.

Answer: Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Pericles is shipwrecked near Pentapolis, where he marries Thaisa, the king's daughter, after triumphing in a tournament. While returning to Tyre, Thaisa gives birth to a daughter during a storm, and appears to have died. Her body is put overboard, although she is revived by a doctor when reaching land.

However, she believes Pericles and her baby to have died while Pericles, of course, is convinced she is dead. Eventually, father, mother and daughter are reunited, although many years and misadventures have passed before this takes place.

This play is one of Shakespeare's latest, and there has been much debate over the amount written by him, due to differences in style between the early and later parts of the drama. Although the plot doesn't sound particularly comedic, the play is classed as a comedy, while the other three options are definitely tragedies.