Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The least bloody play in this countdown, number 10, includes only one major death, that of the title character.
1. The title character, whose generosity and compassion is replaced by cruelty and disillusionment after the betrayal of his friends, commits suicide after finding gold in a deserted cave and giving it to Alcibiades.
In which play, often considered experimental or unfinished, does this tragic death occur?
2. Shakespeare's ninth-bloodiest play sees two deaths, equally tragic.
1. Mamillius dies of grief, after his father Leontes imprisons his mother Hermione when the father believes his wife is committing adultery.
2. In quite possibly the most excellent stage direction in theatrical history, Antigonus delivers the baby Perdita to a remote locale before being chased off stage by a bear.
Despite these deaths, everything turns out fine in which Shakespeare play?
3. For a famous tragedy, this play sees *only* four deaths, earning it eighth in the countdown.
1. Roderigo, initially a conspirator in the plot, is stabbed to prevent him from divulging information.
2. Desdemona is smothered by a pillow by her husband in suspicion of adultery.
3. The title character commits suicide after he realizes that Iago's machinations have ruined his life.
4. Emilia is stabbed by her husband to prevent her from divulging information, too.
Iago is also sentenced away for execution at the end of which Shakespearean tragedy?
4. What is it with Shakespearean title characters and suicide? The two in the title of this play, along with three others, create a respectable body count earning seventh in the countdown.
1. Fulvia, one title character's spouse, rebelled and died before the start of the play.
2. Enobarbus changes sides from the title characters in the midst of a war, then dies of a broken heart out of guilt.
3. Eros kills himself because he can't accede to a demand to kill the first title character.
4. The first title character commits suicide by stabbing.
5. The second title character dies from the bite of an asp.
In which not-very-famous Shakespeare play about a famous legend do these deaths occur?
5. Five people die in another of the Bard's masterpieces, but this play earns sixth in the countdown because it also features a battle (Philippi).
1. The title character is assassinated by conspirators, even though his death had been foretold by a soothsayer, his wife, and a scholar.
2. The protagonist's wife Portia commits suicide by swallowing hot coals.
3. Cassius commits suicide when he thinks his friend Titinius has been killed.
4. Titinius commits suicide after he sees that Cassius has killed himself.
5. Brutus eventually realizes that everyone in his life has died, so he runs into his sword.
Such tragic events occur in which bloody Shakespearean play?
6. Coming in at fifth in a countdown is a play whose title characters' deaths are established in the prologue, but eventually come about from a cruel twist of fate. In addition to those two, four others perish in this work.
1. One person is stabbed, saying "A plague o' both your houses."
2. Then, his killer is furiously stabbed by one of the title characters.
3. When Paris gets in the way toward the end of the play, he also dies by the sword.
4. The first title character, thinking that the second title character is dead, swallows poison.
5. The second title character, realizing that the first title character really is dead, stabs herself.
6. Just to escalate the death count, one of the protagonists' mothers dies of grief in Act V.
Body counts begin to escalate with the deaths found in which famous tragedy?
7. Some people call the play found at number four in the countdown "Shakespeare's shortest and bloodiest tragedy." It's not, because body count is "just" eight. However, it gets extra credit, because there are three characters known jointly as "The Murderers."
1. King Duncan is stabbed to fulfill Part I of the witches' prophecy.
2 and 3. In paranoia, the title character stabs two guards who might know about the bloody crimes he is responsible for.
4, 5, and 6. The title character hires Murderers to kill Banquo, fulfilling Part II of the prophecy. They also kill Macduff's wife and son.
7. After hallucinating bloodstains, the title character's wife probably commits suicide.
8. Macduff, who notably was "not from woman born," kills the title character, and Malcolm takes the throne, fulfilling the rest of the prophecy.
Ambition for power ultimately kills eight in which canonical Shakespeare tragedy?
8. Now, at third in the countdown, we reach a truly bloody play, where nine characters meet their untimely demises.
1. The title character's father dies (some time shortly before the action starts) when his brother puts poison in his ear while sleeping.
2. The Prime Minister is stabbed when he is spying from behind a curtain.
3. The title character's girlfriend drowns (whether or not it was suicide is unclear).
4. The title character's mother is poisoned by a cup of wine intended for her son.
5. The title character dies in a fencing match from a poisoned sword.
6. His opponent in that fencing match dies from that same sword.
7. The antagonist, the title character's uncle, dies both from the poisoned wine and the poisoned sword.
8 and 9. The Ambassador points out at the end of the play that "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead," which opened the opportunity for Tom Stoppard's famous parody play.
In which extremely famous Shakespeare play do all of these characters meet their ends?
9. Ten deaths is simply absurd for any play, but this Shakespearean tragedy gives new meaning to a body count.
1. Cornwall is attacked by a servant after he gouges out Gloucester's eyes.
2. That servant is then killed by Regan.
3. Oswald is killed by Edgar.
4. Regan is poisoned by Goneril.
5. Edmund dies in a duel with his half-brother.
6. Gloucester dies of surprise when he sees Edgar alive.
7. Goneril commits suicide after killing her sister.
8. Cordelia is hanged by an unnamed character.
9. The title character kills the murderer of his daughter.
10. The title character dies of grief after he realizes that all three of his daughters perished.
Ten deaths, plus one character's eyes are gouged out- Shakespeare certainly didn't have difficulty showing gore in which of his tragedies?
10. Shakespeare's number one bloodiest play is hardly performed anymore precisely because it is so bloody. Fourteen characters die within five acts, one of them has her tongue cut out as well, and two sons are baked into pies and eaten.
1. Alarbus is sacrificed after his mother loses in battle.
2. In the midst of a battle, Mutius is killed by his father accidentally.
3. Bassanius is assassinated by Chiron and Demetrius at the instructions of Aaron the Moor.
4 and 5. Martius and Quintus are framed for the murder of Bassanius, and their heads are shown on stage after they have been decapitated.
6. A clown is executed, just because.
7. Aaron the Moor kills a nurse when she discovers that Tamora's newborn is his child.
8 and 9. Chiron and Demetrius have their throats cut by the title character and are baked into a pie.
10. Chiron and Demetrius cut out Lavinia's tongue and hands to stop her from revealing what they did to her. When the title character realizes what happened to his daughter, he decides to kill Lavinia.
11. Tamora eats the pie that her sons had been baked in, then is murdered by the title character.
12. Saturninus kills the title character before he can murder anyone else.
13. Lucius kills Saturninus in revenge for the death of his father.
14. Aaron is buried alive as punishment for his cruel deeds.
Essentially, two characters are left alive at the end of which disarmingly-bloody Shakespearean play?
Source: Author
adams627
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
LadyCaitriona before going online.
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