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Quiz about Shakespeare Plots Characters Quotes

Shakespeare Plots, Characters, Quotes Quiz

Discussing Shakespeare without a basic knowledge of the plots, characters etc. would not be a very sensible thing to do. So a quick revision of some 'Basics' via a li'l quiz cannot be a waste of time.

A multiple-choice quiz by chrissie_26. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
chrissie_26

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
39,493

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1817

Last 3 plays: jamesf (8/10), Guest 138 (7/10), Guest 42 (5/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which King in Shakespeare's plays is usually referred to as Bolingbroke? Hint

King John

Richard III

Henry IV

Henry V

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What's the name of the German University attended by Hamlet, Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but not by Laertes? Hint

Wittenberg

Nuernberg

Tannenberg

Koenigsberg

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Which of these characters was originally called Oldcastle by Shakespeare, but had to undergo a name change because of legal action by the relatives of somebody of that name? Hint

Falstaff

Malvolio

Sir Toby Belch

Shylock

4. 'Our revels now are ended. These our actors ... Are melted into air, into thin air. ... The great Globe itself ... shall dissolve and, like this unsubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind.'

Near the end of which play is this said? Hint

Timon of Athens

A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Tempest

The Winter's Tale

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. 'My Kingdom for a horse'. What's the name of the battlefield where Richard III proposes this trading-in of his throne for a means to escape certain death? Hint

Marston Moor

Tewkesbury

Bosworth

Wakefield

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Question 6 of 10

6. In which Shakespeare play is there a character that seems to have been inspired by the Celtic word for a spirit: 'pucca'? Hint

Love's Labour Lost

The Tempest

Much Ado About Nothing

A Midsummer Night's Dream

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. What parallel is there between Imogen in Cymbeline and Desdemona in Othello? Hint

They both lose a valuable handkerchief

They both fall in love with a black guy.

They both have the appearances against them when accused of adultery

They both are Venetian ladies

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Whose last words are these (and in which play): 'Demand me nothing. What you know you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.'? Hint

Coriolanus, in "Coriolanus"

Laertes, in "Hamlet"

Cordelia, in "King Lear"

Iago, in "Othello"

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Which Shakespeare play contains a scene where we actually hear a French lady have a prolonged conversation with the English King in which she keeps speaking French? Hint

Much Ado About Nothing

Henry V

The Taming of the Shrew

King Lear

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. One of the Portias in Shakespeare's plays appears in Julius Caesar. In what play would you find the other one? Hint

Antony and Cleopatra

Love's Labour Lost

All's Well That Ends Well

The Merchant of Venice

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 10 2024 : jamesf: 8/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 138: 7/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 42: 5/10
Sep 29 2024 : Guest 75: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which King in Shakespeare's plays is usually referred to as Bolingbroke?

Answer: Henry IV

Bolingbroke was the place where Henry IV was born. In "Richard II" he figures as the usurper of the throne.

2. What's the name of the German University attended by Hamlet, Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, but not by Laertes?

Answer: Wittenberg

Koenigsberg is where Immanuel Kant lived. Tannenberg was a famous battle in First World War: Aug. 26-30, 1914. Defeat of Russian army. The Battle of Tannberg on July 15, 1410 was a Polish-Lithuanian victory over the Knights of the Teutonic Order. Laertes studies in France. It's not clear if the quality of the studies there is the real reason for his French preferences.

3. Which of these characters was originally called Oldcastle by Shakespeare, but had to undergo a name change because of legal action by the relatives of somebody of that name?

Answer: Falstaff

Malvolio and Sir Toby Belch are from "Twelfth Night". Malvolio is probably meant as a caricature of a Puritan. Falstaff has been seen by some critics as expressing some views of Shakespeare himself. Shylock is from "The Merchant of Venice" and illustrates how Shakespeare, just as Chaucer, does not completely escape a taint of antisemitism.

Answer: The Tempest

The words are spoken by Prospero, the Duke of Milan, in Scene One of Act IV .They clearly refer to Shakespeare's own Playhouse. And possibly not just to the approaching end of the play, but also to the approaching end of his career. Some critics however consider that not the Tempest, but Henry VIII was the very last play of his career.

Some say 'wholly by Shakespeare', others 'only parts' and 'in collaboration with another writer, possibly John Fletcher.'

5. 'My Kingdom for a horse'. What's the name of the battlefield where Richard III proposes this trading-in of his throne for a means to escape certain death?

Answer: Bosworth

The Battle of Bosworth was fought between Richard III and the later Henry VII on Aug. 22, 1485. Tewkesbury (May 4, 1471) and Wakefield (December 1460) were earlier battles in the War of Roses. Marston Moor is from the Civil War: July 2, 1644. First major Royalist defeat in the English Civil War.

6. In which Shakespeare play is there a character that seems to have been inspired by the Celtic word for a spirit: 'pucca'?

Answer: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Puck, a fairy and a vivacious narrator, is Oberon's good-natured henchman. There is a 'Puck-like' character in traditional folktales. The origin might be Celtic.

7. What parallel is there between Imogen in Cymbeline and Desdemona in Othello?

Answer: They both have the appearances against them when accused of adultery

Cymbeline is situated in Roman Britain, so no Venetian ladies here. Somebody managed to be smuggled into Imogen's bedroom. By seeing some details of her body, he is able to suggest he has slept with her.

8. Whose last words are these (and in which play): 'Demand me nothing. What you know you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.'?

Answer: Iago, in "Othello"

Iago quite typically never gives a really plausible 'motivation' for his persecution of Desdemona, Othello.

9. Which Shakespeare play contains a scene where we actually hear a French lady have a prolonged conversation with the English King in which she keeps speaking French?

Answer: Henry V

Henry V is wooing the daughter of the French King. Rather realistically Shakespeare portrays a French princess who does not even try to speak English. The King gets some basic French tuition.

10. One of the Portias in Shakespeare's plays appears in Julius Caesar. In what play would you find the other one?

Answer: The Merchant of Venice

In "The Merchant of Venice", Portia is a rich heiress who is in love with Bassanio, Antonio's well-born but impecunious friend. When her friend's friend is in trouble, Portia disguises herself as a lawyer and points out some of the fine print in the contract Shylock has made with Antonio. Quite typically the Jewish person is the one who in the end 'pays the bill' for daring to ask the application of the terms of the contract.

Source: Author chrissie_26

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