The Bard's World of Wild Magical Truth Quiz

Answer: The Tempest

This is an engraving from 1797 by Benjamin Smith based on a George Romney painting that depicts the storm Prospero conjured at the start of "The Tempest" to shipwreck his enemies on his home island.

Answer: Ariel

Ariel is the enslaved servant of Prospero in "The Tempest", and aids in Prospero's scheme to entrap Antonio's ship on the island. He's an airy spirit with mystical powers, and intones a famous poem ("Full fathom five thy father lies, of his bones are coral made") to lure Ferdinand into Prospero's domain. This is a Millais painting of that moment in the play.

Answer: Nick Bottom

Nick Bottom is the leading man of the Athenian tradesmen-turned-actors group known as the "Mechanicals," and his boasting leads Oberon's servant Robin Goodfellow to punish him with a bizarre donkey head, making him the butt of many jokes and the unwitting love of a magically love-charmed Titania. This image here is a painting by Johann Heinrich Fussli of the "lovers" together.

Answer: Banquo

Banquo is Macbeth's friend, who he has killed because he knows too much - Banquo in fact suspects his newly-kinged friend Macbeth of having killed for the crown. Since Banquo has this knowledge, and his sons may unseat Macbeth on the throne, Macbeth has Banquo killed; however, the ghost does not let Macbeth enjoy his dinner in peace, and instead causes Macbeth to have an outburst in shock at seeing him - all the while his guests have no idea what Macbeth is looking at.

This is a painting by Théodore Chassériau depicting the supernatural scene.

Answer: Lord Siward

Macbeth begins the play as the Thane of Glamis, and the first witch greets him as such. In the battle, the Thane of Cawdor is revealed as a traitor and his title falls to Macbeth, so the second witch greets him as such (though Macbeth doesn't know that he's gotten this title yet, so he thinks they're wrong).

Then, of course, they greet him as king-that-shall-be. Let's just say he never quite gets over it. This is another Fussli painting.

Answer: Brutus

Brutus had led the conspiracy to kill Caesar (along with Cassius), and for his troubles he has his sleep disrupted by the ghost of the fallen leader. Caesar's return is prophetic, to tell Brutus of his impending defeat at Philippi.

Answer: Hermione

Hermione, depicted here in a photograph featuring actress Mary Anderson, is shown to her mourning husband Leontes as an image of herself, but then is revived in flesh and blood and returned to her family. It is a moment of glorious redemption (if not exactly magic in the resurrection part, where things are left decidedly ambiguous).

Answer: Hamlet

Hamlet is the prince who is approached by his father's spirit and is compelled to walk aside with it, away from his companions. They object to leaving the prince alone with a supernatural being, but Hamlet eventually wins out and gets to hear the ghost speak.

Answer: Macbeth cannot be defeated until the sun "is blotted from the sky"

Macbeth, once crowned, becomes wildly fearful of maintaining his rule. Afraid of Banquo (his friend who knew of the original prophecy that he would be king) and Macduff (a nobleman who continuously refuses to follow Macbeth), he asks about what to do.

The masters tell him to fear Macduff, never fear men born of women, and to wait for a forest to move up to the high Dunsinane Hill. Obviously, Macbeth feels very confident after hearing these impossible "dangers" against his charmed life.

Answer: Puck

Puck is servant to Oberon and in the scene depicted here he speaks with an unnamed fairy who serves Titania. At this time, Oberon and Titania are in a sharp conflict, but the two fairies spend some time setting the magical scene, explaining the fairies' powers and the world they live in.