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The Great Shakespeare Hoax Trivia Quiz

Many people are unaware of this fascinating episode involving an attempt to palm off a bogus work as being a newly discovered and "unknown" work by the Master. This quiz, therefore, will be difficult for most - but should be interesting and informative.

A multiple-choice quiz by robert362. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
robert362

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
186,257

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
352

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the name of the would-be forger? Hint

Henry Avon

John London

William Ireland

James Stratford

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the name of the so-called "newly discovered" play? Hint

Vortigern and Rowena

Salome

Volpone

Medea

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Question 3 of 10

3. Approximately when was the bogus play first produced? Hint

1800

1900

1700

1600

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Question 4 of 10

4. How long did the pseudo-Shakespeare play run? Hint

One full year

100 performances

One month

1 performance

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which is true of the attempted fraud? Hint

The forgery was discovered in the forger's will

The forgery was discovered during the life of the forger

The forgery was discovered when the forger confessed

The forgery was discovered by Shakespearean scholars after the forger's death

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Question 6 of 10

6. The bogus work that was presented was intended to be what type of play? Hint

History

Tragedy

Comedy

None of these

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Question 7 of 10

7. At what age did the forger create the fraudulent Shakespearean work? Hint

Young adult

Old age

Middle age

Childhood

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Question 8 of 10

8. The forger was working on a second forgery. What was it? Hint

James IV

Richard III

Henry II

William I

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Question 9 of 10

9. The forger apparently created his work in an attempt to please which member of his family? Hint

His mother

His father

His uncle

His brother

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Question 10 of 10

10. In which writing did the forger attempt to explain the history of his fraud? Hint

Confessions

Revelations

Apologies

Contemplations

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the name of the would-be forger?

Answer: William Ireland

William Henry Ireland is infamous as the man-who-would-be-Shakespeare.

2. What is the name of the so-called "newly discovered" play?

Answer: Vortigern and Rowena

"Vortigern and Rowena" is not exactly a household word in the history of literature ... but it is a fascinating footnote in the history of Shakespeare and his works.

3. Approximately when was the bogus play first produced?

Answer: 1800

The first performance was in April, 1796 (almost 200 years after the death of Shakespeare).

4. How long did the pseudo-Shakespeare play run?

Answer: 1 performance

The last performance was in April, 1796. The first performance was the one-and-only.

5. Which is true of the attempted fraud?

Answer: The forgery was discovered during the life of the forger

The fraud was detected during the forger's life (shortly after it was perpetrated). It greatly embarrassed him - and his family.

6. The bogus work that was presented was intended to be what type of play?

Answer: Tragedy

It was intended as a tragedy (but may have drawn more than a few laughs).

7. At what age did the forger create the fraudulent Shakespearean work?

Answer: Young adult

Perhaps the most impressive part of this tale is the fact that the forger was a very young man when he attempted the fraud (and succeeded with it, for a while). His prior background was hardly one of distinction: there was nothing that would have led anyone to believe that the seemingly ordinary (or slow) young man was capable of emulating the Bard.

8. The forger was working on a second forgery. What was it?

Answer: Henry II

"Henry II" was going to be yet another Shakespearean "find". When the fraud was discovered, however, everything hit the fan. Henry never got off the ground.

9. The forger apparently created his work in an attempt to please which member of his family?

Answer: His father

Ireland's father, Samuel, was a great admirer of Shakespeare (and wanted to own something of the Bard's). Young Ireland set out to accommodate dear old Dad - in a way that Dad could never have imagined. (Many thought Samuel was involved in the fraud.)

10. In which writing did the forger attempt to explain the history of his fraud?

Answer: Confessions

Ireland continued to write. "Confessions" was a somewhat garbled attempt to explain the true story behind the forgery.

Source: Author robert362

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