FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Life of William Shakespeare Trivia Quiz

A quiz on the life and times of the most famous playwright in history.

A multiple-choice quiz by kristian88. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
kristian88

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
114,775

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
1080

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Unquestionably the most famous playwright in the world is William Shakespeare. Born in Stratford, England. True of False, was his birth name Gulielmus Shakspere?

True

False

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. The eldest son of John Shakespeare, he was educated in Stratford. Before his profession of acting got under way, he was - according to a very popular story - forced to leave Stratford. Why? Hint

Caught in bed with another man

Caught poaching

Caught in bed with the wife of the alderman

Caught stealing from a butchers

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. His troupe of actors performed for the Queen of England in 1594 and then they moved to the Swan Theatre. They then left again to the famous Globe Theatre but where did the wood come from to build the Globe theatre? Hint

A ship wreck

Sherwood Forest

It wasn't made of wood

Another theatre

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. His main income was from acting but do you know how much he got paid for each play? Hint

�80

�8

�800

80 pence

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. When he was 18 he was granted a special license and married Anne Hathaway. They had three children; what was the name of his son? Hint

Hampet

Hamlet

Hamnet

Hammet

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. Of all his plays, probably the most famous line is this one but can you finish it off? 'To be or not to be, that is the question...' Hint

By opposing to end them, to die, to sleep

Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

For the world is but a stage and the people merely actors in it

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. Shakespeare would often come up with new words or phrases to emphasise what he wanted to describe, most of which are in everday use nowadays. Which of these words did he invent? Hint

Aviation

Antennae

Aerial

Antiquity

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. Yet more words of his invention. Which of these words did he NOT invent? Hint

Bump

Laughable

Critic

Tickle

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. Of all Shakespeare's plays, each contained at least one song...some many more, except for one. Can you name it? Hint

Hamlet

The Comedy of Errors

As You Like It

Henry V

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. Shakespeare is said by some to have died after a drinking binge. At what age did he pass away? Hint

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. Another famous line, often quoted but without the first two words. Can you complete it? 'But ____ , what light through yonder window breaks?' (Fill in the blank)

Answer: (One Word)

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. Another famous line, often quoted again but who was the royal member that said 'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.'? Hint

King Henry

Prince John

King Richard

Prince Hamlet

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. A famous character, this time from one of his plays. Her name is famous but which play did Desdemona appear in? Hint

Hamlet

Henry V

Macbeth

Othello

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. Two more famous characters now. These two have appeared in modern films. So which play do Prospero and Ariel come from? Hint

The Tempest

A Winter's Tale

A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Comedy of Errors

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. Last one now. Another famous quote but can you once again finish it off?...'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more _____'. (Fill in the blank)

Answer: (One Word)

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Unquestionably the most famous playwright in the world is William Shakespeare. Born in Stratford, England. True of False, was his birth name Gulielmus Shakspere?

Answer: True

He was given the name Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere. Geez, it's no wonder he chose William.

2. The eldest son of John Shakespeare, he was educated in Stratford. Before his profession of acting got under way, he was - according to a very popular story - forced to leave Stratford. Why?

Answer: Caught poaching

It is said that he was caught poaching in Charlecote Park but early details of his life are very vague and liable to speculation. There is no evidence to support this story and it first surface in 1708!

Answer: Another theatre

The Swan theatre was dismantled to build the Globe. The Globe was reportedly so foul smelling that people would wear masks or veils to quell the smell. There was no sanitation or sewage works and people would go to the toilet where they sat.

4. His main income was from acting but do you know how much he got paid for each play?

Answer: �8

�8 was the maximum that could be paid for each play. Despite this he owned the finest house in all of Stratford.

5. When he was 18 he was granted a special license and married Anne Hathaway. They had three children; what was the name of his son?

Answer: Hamnet

He also had daughters Susanna and Judith. Hamnet and Judith were twins.

6. Of all his plays, probably the most famous line is this one but can you finish it off? 'To be or not to be, that is the question...'

Answer: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

7. Shakespeare would often come up with new words or phrases to emphasise what he wanted to describe, most of which are in everday use nowadays. Which of these words did he invent?

Answer: Aerial

8. Yet more words of his invention. Which of these words did he NOT invent?

Answer: Tickle

He invented many more including: road, barefaced, clangour, hurry and eventful. Interesting to think what these words would have been had Shakespeare not lived.

9. Of all Shakespeare's plays, each contained at least one song...some many more, except for one. Can you name it?

Answer: The Comedy of Errors

10. Shakespeare is said by some to have died after a drinking binge. At what age did he pass away?

Answer: 52

On the 23rd of April 1616. He was, allegedly, drinking with fellow playwrights Michael Drayton and Ben Jonson.

11. Another famous line, often quoted but without the first two words. Can you complete it? 'But ____ , what light through yonder window breaks?' (Fill in the blank)

Answer: soft

As famously said in his play 'Romeo and Juliet'.

12. Another famous line, often quoted again but who was the royal member that said 'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.'?

Answer: King Henry

From 'Henry V' in his rousing speach to his troops. Made more famous in recent times by Sir Kenneth Brannagh.

13. A famous character, this time from one of his plays. Her name is famous but which play did Desdemona appear in?

Answer: Othello

14. Two more famous characters now. These two have appeared in modern films. So which play do Prospero and Ariel come from?

Answer: The Tempest

'The Tempest' was not released till after his death. A famous Hollywood remake of it was 'Forbidden Planet' with Walter Pidgeon playing Prospero; creating creatures from his own id.

15. Last one now. Another famous quote but can you once again finish it off?...'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more _____'. (Fill in the blank)

Answer: temperate

Taken from one of his sonnets.

Source: Author kristian88

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor thejazzkickazz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.