Art and Literature: Shakespeare

Question 1

1. In which town was William Shakespeare born?

Answer 1

Stratford-upon-Avon in the United Kingdom

Question 2

2. True or False: William Shakespeare was born and died on April 26.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In which Shakespearean play do we meet Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern?

Answer 3

Hamlet

Question 4

Which monarch ruled England at the start of Shakespeare’s career as a
playwright?

Answer 4

Queen Elizabeth I

Question 5

How many plays were published in Shakespeare’s first folio: 10, 34, 26,
50?

Answer 5

36
Printed in the large “folio” size, the First Folio is the first collected edition of
the plays of William Shakespeare. It was put together after his death in 1616
by two fellow actors, John Heminge and Henry Condell, and was published
in 1623. The book contains the complete text of 36 of Shakespeare’s plays.

Question 6

6. Complete the title of this play: Much Ado About…

Answer 6

Nothing
This is a play by William Shakespeare where the title ironically refers to a
great deal of fuss being made over something that is ultimately
insignificant.

Question 7

Which Shakespearean theater was reconstructed on London’s South
Bank in 1997?

Answer 7

The Globe Theatre or The Globe Theater
This reconstruction was based on the original Globe playhouse where many
of Shakespeare’s plays were first performed.

Question 8

8. Which tragic play features the characters Iago and Desdemona?

Answer 8

Othello

Question 9

9. Which play features two “star-crossed” lovers?

Answer 9

Romeo and Juliet
The term “star-crossed lovers” refers to a couple whose relationship is
doomed to fail, often due to fate or the stars. The phrase is a hyperbole, as
the stars are not literally crossed. It can also imply that the lovers were
unprepared for their relationship or didn’t know each other well enough.

Question 10

Shakespeare wrote three different types of plays: comedies, tragedies,
and ___________________.

Answer 10

Histories

Question 11

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11. Which Shakespearean play was set on a remote island?

Answer 11

The Tempest

Question 12

12. Which of Shakespeare’s plays is the shortest?

Answer 12

A Comedy of Errors or The Comedy of Errors

Question 13

Which Roman general in one of Shakespeare’s plays neglects his
soldierly duties after falling for Cleopatra’s charm?

Answer 13

Mark Antony

Question 14

The Three Witches, also called the Weird Sisters, appear in which
Shakespeare play

Answer 14

Macbeth

Question 15

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15. Who falls in love with Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Answer 15

Titania

Question 16

16. What is the unrhymed poetry in Shakespeare’s plays called?

Answer 16

Blank verse
Blank verse refers to poetry written in a regular meter (usually iambic
pentameter) but without rhyme, which is the primary form of verse used by
Shakespeare in most of his plays.

Question 17

17. Which of Shakespeare’s plays takes place in the “Forest of Arden”?

Answer 17

As You Like It
In As You Like It, several characters, including Rosalind and Celia, escape to
the Forest of Arden where much of the play’s action unfolds.

Question 18

18. Which Shakespearean play includes the Battle of Agincourt?

Answer 18

Henry V. This is a historical play that focuses on the story of King Henry V,
and the Battle of Agincourt is a central event within the play, depicting the
English victory against the French.

Question 19

19. How many lines does a sonnet have?

Answer 19

14

Question 20

20. How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?

Answer 20

154

Question 21

21. What is the name of Hamlet’s mother?

Answer 21

Gertrude

Question 22

22. What was the name of Shakespeare’s wife?

Answer 22

Anne Hathaway

Question 23

23. Which play does this quote come from: “If music be the food of love,
    play on”?

Answer 23

Twelfth Night. This line is spoken by the character Duke Orsino at the
beginning of the play, expressing his desire for music to soothe his lovelorn
feelings.