| Whom does Polonius send to France to spy on Laertes?(A) Reynaldo(B) Ophelia(C) Guido(D) Marcellus | A |
| Where does the ghost appear during the play?(A) The castle ramparts and the great hall of Elsinore(B) Fortinbras’s tent and Hamlet’s bedchamber(C) The castle ramparts and Gertrude’s bedchamber(D) Gertrude’s bedchamber and the great hall of Elsinore | C |
| How did Claudius murder King Hamlet?(A) By stabbing him through an arras(B) By pouring poison into his ear(C) By ordering him to be hanged(D) By poisoning his wineglass | B |
| Where is the university at which Horatio and Hamlet studied?(A) Paris(B) Oxford(C) Constantinople(D) Wittenberg | D |
| Whose skull does Hamlet discover in the churchyard?(A) The former court jester’s(B) Reynaldo’s(C) Ophelia’s(D) His father’s | A |
| Which of the following characters cannot see the ghost?(A) Marcellus(B) Hamlet(C) Gertrude(D) Horatio | C |
| Who escorts Hamlet on the voyage to England?(A) Cornelius and Voltimand(B) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern(C) Marcellus and Bernardo(D) Captain Vicissus and the one-eyed thief | B |
| Where do Hamlet and Laertes fight during Ophelia’s funeral?(A) In the nearby woods(B) Beside Ophelia’s grave(C) Inside the church(D) Inside the grave itself | D |
| Which of the following characters survive the play?(A) Fortinbras, Horatio, and Osric(B) Prince Hamlet, Polonius, and Gertrude(C) Claudius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern(D) Ophelia, Laertes, and King Hamlet | A |
| What does Hamlet claim to be able to tell the difference between when the wind is from the south?(A) A flea and a fire log(B) A nymph and a nihilist(C) A hawk and a handsaw(D) A shark and St. Timothy | C |
| In whose history of Denmark did Shakespeare find background material for his play?(A) Oedipus of Thebes(B) Saxo Grammaticus(C) Franz Guntherhaasen(D) Dionysus Finn | B |
| How does Ophelia die?(A) Claudius stabs her.(B) Hamlet strangles her.(C) She slits her wrists.(D) She drowns in the river. | D |
| Whose story does Hamlet ask the players to tell upon their arrival to Elsinore?(A) Priam and Hecuba’s(B) Antony and Cleopatra’s(C) Gertrude and Claudius’s(D) Ophelia’s | A |
| Why, according to Polonius, has Hamlet gone mad?(A) He grieves too much for his father.(B) He despises Claudius for marrying Gertrude.(C) He is in love with Ophelia.(D) He is jealous of Laertes and longs to return to Wittenberg. | C |
| Who is the last character to die in the play?(A) Horatio(B) Hamlet(C) Claudius(D) Fortinbras | B |
| How many characters die during the course of the play?(A) Two(B) Five(C) Seven(D) Eight | D |
| Who speaks the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy?(A) Claudius(B) Hamlet(C) The ghost(D) Laertes | B |
| In what country do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern die?(A) Belgium(B) Denmark(C) England(D) Poland | C |
| Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius after the traveling players’ play?(A) Claudius is praying.(B) Claudius is asleep.(C) Claudius pleads for mercy.(D) Gertrude is in the next room. | A |
| Who killed Fortinbras’s father?(A) Prince Hamlet(B) Laertes(C) Fortinbras(D) Hamlet’s father | D |
| Which character speaks the first line of the play?(A) Bernardo(B) Francisco(C) Hamlet(D) Horatio | A |
| In which of the following years was Hamlet most likely written?(A) 1570(B) 1601(C) 1581(D) 1610 | B |
| Which of Claudius and Laertes’ traps for Hamlet succeeds in killing him?(A) The poisoned cup(B) The sharpened sword(C) The poisoned dagger(D) The poisoned sword | D |
| Which character speaks from beneath the stage toward the end of Act I?(A) The ghost(B) Hamlet(C) Claudius(D) Polonius | A |
| Who returns Hamlet to Denmark after his exile?(A) Horatio(B) Claudius(C) A group of pirates(D) A group of monks | C |
| What is the name of the play Hamlet stages for Claudius?(A) The Revenger’s Tragedy(B) The Murder of Gonzago(C) The Death of Tamburlaine(D) The White Devil | B |
| Who does Claudius appoint as ambassadors to Norway?(A) Cornelius and Voltemand(B) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern(C) Horatio and Marcellus(D) Osric and Bernardo | A |
| Who says: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be”?(A) Gertrude(B) Laertes(C) Polonius(D) Claudius | C |
| What is the ghost wearing when it appears to Horatio?(A) Royal Robes(B) Pajamas(C) A white sheet(D) Armour | D |
| What does Hamlet claim to know the difference between when the wind is southerly?(A) A mouse and a mystic(B) A rat and a rainstorm(C) A hawk and a handsaw(D) A nymph and a nihilist | C |
| Who did Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet on their way to see Hamlet?(A) The Ghost(B) The Players(C) The Gravediggers(D) Elvis | B |
| Which of the following characters cannot see the ghost?(A) Horatio(B) Marcellus(C) Gertrude(D) Hamlet | C |
| In what year was Hamlet most likely written?(A) 1572(B) 1589(C) 1601(D) 1611 | C |
| Of whom does Hamlet say: “Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered”?(A) Gertrude(B) Ophelia(C) Horatio(D) Yorick | B |
| Who storms Elsinore Castle with a group of armed followers?(A) Hamlet(B) Laertes(C) Fortinbras(D) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | B |
| Why does the Norwegian army pass through Denmark?(A) To wage war with Poland(B) To wage war with Germany(C) To wage war with England(D) To frighten Claudius into returning lands he has stolen from them | A |
| Who killed Fortinbras’ father?(A) Claudius(B) Hamlet(C) Hamlet’s father(D) Fortinbras | C |
| Which character speaks the final line of the play?(A) Horatio(B) Fortinbras(C) Bernardo(D) Hamlet | B |
| How does Ophelia die?(A) She falls from a parapet.(B) She drowns in a stream.(C) Hamlet strangles her.(D) She drinks from a poisoned cup. | B |
| Who is the last character to die in the play?(A) Hamlet(B) Laertes(C) Polonius(D) Claudius | A |
| Why are the players travelling?(A) They’ve been displaced by a troupe of child actors.(B) They’re fleeing a plague in the city.(C) They’ve been run out of town by the church.(D) They want to see the world. | A |
| Where on the body of Fortune do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern claim to reside?(A) On her cap(B) On her breast(C) In her privates(D) In the soles of her shoe | C |
| According to Polonius, why has Hamlet gone mad?(A) He’s angry at Gertrude for marrying Claudius.(B) He’s angry at Claudius for stealing the throne.(C) He’s distraught over the death of his father.(D) He’s in love with Ophelia. | D |
| Why does Polonius send Reynaldo to France?(A) To meet with Fortinbras(B) To find a doctor for Ophelia(C) To murder Hamlet(D) To spy on Laertes | D |
| What does the ghost tell Hamlet to do about his mother?(A) Shame her for remarrying so quickly(B) Warn her not to sleep again with Claudius(C) Leave her to Heaven(D) Kill her | C |
| Which of the following characters survive the play?(A) Horatio, Fortinbras, and Osric(B) Ophelia, Claudius, and Gertrude(C) Horatio, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern(D) Hamlet, Yorick, and the ghost | A |
| Whose history of Denmark is believed to have been one of Shakespeare’s sources for the story of Hamlet?(A) Plutarch(B) Saxo Grammaticus(C) Jakob Lidegaard(D) Frederik Winkel Horn | B |
| What animal does Hamlet NOT claim to see in the clouds?(A) Serpent(B) Camel(C) Weasel(D) Whale | A |
| How did Claudius murder Hamlet’s father?(A) By poisoning his wineglass(B) By pouring poison into his ear(C) By stabbing him while he slept(D) By witchcraft | B |
| What role did Polonius play in a university production of Julius Caesar?(A) Brutus(B) Cassius(C) Antony(D) Julius Caesar | D |
| Who escorts Hamlet to England?(A) Cornelius and Voltemand(B) Francisco and Reynaldo(C) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern(D) Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins | C |
| What is the theme of the speech Hamlet asks the first player to recite?(A) The death of Agamemnon(B) The death of Achilles(C) The death of Hector(D) The death of Priam | D |
| Where is the university Hamlet and Horatio studied at?(A) Copenhagen(B) Oxford(C) Wittenberg(D) Stuttgart | C |
| How long after the death of Hamlet’s father do Gertrude and Claudius wait to get married?(A) About 2 days(B) About 2 weeks(C) About 2 months(D) About 2 years | C |
| Whose skull does Hamlet discover in the churchyard?(A) Yorick’s(B) Ophelia’s(C) Osric’s(D) His father’s | A |
| Who initially calls for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?(A) Claudius and Polonius(B) Gertrude and Claudius(C) Gertrude and Hamlet(D) Polonius and Hamlet | B |
| Who first sees the ghost of Hamlet’s father?(A) Hamlet(B) Laertes(C) Marcellus and Bernardo(D) Bernardo and Hamlet | C |
| Who are Ophelia’s blood relatives?(A) Polonius and Laertes(B) Polonius and Gertrude(C) Polonius and Horatio(D) Polonius and Hamlet | A |
| Why does Fortinbras wand to attack Denmark?(A) To marry Ophelia(B) To seek revenge for his father’s death(C) For fame and glory(D) Because he is told to | B |
| How is Hamlet related to Claudius?(A) Claudius is his father. (B) Claudius is his cousin. (C) Claudius is his brother.(D) Claudius is his uncle. | D |
| What words best describe Hamlet’s character throughout the play?(A) Mysterious, thoughtful, morose(B) Brave, sociable, fun(C) Easy-going, smooth, charismatic(D) Sensual, caring, effeminate | A |
| What is Claudius’s most powerful weapon?(A) His money(B) His sex appeal(C) His way with words(D) His aggressiveness | C |
| Why is Hamlet sometimes considered to be a play about inaction?(A) Because Hamlet never hesitates when it comes to acting against Claudius(B) Because Hamlet spends the play trying to figure out if the ghost is real(C) Because Hamlet needs to know Claudius is guilty before acting(D) Because Gertrude and Ophelia are passive and inactive heroines | C |
| How does Claudius respond to Hamlet’s insanity?(A) By turning to Gertrude for comfort(B) By focusing on himself and his own well-being(C) By throwing lavish parties(D) By turning to religion | B |
| What is Gertrude never able to do?(A) Express her love(B) Be reflective about her circumstances(C) Be powerful(D) Be sexual | B |
| Of whom does Hamlet say, “Frailty, thy name is woman”?(A) Ophelia(B) Gertrude(C) Rosencrantz(D) Guildenstern(E) Reynaldo | B |
| Who said, “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on”?(A) Hamlet(B) Claudius(C) Gertrude(D) Polonius(E) Ophelia | A |
| Who said, “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt”?(A) Hamlet(B) Claudius(C) Polonius(D) Gertrude(E) Ophelia | A |
| Who said, “Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Of unimproved mettle hot and full”?(A) Hamlet(B) Claudius(C) Polonius(D) Laertes(E) Horatio | E |
| Who said “Be buried quick with her? – and so will I”?(A) Hamlet(B) Laertes(C) Claudius(D) Horatio | A |
| Who “may be the devil”?(A) Hamlet(B) Ophelia(C) Claudius(D) Ghost(E) Horatio | D |
| Who said “Why, man, they did make love to this employment. They are not near my conscience. Their defeat Does by their on insinuation grow”(A) Horatio to Hamlet(B) Claudius to Hamlet(C) Hamlet to Horatio(D) Hamlet to Claudius | C |
| Who said, “Revenge should have no bounds”?(A) Laertes(B) Horatio(C) Claudius(D) Polonius(E) Hamlet | C |
| Who said, “Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she-” (A) Hamlet to Ophelia (B) Hamlet to Gertrude (C) Hamlet to a player(D) Hamlet to himself | D |
| Using the greek mythology of Niobe is one of Shakespeare’s examples of using…(A) classical illusion(B) symbolism(C) (D) | A |
| Who says, “Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven.”?(A) Hamlet(B) King Claudius(C) (D) | B |
| Who says, “Here, as before, never so help you mercy, how strange or odd soe’er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put on an antic disposition on)”?(A) Ophelia(B) Claudius(C) Hamlet(D) Gertrude | C |
| Who writes, “Never doubt I love”?(A) Ophelia(B) Polonius(C) Gertrude(D) Hamlet | D |
| Who says, “Never doubt I love”?(A) Ophelia(B) Polonius(C) Gertrude(D) Hamlet | C |
| Who says, “To take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage?”?(A) Fortinbras(B) Hamlet(C) Claudius(D) Laertes | B |
| Who says, “Say on: Come to Hecuba” ?(A) Hamlet(B) Claudius(C) Gertrude(D) Laertes | A |
| “Say on: Come to Hecuba” is an example of (A) diction(B) classical illusion(C) symbolism(D) allusion | B |
| Who says, “I did love you once”?(A) Ophelia(B) Gertrude(C) Hamlet(D) Claudius | C |
| Who says, “Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide, and mermaid-like a while they bore her up”?(A) Gertrude(B) Ophelia(C) One of the players(D) Hamlet | A |
| Who says, “Oh, woe is me, t’have seen what I have seen, see what I see!”?(A) Gertrude(B) Ophelia(C) Hamlet(D) Claudius | B |
| Who says, “Thy loving father, Hamlet” ?(A) Ghost(B) Gertrude(C) Claudius(D) King Hamlet | C |
| Who says, “O, speak to me no more! These words like daggers enter in my ears”(A) Hamlet(B) Ophelia(C) Gertrude(D) Claudius | C |
| Who says, “And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be ture, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!”?(A) Polonius(B) Laertes(C) Hamlet(D) Gertrude | A |
| Who says, “That I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft”, and to whom? (A) Hamlet to Horatio(B) Hamlet to Gertrude(C) Hamlet to Ophelia(D) Hamlet to Claudius | B |
| In the first scene of Act II Polonius’ character is revealed as(A) paranoid(B) brash(C) ignorant(D) confident | A |
| Hamlet’s attitude toward Polonius as shown in the dialogue in Act II, scene ii can be best described as(A) reverent(B) suspicious(C) insolent(D) indifferent | C |
| Who says, “Mary, well said, look you , sir Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris, And how, and who, what means, and where they keep”, and to whom?(A) Reynaldo to Polonius(B) Gertrude to Reynaldo(C) Polonius to Reynaldo(D) Gertrude to Polonius | C |
| Who says, “That done, he lets me go: and with his head over his shoulder turn’d, he seem’d to find his way without his eyes; for out o’doors he went without their helps, and to the last bended their light on me”, and to whom?(A) Reynaldo to Ophelia(B) Ophelia to Polonius(C) Polonius to Hamlet(D) Ophelia to Hamlet | B |
| Who says, “I swear I use no art at all. That he is mad, ’tis true: ’tis true, ’tis pity, and pity ’tis ’tis true: a foolish figure; But farewell it, for I will use no art”, and to whom?(A) Hamlet to Gertrude(B) Reynaldo to Ophelia(C) Polonius to Gertrude(D) Hamlet to Ophelia | C |
| Who says, “You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal, except my life, except my life, except my life”, and to whom?(A) Hamlet to Polonius(B) Polonius to Reynaldo(C) Hamlet to Reynaldo(D) Reynaldo to Polonius | A |
| Who says, “Come, go with me; I will go seek the king. This is the very ecstasy of love; Whose violent property forfoes itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings as oft as any passion under heaven that does afflict our natures.”, and to whom?(A) Hamlet to Gertrude(B) Polonius to Ophelia(C) Gertrude to Hamlet(D) Ophelia to Gertrude | B |
| Whom does Hamlet first inform, by letter, of his imminent return to Denmark?(A) Claudius(B) Gertrude(C) Ophelia(D) Horatio | D |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:A) are Shakespeare’s foolsB) have been invited to the court by the King and Queen.C) are manipulated by all of the royal family.D) are sent to spy on HamletE) propose possibilities to the play.F) all of the aboveG) a, b, c, and d | F |
| Identify the correct character by the following description: Brother of Ophelia.A) PoloniusB) ClaudiusC) LaertesD) Horatio | C |
| What was or were the effect(s) of the murder of Polonius.A) Ophelia’s madness and death.B) Laertes’ decision to cooperate with Claudius in killing Hamlet.C) The deaths of Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Laertes.D) all of the aboveE) A and BF) B and C | D |
| Claudius wants to send Hamlet to England because:A) he is concerned about Hamlet’s state of mind.B) he sees Hamlet as a threat to his position as king.C) he has to handle Hamlet’s situation carefully because he is very well liked by the people.D) all of the aboveE) B and CF) A and B | E |
| What does the apparition tell Hamlet?A) The ghost reveals the circumstances of his murder.B) The ghost charges Hamlet to avenge his death.C) The ghost orders Hamlet to leave his mother to heaven and to her own conscienceD) all of the aboveE) A and C | D |
| Identify the correct character by the following description: Hamlet’s good friend.A) LaertesB) HoratioC) GuildensternD) Rosencrantz | B |
| Hamlet is able to kill Polonius so easily after he’s been so hesitant to act in other situations because:A) In an instant of passion, he becomes enraged and makes up his mind to kill the king.B) The theme of inaction, which is Hamlet’s tragic flaw, is furthered in this instance because he shows his inability to coordinate his thoughts with his actions.C) It is easier to kill Claudius behind the curtain because he does not have to look at him – no guilt. | B |
| What is Hamlet’s tragic flaw?A) crazinessB) indecisivenessC) unambitionD) all of the above | B |
| In this play Hamlet is the:A) antagonistB) protagonistC) tragic heroD) hamartiaE) A and CF) A, C, and BG) B and C | G |
| “My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer can serve my turn?”Identify the correct speaker:A) HamletB) LaertesC) ClaudiusD) Polonius | C |
| Claudius’ and Polonius’ reasons are similar for spying on Hamlet because:A) they fear for Ophelia’s safety.B) they fear for the King’s safety.C) they want to discover the reason for Hamlet’s lunacy.D) all of the above. | C |
| Hamlet pick up __________’s skull after he jumps into an empty grave.(A) Osrick(B) Yorick(C) King Hamlet(D) Fortinbras | B |
| “A dream itself is but a shadow.”the correct speaker:A) ClaudiusB) GertrudeC) OpheliaD) Hamlet | D |
| What does Polonius say, and what does he instruct Ophelia to do regarding Hamlet?A) Polonius says Ophelia is a baby to have believed Hamlet’s advances.B) He advises her to remain virtuous and not to believe that Hamlet is serious.C) He instructs her to avoid and stop talking to Hamlet.D) all of the aboveE) A and CF) B and C | D |
| To whom does Hamlet say “I’ll rant as well as thou”?(A) Claudius(B) Ophelia(C) Gertrude(D) Laertes | D |
| Identify the correct character by the following description: Once married to King Hamlet.A) GertrudeB) OpheliaC) GermaineD) none of the above | A |
| Who first warns Ophelia that – at least in his opinion – Hamlet may be using her?(A) Gertrude(B) Polonius(C) Laertes(D) Claudius | C |
| Identify the correct character by the following description: Says “Frailty, thy name is woman.”A) HamletB) LaertesC) PoloniusD) The Ghost of the late King Hamlet | A |
| Hamlet’s hesitation in approaching his task of revenge is because:A) he is a cowardB) he wants to make sure that Claudius is guiltyC) he wants a well thought out planD) he has a tragic flaw of inaction.E) he is concerned about his mother.F) all of the aboveG) C and E | F |
| To which country does Claudius plan to send Hamlet?(A) England(B) Poland(C) Denmark(D) France | A |
| What does the ghost reveal to Hamlet?A) The ghost tells Hamlet that he is his father, that he was unjustly murdered by his brother Claudius, and that he should avenge his most foul murder.B) The ghost tells Hamlet that his mother is an incestuous fiend.C) The ghost is not actually the ghost of his late father, but an evil spirit sent to trick him to madness.D) The ghost appears to Hamlet for him to stop mourning his death and to move on with his life. | A |
| “I doubt it no other but the main” and “His father’s death and our o’er hasty marriage.”Identify the correct speaker:A) GertrudeB) ClaudiusC) HamletD) The ghost of the late King Hamlet. | A |
| What advice does Laertes give to Ophelia as he says farewell to her prior to his departure for Paris?A) Laertes tells his sister to regard Hamlet’s attentions as trifling, toying, temporary diversionsB) Laertes tells Ophelia that Hamlet’s affections for her cannot be honest because is a king.C) He tells her to remain virtuous at all cost.D) Laertes admits that Hamlet is a womanizer who is only using her for his own gainsE) all of the aboveF) A and CG) B and C | F |
| “Frailty, thy name is__________”(A) coward(B) Hamlet(C) Ophelia(D) woman | D |
| Thrift, thrift,__________, the funeral bak’d meatsDid coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.(A) Thrift(B) Bernardo(C) Horatio(D) Marcellus | C |
| Who says “Ay, sir; to he honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand”, and to whom?(A) Hamlet to Polonius(B) Ophelia to Hamlet(C) Ophelia to Reynaldo(D) Polonius to Hamlet | A |
| Who says, “Be you and I behind the arras then; Mark the encounter: if he love her not, and be not from his reason fallen theron, let me be no assistant for a state, and keep a farm and carters.”, and to whom?(A) Polonius to the King(B) Polonius to the Queen(C) Polonius to the King and Queen(D) None of the above | A |
| Who says, “More matter with less art”, and to whom?(A) The queen to Reynaldo(B) The queen to Hamlet(C) The queen to the King(D) None of the above | D |
| How many deaths occur in the play after Claudius has murdered Hamlet senior?a) fiveb) sevenc) eightd) nine | C |
| Hamlet put on the “antic disposition”a) in the nunnery sceneb) in the closet scene with the Queenc) when he was talking to Polonius in the halld) when he was fighting Laertes in the grave | C |
| “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions!” was lamented bya) Gertrudeb) Claudiusc) Hamletd) Horatio | B |
| “He weeps for what is done”a) refers to Hamlet’s penitent heart after killing Polonius.b) refers to Hamlet’s sorrow for hurting Ophelia.c) was said as a cover-up by the Queen to protect Hamletd) was said by Horatio to the king to explain Hamlet’s treatment of the Queen. | C |
| “How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge!… Oh! from this time forth My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth,” was spoken by Hamlet immediatelya) after his encounter with the army of Fortinbrasb) after the mousetrap playc) before the King sends Hamlet to Englandd) after Hamlet has talked with the ghost | A |
| Hamlet is an example of the creative artist’sa) dependence on the demands of his audienceb) indifference of the mobc) dependence on royal favord) dependence on the participation of his audience | D |
| The primary purpose of having the clowns appear in the last act in the graveyard scene isa) to provide a period of dramatic relief between the scenes.b) to allow Shakespeare to comment on the English way of life.c) to give the audience a balance of humor and tragedy.d) to provide depth of character portrayal by Shakespeare | C |
| “The events in a Shakespearean tragedy are influenced by forces or circumstances greater than human.” Which of the following events is an example of this generalization?a) the appearance of the pirate ship whereby Hamlet was rescuedb) Polonius’ happening to be on the other side of the curtain when he was stabbedc) Fortinbras’ appearance at the end of the playd) the Ghost’s revelation to Hamlet | D |
| Hamlet’s remark to Guildenstern, “I am but mad north-north-west” implies that his madnessa) has the cold fury of a north windb) is as variable as the windc) is caused by the king who lives in Northern Denmarkd) vents his wrath in one direction only | D |
| “Plot is the arrangement of the incidents of a play in order to produce a definite effect.” Hamlet’s disillusion with life and womanhood, the mousetrap play, and Hamlet’s sparing the King at his prayers create the effect ofa) Hamlet’s madnessb) Hamlet’s contamination by evilc) Hamlet’s interest in revenged) Hamlet’s inability to act | B |
| The survival of Horatio and the arrival of Fortinbras indicatesa) that these men were not contaminated by the evil of the courtb) that stability and strength have been re-established in Denmarkc) that in Shakespeare’s plays the stronger men always wind) that Shakespeare simply followed the historical records | B |
| One of the main reasons that the play Hamlet lives on is that Hamlet is very fascinating, mainly because he is extremelya) impulsiveb) irresolute c) enigmatic d) vulgar | C |
| The main characteristic which was common to both Hamlet and Laertes wasa) they both loved Opheliab) they both were expert fencersc) they both died because of treacheryd) they both dislike Claudius | A |
| “Psychologically the delay is the natural struggle of a sensitive, peace-loving soul against violence.” The statement which best points out the weakness in this argument isa) Hamlet delayed only because he wished to be sure of the King’s guiltb) Hamlet was not really delaying but just plotting strategy.c) Hamlet was impulsive and could kill without hesitation or remorsed) Hamlet was not sensitive, as was proved by the nunnery scene. | C |
| Which of the following is an example of dramatic irony?a) The play within the play is similar to Claudius’ murder of Hamlet senior.b) The audience, but not Hamlet, is aware of the unbated sword.c) The slaying of Polonius while he was spying.d) The slaying of Claudius at the end of the play. | B |
| “And my young mistress thus I did bespeak! Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star!” By this Polonius means thata) Hamlet was a princely courtier desired by the ladies of the land.b) Hamlet was of royal birth and worthy of Ophelia’s affection.c) Hamlet, figuratively speaking, was only a star in Ophelia’s heaven.d) Hamlet was of a different social rank than Ophelia. | D |
| “They are not a pipe for fortune’s finger to sound what stop she please,” spoken to Horatio by Hamlet refers to a person whoa) is your friend even when you have lost your fortune.b) receives good fortune no matter what he does.c) refuses to let other people tell him what to do.d) is indifferent to the blasts and buffets of life. | D |
| Which of the following expressions best explains lines 2-4?a) Love becomes more intense through the passage of time.b) Love is eternal and therefore cannot change.c) Time causes love to cool off.d) Something in love itself destroys it. | C |
| Which of the following expressions best explains lines 9 to 14?a) We should do those things for which we have a strong desire.b) We ought to do things when the desire is new and strong.c) We ought to do those things that we can do with what we have got.d) We often delay because action can be harmful to us. | B |
| Which of the following statements was Laertes’ answer to the question asked him in the last three lines?a) “I’ll anoint my sword.”b) “to cut his throat i’ the church.”c) “The devil take his soul….”d) “Why, I will fight with him upon this theme….” | B |
| “His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy” is said bya) the Queen to excuse Hamlet’s behavior.b) Ophelia to reveal her love to Hamlet.c) Horatio to show his understanding of Hamlet.d) Hamlet himself to reveal his growing insincerity. | D |
| “I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so, To punish me with this, and this with me”These lines show thata) Hamlet was sorry that he had killed Polonius.b) Conscience did gradually catch up to King Claudius.c) The ghost of King Hamlet did not get a chance to repent when he was murderedd) Laertes admitted he made an error in trusting the king | A |
| “I have some right of memory in this kingdom, Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.”These lines show that:a) Hamlet thought that he, not Claudius, should be King.b) Claudius considered himself the rightful king because he was an older statesman than Hamlet.c) Fortinbras junior had some reason to claim the throne of Denmark after the deaths of Claudius and Hamlet.d) King Claudius claimed that he was superior to the King of England. | C |
| Hamlet did not regret that he had caused death to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because a) they had deserved to be killed.b) Hamlet’s noble character had undergone a certain decadence.c) Hamlet had to kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to defend himself.d) Hamlet believed that evil men did not have the right to live. | A |
Ultimate Hamlet Quiz
July 23, 2019