33 Revolutionary Shakespeare Trivia Questions and Answers
1Which Shakespeare play is the longest?
2Who is the ghost that appears in Hamlet?
3Which play features the character of Shylock?
4What was the name of Shakespeare’s acting company?
5Which monarchs ruled during Shakespeare's lifetime?
6In what year was the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays published?
7Which play contains the line, “All the world’s a stage”?
8What is the most common meter used in Shakespeare’s plays?
9Which play is the source of the phrase “wild-goose chase”?
10Which Shakespeare play has the highest body count?
11Who kills Macbeth in the play Macbeth?
12Which tragedy features the characters of Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia?
13In which play do the characters Viola and Sebastian appear?
14Which play features the character of Puck?
15Which Shakespeare play was the inspiration for the musical West Side Story?
16How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?
17Which sonnet begins with the line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”?
18What is the main theme of Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence?
19Which English king is depicted in three of Shakespeare’s plays?
20Which historical figure is the central character in Julius Caesar?
21Which Shakespeare play was inspired by the real-life War of the Roses?
22Which play features the line, “To be, or not to be: that is the question”?
23Which character says, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”?
24Which play contains the quote, “The course of true love never did run smooth”?
25What is the name of the theater where many of Shakespeare's plays were performed?
26What is the title of Shakespeare's last solo-written play?
27Which Shakespeare play was adapted into the film Throne of Blood by Akira Kurosawa?
28Who is the protagonist in The Taming of the Shrew?
29What type of play is The Winter’s Tale?
30Which character in Othello is known for their cunning and deceitful nature?
31What is the name of the poem collection that Shakespeare wrote for his patron, the Earl of Southampton?
32Which Shakespeare play is set in Denmark?
33Which Shakespearean character is known for the phrase, “Et tu, Brute?”?
Answer Key
- 1. HamletHamlet is the longest play by William Shakespeare, with over 4,000 lines.
- 2. King HamletThe ghost in Hamlet is the spirit of Prince Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet, who reveals that he was murdered by Claudius.
- 3. The Merchant of VeniceShylock is a central character in The Merchant of Venice, where he is portrayed as a Jewish moneylender.
- 4. The Lord Chamberlain's MenShakespeare’s acting company was originally called The Lord Chamberlain's Men, later renamed The King's Men under King James I.
- 5. Elizabeth I and James IShakespeare lived during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, both of whom were patrons of his work.
- 6. 1623The First Folio, the first collected edition of Shakespeare's plays, was published in 1623, seven years after his death.
- 7. As You Like ItThe line “All the world’s a stage” is spoken by the character Jaques in As You Like It.
- 8. Iambic pentameterShakespeare commonly used iambic pentameter, a meter consisting of five iambs per line, in his plays.
- 9. Romeo and JulietThe phrase “wild-goose chase” originates from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
- 10. Titus AndronicusTitus Andronicus is known for having the highest body count of any Shakespeare play, with 14 characters dying on stage.
- 11. MacduffIn Macbeth, Macduff kills the title character, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy.
- 12. King LearGoneril, Regan, and Cordelia are the daughters of the title character in King Lear.
- 13. Twelfth NightViola and Sebastian are twins separated in a shipwreck in Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night.
- 14. A Midsummer Night's DreamPuck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a mischievous fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
- 15. Romeo and JulietWest Side Story is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in New York City.
- 16. 154Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, which were first published in 1609.
- 17. Sonnet 18Sonnet 18, one of Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets, begins with the line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
- 18. The passage of timeThe sonnets explore themes like the passage of time, love, beauty, and mortality.
- 19. Henry VIShakespeare’s plays Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2, and Henry VI, Part 3 depict the reign of King Henry VI.
- 20. Julius CaesarJulius Caesar centers on the assassination of the Roman leader Julius Caesar and the subsequent fallout.
- 21. Richard IIIRichard III is based on the events of the War of the Roses and portrays the rise and fall of King Richard III.
- 22. HamletThis famous soliloquy is spoken by the title character in Hamlet.
- 23. Richard IIIKing Richard III says this line in the play Richard III during the Battle of Bosworth Field.
- 24. A Midsummer Night's DreamThis line is spoken by Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
- 25. The Globe TheatreThe Globe Theatre in London was the venue for many of Shakespeare’s plays.
- 26. The TempestThe Tempest is considered to be Shakespeare’s last play written alone.
- 27. MacbethThrone of Blood is a Japanese adaptation of Macbeth, directed by Akira Kurosawa.
- 28. KatherinaKatherina, also known as Kate, is the "shrew" of The Taming of the Shrew.
- 29. A RomanceThe Winter’s Tale is classified as one of Shakespeare’s late romances.
- 30. IagoIago is the main antagonist in Othello, known for his manipulation and treachery.
- 31. The SonnetsShakespeare dedicated his Sonnets to the Earl of Southampton, a significant patron of his work.
- 32. HamletHamlet is set in the Kingdom of Denmark, specifically in the royal castle of Elsinore.
- 33. Julius CaesarIn Julius Caesar, the title character utters “Et tu, Brute?” upon realizing his friend Brutus is among the conspirators who are assassinating him.
