Logo

Books Quiz - Author - William Shakespeare 1 (Questions)

William Shakespeare is perhaps the most important of all the writers in the English language. He is thought by most to be the greatest playwright of all time, yet we know so very little about the man. Still, we’ve managed to gather enough information to put 4 quizzes together as, I’m sure you’ll agree, one quiz is not enough to do justice to such a literary giant as Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire and was baptised a few days later on the 26th of April 1564. His father was a glove maker and his mother the daughter of a wealthy landowner, so it’s likely that William was educated at Stratford’s grammar school. When he was 18 he married Anne Hathaway, a farmer’s daughter. She was eight years older than him and their first child, Susanna, was born six months after their wedding. Two years later, the couple had twins, Hamnet and Judith. The next we hear of Shakespeare is in 1592 when he appears in London.

Test your knowledge of the life and works of Willian Shakespeare in this, the first of four fun quizzes!

1. How old was William Shakespeare when he married Anne Hathaway?
[ ] 17
[ ] 18
[ ] 19
[ ] 20
2. In The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare, who was Kate's sister?
[ ] Adriana
[ ] Bianca
[ ] Julia
[ ] Luciana
3. In which work by William Shakespeare does the character Shylock appear?
[ ] The Merchant Of Venice
[ ] A Midsummer Night's Dream
[ ] Much Ado About Nothing
[ ] Twelfth Night
4. In which year did William Shakespeare die?
[ ] 1613
[ ] 1614
[ ] 1615
[ ] 1616
5. From where did William Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen come?
[ ] Valhalla
[ ] Venice
[ ] Verona
[ ] Vienna
6. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, how old was the title character?
[ ] 20
[ ] 30
[ ] 40
[ ] 50
7. What was the name of William Shakespeare's only son?
[ ] Hamnet
[ ] Macneth
[ ] Onthello
[ ] Roneo
8. Which king is murdered in William Shakespeare's Macbeth?
[ ] Daniel
[ ] David
[ ] Derek
[ ] Duncan
9. In which work by William Shakespeare do Oberon and Titania appear?
[ ] All's Well That Ends Well
[ ] Measure For Measure
[ ] A Midsummer Night's Dream
[ ] The Winter's Tale
10. In William Shakespeare's As You Like It, who was the principal female character?
[ ] Isabella
[ ] Portia
[ ] Rosalind
[ ] Viola

 

Logo
Books Quiz - Author - William Shakespeare 1 (Answers)
1. How old was William Shakespeare when he married Anne Hathaway?
[ ] 17
[x] 18
[ ] 19
[ ] 20
Anne was 26 at the time. Six month after the wedding she gave birth to a daughter, Susanna
2. In The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare, who was Kate's sister?
[ ] Adriana
[x] Bianca
[ ] Julia
[ ] Luciana
Kate is also known as Katharina
3. In which work by William Shakespeare does the character Shylock appear?
[x] The Merchant Of Venice
[ ] A Midsummer Night's Dream
[ ] Much Ado About Nothing
[ ] Twelfth Night
Shylock is Venetian, Jewish moneylender and the main character in the play
4. In which year did William Shakespeare die?
[ ] 1613
[ ] 1614
[ ] 1615
[x] 1616
Shakespeare died on 23rd April 1616 (his 52nd birthday)
5. From where did William Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen come?
[ ] Valhalla
[ ] Venice
[x] Verona
[ ] Vienna
The Two Gentlemen of Verona is thought to be Shakespeare's first play. It is a comedy written sometime between 1589 and 1592
6. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, how old was the title character?
[ ] 20
[x] 30
[ ] 40
[ ] 50
Hamlet is the son of the deceased King of Denmark and nephew of the present king
7. What was the name of William Shakespeare's only son?
[x] Hamnet
[ ] Macneth
[ ] Onthello
[ ] Roneo
Hamnet (a twin) lived only 11 years
8. Which king is murdered in William Shakespeare's Macbeth?
[ ] Daniel
[ ] David
[ ] Derek
[x] Duncan
Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to murder the king and his servants are blamed for the crime
9. In which work by William Shakespeare do Oberon and Titania appear?
[ ] All's Well That Ends Well
[ ] Measure For Measure
[x] A Midsummer Night's Dream
[ ] The Winter's Tale
Oberon and Titania are the King and Queen of the Fairies
10. In William Shakespeare's As You Like It, who was the principal female character?
[ ] Isabella
[ ] Portia
[x] Rosalind
[ ] Viola
The play features one of Shakespeare's most famous verses:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.