50 Shakespeare Quiz Questions and Answers

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Hello, literacy enthusiasts and trivia fans! We welcome you to our Shakespeare Quiz, packed with 50 intriguing questions about Shakespeare.

Our William Shakespeare quiz covers the life, work, and lasting legacy of the legendary playwright, promising a brain-tickling experience that’s both fun and informative!

The quiz consists of five exciting rounds of 10 questions each. In the first round, we dive into simple Shakespeare trivia questions, from “What was Shakespeare’s first name?” to “On the banks of which river is the Shakespeare’s Globe located?” This round will whet your appetite for the intriguing Shakespearean journey that lies ahead.

In the second round, we challenge you with multiple-choice questions. These will explore everything from the year of Shakespeare’s birth to the genres his plays fall under.

Then, in the third round, we’ll test your Shakespearean wisdom with a true-or-false section that covers an array of interesting facts about the Bard’s life and works.

Round four and five level up the challenge with medium and hard trivia questions about Shakespeare, pushing your knowledge about the Bard to the limit.

Whether you’re studying for an English exam, rehearsing for a drama club, or just fascinated by Shakespeare’s world, our Shakespeare quiz with answers is the perfect resource.

Are you ready to take on the challenge and dive into the world of William Shakespeare? Then let’s get started with our exciting Shakespeare Quiz!

Round 1: Easy Shakespeare Trivia Questions

This first round contains all the easy Shakespeare quiz questions. Perfect to warm up!

1. What was Shakespeare’s first name?
2. In what city was Shakespeare born?
3. What was the name of Shakespeare’s wife?
4. Most of Shakespeare’s plays were written during the reign of which monarch?
5. Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Titus Andronicus are all set in which country?
6. What animal does Bottom turn into in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
7. Which character has the famous line ‘to be or not to be, that is the question.’
8. How many lines does a sonnet have?
9. Who played Romeo in the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet?
10. On the banks of which river is the Shakespeare’s Globe located?

Round 1: Easy Shakespeare Trivia Questions and Answers

1. What was Shakespeare’s first name? William
2. In what city was Shakespeare born? Stratford Upon Avon 
3. What was the name of Shakespeare’s wife? Anne Hathaway
4. Most of Shakespeare’s plays were written during the reign of which monarch? Queen Elizabeth I
5. Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Titus Andronicus are all set in which country? Italy
6. What animal does Bottom turn into in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? A donkey
7. Which character has the famous line ‘to be or not to be, that is the question.’ Hamlet
8. How many lines does a sonnet have? 14
9. Who played Romeo in the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet? Leonardo DiCaprio
10. On the banks of which river is the Shakespeare’s Globe located? Thames River

Round 2: Shakespeare Multiple Choice Questions

In this second round, you will find 10 William Shakespeare questions with 4 possible answers. Only one of them is the right one.

1. What year was Shakespeare born?
   1. 1498
   2. 1564
   3. 1592
   4. 1607
2. In which play would you meet the sisters Katherine and Bianca?
   1. The Taming of the Shrew
   2. All’s Well that Ends Well
   3. The Winter’s Tale
   4. The Merry Wives of Windsor
3. Which of these kings did Shakespeare not write a play about?
   1. King John
   2. Eduard III
   3. Richard II
   4. Richard I
4. How many children did Shakespeare have?
   1. 1
   2. 3
   3. 6
   4. 9
5. How many of Shakespeare’s sonnets are addressed to the ‘Fair Youth?’
   1. 15
   2. 77
   3. 126
   4. 154
6. Finish the line:  ‘My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the…’
   1. Sun
   2. Sky
   3. See
   4. Stars
7. Shakespeare plays are usually divided into which three genre categories?
   1. Comedy, Drama and Romance
   2. Comedy, Horror and Romance
   3. Comedy , Tragedy and Romance
   4. Comedy, Tragedy and History
8. Which of these plays does not feature a ghost?
   1. Hamlet
   2. The Winter’s Tale
   3. Macbeth
   4. Cymbeline
9. Which Shakespeare play is the 2006 comedy movie ‘She’s the Man’ based on?
   1. Twelfth Night
   2. The Taming of the Shrew
   3. A Comedy of Errors
   4. Much Ado About Nothing
10. Which of these is not a theatre in which Shakespeare staged a play during his life?
    1. The Swan
    2. The Rose
    3. The Curtain
    4. The Players

Round 2: Shakespeare Multiple Choice Questions and Answers

1. What year was Shakespeare born? B. 1564
2. In which play would you meet the sisters Katherine and Bianca? A. The Taming of the Shrew
3. Which of these kings did Shakespeare not write a play about? D. Richard I
4. How many children did Shakespeare have? B. 3
5. How many of Shakespeare’s sonnets are addressed to the ‘Fair Youth?’ c. 126
6. Finish the line:  ‘My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the…’ a. Sun
7. Shakespeare plays are usually divided into which three genre categories? D. Comedy, Tragedy and History 
8. Which of these plays does not feature a ghost? B. The Winter’s Tale
9. Which Shakespeare play is the 2006 comedy movie ‘She’s the Man’ based on? A. Twelfth Night
10. Which of these is not a theatre in which Shakespeare staged a play during his life? D. the Players

Round 3: Shakespeare True or False Questions

This round consists of 10 william shakespeare trivia true or false. Each of the following statements can be true or false. You simply need to say whether you think it’s right or wrong.

1. King Lear’s three daughters were called Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.
2. Shakespeare invented the sonnet poetry form.
3. Sonnet 18 begins: ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.’
4. Love’s Labour’s Lost is set in the Kingdom of Nevarre in modern-day Spain.
5. ‘Double double toil and trouble’ is the opening line of Macbeth.
6. ‘The Lion King’ is based on Hamlet.
7. Shakespeare invented the words ‘uncomfortable,’ ‘bedazzle,’ ‘deafening’ and ‘eyeball.’
8. The Globe Theatre complex also included brothels, bear baiting arenas and a tavern.
9. Shakespeare could speak French, Italian and Latin as well as English.
10. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) only puts on plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

Round 3: Shakespeare True or False Questions and Answers

1. King Lear’s three daughters were called Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. True
2. Shakespeare invented the sonnet poetry form. False
3. Sonnet 18 begins: ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.’ False
4. Love’s Labour’s Lost is set in the Kingdom of Nevarre in modern-day Spain. True.
5. ‘Double double toil and trouble’ is the opening line of Macbeth. False
6. ‘The Lion King’ is based on Hamlet. True
7. Shakespeare invented the words ‘uncomfortable,’ ‘bedazzle,’ ‘deafening’ and ‘eyeball.’ False
8. The Globe Theatre complex also included brothels, bear baiting arenas and a tavern. True
9. Shakespeare could speak French, Italian and Latin as well as English. False
10. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) only puts on plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries. False

Round 4: Medium Shakespeare Trivia Questions

If the first round of questions about William Shakespeare was too easy, this one will be perfect for you. Here are some medium-difficulty questions.

1. In which city is the Royal Shakespeare Theatre located?
2. What do some people prefer to call Macbeth in order to avoid bad luck associated with saying the name?
3. In which play do we meet the characters Beatrice, Benedick, Don John and Leonato?
4. ‘In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.’ is the first line of which play?
5. What was the name of Shakespeare’s only son?
6. What film is IMDB summarising: ‘The world’s greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare , is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays’?
7. In which play would you find the stage direction ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’?
8. Which is the only Shakespeare play to be set in Egypt?
9. What was the name of Shakespeare’s father?
10. For what crime is Romeo exiled from Verona in Romeo and Juliet?

Round 4: Medium Shakespeare Trivia Questions and Answers

1. In which city is the Royal Shakespeare Theatre located? Stratford Upon Avon
2. What do some people prefer to call Macbeth in order to avoid bad luck associated with saying the name? The Scottish Play
3. In which play do we meet the characters Beatrice, Benedick, Don John and Leonato? Much Ado About Nothing
4. ‘In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.’ is the first line of which play? The Merchant of Venice
5. What was the name of Shakespeare’s only son? Hamnet
6. What film is IMDB summarising: ‘The world’s greatest ever playwright, William Shakespeare , is young, out of ideas and short of cash, but meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays’? Shakespeare in Love
7. In which play would you find the stage direction ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’? The Winter’s Tale
8. Which is the only Shakespeare play to be set in Egypt? Antony and Cleopatra
9. What was the name of Shakespeare’s father? John Shakespeare
10. For what crime is Romeo exiled from Verona in Romeo and Juliet? Murder

Round 5: Hard Shakespeare Trivia Questions

This round is for the experts since it’s made of 10 hard questions on William Shakespeare.

1. When was Shakespeare’s birthday?
2. What was the name of the acting company that Shakespeare was a part of?
3. Name two of Titania’s four named servants in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
4. Who is Sakespeare widely thought to have collaborated with in writing Timmon of Athens?
5. What is the name of the Senator of Rome in Coriolanus?
6. What was the name of the 1769 festival, held in Stratford Upon Avon, at which over 1000 people celebrated the life and works of Shakespeare?
7. Which play is set in the Ancient Greek city of Ephesus?
8. Which sonnet begins with the line ‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds’?
9. Who plays Shakespeare in the BBC comedy series ‘Upstart Crow?’
10. How many plays were published in The First Folio?

Round 5: Hard Shakespeare Trivia Questions and Answers

1. When was Shakespeare’s birthday? 23rd April
2. What was the name of the acting company that Shakespeare was a part of? The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
3. Name two of Titania’s four named servants in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Two of: Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed
4. Who is Sakespeare widely thought to have collaborated with in writing Timmon of Athens? Thomas Middleton
5. What is the name of the Senator of Rome in Coriolanus? Menenius Agrippa
6. What was the name of the 1769 festival, held in Stratford Upon Avon, at which over 1000 people celebrated the life and works of Shakespeare? The Shakespeare Jubilee
7. Which play is set in the Ancient Greek city of Ephesus? The Comedy of Errors
8. Which sonnet begins with the line ‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds’? Sonnet 116
9. Who plays Shakespeare in the BBC comedy series ‘Upstart Crow?’ David Mitchell
10. How many plays were published in The First Folio? 36

We hope you enjoyed this Shakespeare pub trivia game. If you did, make sure to check out our other quizzes!

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