1) Upon seeing the full title of the play (The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark) what can we infer about Hamlet?

AHe is a real, historical figure.

BHis father has been murdered.

CHe will die at the end of the play.

DHe will be the King of Denmark at the end of the play.

2) What was Shakespeare's motivation for writing Hamlet?



A.The plague had caused the closing of the theaters and he wanted to gain back lost money upon their reopening.

BHe thought that Hamlet's story needed to be told so that his good name could be cleared in history.

CQueen Elizabeth was aging with no heirs and England was questioning who would succeed to the throne, and succession is the main idea in Hamlet.

DShakespeare's twins had just been born. Since he named the boy Hamnet, he wanted to pen a play in his son's honor.

3) Hamlet's hammartia or tragic flaw could include all of the following EXCEPT

Aan inability to make up his mind

Buncertainty from not knowing the truth

Ca melancholy love sickness which leads to temporary insanity

Dhaving his reason submerged by excessive and powerful passions

4) What is a soliloquy?

AComparing things without using "like" or "as"

BA series of related events that make up a story

CThe first half of a play

DA speech was given by a character alone on the stage that reveals thoughts

5) Character foils are..?

Acharacters who have opposite traits.

Bcharacters who are related through the family.

Ccharacters who kill one another.

Dcharacters who fall in love.

6) Which of the following is the BEST example of a thematic statement for the play Hamlet?

AHamlet may have begun pretending to be mad, but the lines between sanity and madness began to blur as the play developed.

BPlaying roles is confusing.

C"Brevity is the soul of wit"

DUnnatural deeds can be the source of all conflict.

7) Who is a character foil for Hamlet?

APolonius

BHoratio

CLaertes

Ophelia



8) How is Claudius related to Hamlet before marrying Gertrude?

AHe is Hamlet's legitimate father.

BHe is the brother of Hamlet's father, and therefore Hamlet's uncle.

CHe is a close family friend, and of no relation, though kindly called "uncle"

DHe is the brother of Gertrude, and therefore Hamlet's uncle.

9) In her encounters with her brother and her father, Ophelia comes across as

Arebellious, headstrong, and stubborn

Bflighty, insincere, and silly

Ccourageous, brave, and noble

Dsweet, innocent, and submissive

10) The ghost asks Hamlet to avenge his death by killing Gertrude and Claudius.

ATrue

BFalse

11) Hamlet pretends to be insane in order to...?

Aenlist Ophelia's sympathy

Bprompt Claudius to send him away

Ctest his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Dconceal his attempts to get information regarding Claudius's guilt

12) What reason does Polonius give for Hamlet's madness?

AHe loves Ophelia.

BHe is upset about the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude.

CHe is distraught over his father's death.

DHe is a moody teenager.

13) Who does Claudius ask to keep an eye on Hamlet?

AOphelia

BHoratio

CMarcellus

DRosencrantz and Guildenstern

14) Why is Hamlet so upset with himself in the “O, what a rogue and peasant slave,” soliloquy in Act II, scene ii, lines 559-617?

AHe was never given the opportunity to achieve his dreams of becoming an actor.

BHe can’t put thoughts and words into action while a group of actors can.

CThe love between his father and mother is gone.

DHe is tormented by the question of whether or not to kill himself.

15) Claudius killed King Hamlet by pouring poison in his ear.

ATrue

BFalse

16) Hamlet does not kill Claudius while Claudius is praying because

AHamlet is afraid Claudius has a weapon

BHamlet changes his mind

CHamlet does not want Claudius to go to heaven

DThe ghost tells him not to do so

17) The characteristic of Polonius that most directly led to his death is

Ahis nosiness and meddling

Bhis poor judgement

Chis insincerity or shallowness

Dhis cruelty to Ophelia

18) Gertrude is surprised to see the ghost when he appears in her chambers.

ATrue

BFalse

19: Laertes and Hamlet are alike in that

Aboth are quick to act

Bboth have feigned madness

Cboth seek revenge for their father's deaths

Dboth have escaped captivity to return to Denmark

20) Who tells Claudius and Laertes about the circumstances surrounding Ophelia's death?

AHoratio

BQueen Gertrude

CMarcellus

Da messenger

21) Hamlet knew Yorick personally.

ATrue

BFalse

22) How do Claudius and Laertes plan to kill Hamlet?

ALaertes will stab him in a duel

BClaudius will give him a drink with poison

CLaertes will poison the tip of his sword and stab Hamlet

DAll of the above