Shakespeare

Shakespeare

By Ms. Dowdy

Multiple Choice

In what year was Shakespeare born?

• 1564

• 1616

• 1558

• 1592

Multiple Choice

Shakespeare was born in what town?

• London

• Stratford-upon-Avon

• Snitterfield

• Oxford

Stratford was not large, but an important market center in Warwickshire, about 100 miles northwest of London.

Multiple Choice

The names of Shakespeare's father and mother were:

• Abraham and Sarah

• William and Anne

• John and Mary

John Shakespeare married Mary Arden around the year 1557. John died in 1601 and Mary died in 1608. John was an important citizen in Stratford during Shakespeare's youth, holding many civic offices.

Multiple Choice

Shakespeare attended the Stratford Grammar School, also known as the King's New School:

• From 1569

• He did not attend school.

• There are no records of his school attendance, but it is highly likely he attended that school.

A typical grammar school day in Shakespeare’s time started at 7am in winter, 6am in summer; the students worked until 11:00, took a 2-hour lunch, resumed at 1:00 pm and worked until 5:00 pm. Forty days vacation per year were allowed. Latin, grammar and translation were the main subjects of study.

Multiple Choice

Who did Shakespeare marry?

• Judith Sadler

• Susanna Hall

• Anne Hathaway

• Mary Queen of Scots

They were married on November 28, 1582. In Shakespeare’s day a marriage certificate did not exist, and all that was necessary to conclude a marriage was the asking of the banns on three successive Sundays in church and then a ceremony before family and friends. The banns were asked only once for Shakespeare and Ann Hathaway because she was pregnant at the time the bond was issued.

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Multiple Choice

Shakespeare was the father of how many children?

• 3

• 2

• 10

• 1

Susanna, born in 1583, and the twins Judith and Hamnet, born in 1585. Shakespeare’s only son Hamnet (named after one of Shakespeare’s neighbors, Hamnet Sadler) died at age 11 in 1596.

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Multiple Choice

Shakespeare left his hometown of Stratford because:

• He was caught poaching on the lands of Sir Thomas Lucy and fled to avoid prosecution

• He was apprenticed to his father who was a butcher. He hated the work and ran away to London.

• He took a job as a school teacher in the country, and left to pursue this career.

• It is not known for sure how or why he left.

There are many stories and guesses, but there is no proof that supports any of the theories.

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Multiple Choice

The London theaters were closed on account of an outbreak of the plague in 1593 and 1594. What disease was this?

• Tuberculosis

• The Plague of Frogs

• Bubonic Plague

• The pox

Caused by a bacteria spread by the rat flea. During the 14th century it was called the Black Death, and was responsible for the death of one quarter to one third of the population of Europe.​

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Multiple Choice

In 1594, Shakespeare became on of the founding members of what acting company?

• The Lord Chamberlain's Men

• The King's Men

• The Royal Shakespeare Company

Acting companies sought the protection of aristocrats. Aristocratic patronage could protect players from the city of London authorities, who were usually eager to curtail their activities.

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Multiple Choice

Sometime after 1599, Shakespeare turned from writing predominantly romantic comedies and history plays to tragedies. Which five plays are known as his "great tragedies"?

• Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear, Anthony and Cleopatra

• The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V, Twelfth Night

• King John, Henry VI Part 1, Richard II, Richard III, Henry VIII

• Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida, Coriolanus, Timon of Athens, Cymbeline

These are generally regarded by critics as Shakespeare greatest achievement in the genre of tragedy.​

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Multiple Choice

In 1603, Shakespeare's acting company, The Lord Chamberlain's Men, became the King's Men. Which King was their patron?

• George III

• James I

• Edward III

• Henry VIII

James Stuart, James VI of Scotland, became James I of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth. He reigned from 1603.

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Multiple Choice

In what year was the Globe Theatre built?

• 1594

• 1599

• 1608

• 1613

It was assembled south of the Thames. It was built from the timbers of the theater where Shakespeare formerly played, called The Theatre. Shakespeare was part owner.

Multiple Choice

In what year did Shakespeare die?

• 1599

• 1616

• 1623

• 1642

April 23, 1616

Multiple Choice

Is it reasonable to think that someone other than Shakespeare wrote the works attributed to him?

• Yes

• No

The conspiracy theories have not been proven.