wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Yr 9 Hamlet

Total questions: 45

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

How did Claudius murder King Hamlet?

a)

By stabbing him through a curtain

b)

By drowning him

c)

By pouring poison in his ear while he slept

d)

By poisoning a goblet of wine

2.

Who is Hamlet talking about in this quote? “…frailty thy name is woman”

a)

His sister

b)

Ophelia

c)

Horatio

d)

Gertrude

3.

Where does Hamlet tell Ophelia she should go in Act 3 Scene 1

a)

On holiday

b)

To a nunnery

c)

To her father’s graveside

d)

To France with Laertes

4.

“There is something rotten in the state of Denmark” What theme is demonstrated in this quote?

a)

Disease and corruption

b)

Happiness and positive future

c)

Death

d)

Revenge

5.

What genre is Hamlet?

a)

Romantic comedy

b)

Violent action

c)

Revenge tragedy

d)

Science fiction

6.

Who is Hamlet arguing with in this quote? “I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.”

a)

Claudius

b)

Guildenstern

c)

Gertrude

d)

Laertes

7.

What is hamartia?

a)

A tragic hero’s fatal flaw

b)

The qualities that make a hero great

c)

The final scene of a tragic play

d)

Hamlet’s sister

8.

Who is the ghost who haunts the castle battlements at the start of the play?

a)

Prince Hamlet

b)

The King of Spain

c)

King Hamlet

d)

Ophelia

9.

Monarchy – who was on the throne in the Elizabethan Era? What were they like?​

a)

Queen Eliza - very little is known about her.

b)

Elizabeth I - constantly had to prove that not only was she the rightful and divinely appointed monarch to the English throne, but that she was also a fit warrior and political leader, able to lead and protect the nation.​

c)

Elizabeth I - was a very quiet Queen who relied on her marriages to gain power and authority. She allowed her husband to make choices on her behalf.

d)

Elizabeth II - the longest reigning queen to date, she frequently faces criticism of the royal family due to the media.

10.

Oedipus complex - what is this?

a)

Freudian Theory - which suggests that you want to kill both of your parents.

b)

A Marxist theory - which means that we should all work together and social status should be irradiated.

c)

A Capitalist theory - which means that big bosses are only interested in making mass profit and are not interested in their workers.

d)

Freudian Theory - an unconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex.

11.

Define the following tragic element - Tragic hero

a)

A literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.​

b)

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.​

c)

A personal error in a protagonist's personality that brings about his tragic downfall in a tragedy.​

d)

Extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall.​

12.

Define the following tragic element - Catharsis

a)

A personal error in a protagonist's personality that brings about his tragic downfall in a tragedy.​

b)

A literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.​

c)

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.​

d)

Extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall.​

13.

Define the following tragic element - Hubris

a)

Extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall.

b)

A personal error in a protagonist's personality that brings about his tragic downfall in a tragedy.​

c)

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.​

d)

A literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.​

14.

How is Hamlet presented in Act 1, Scene 2? Pick 2 possible answers.

a)

Angry that his Mother has betrayed his Father by marrying so quickly.

b)

Disgusted that women can be so fickle.

c)

Happy that he has a new Father.

d)

Romantic - He is desperate to find a wife and states he will marry the first woman he sees.

15.

Select the correct definition of "regicide".

a)

The killing of a brother.

b)

The killing of a father.

c)

The killing of a husband.

d)

The killing of a king.

16.

What is the correct term for a society where men hold the power, and women are largely powerless?

a)

Patriarchy

b)

Patronage

c)

Patronisation

d)

Patriotism

17.

Which of these is not a recurring theme in Hamlet?

a)

Disease

b)

Revenge

c)

Madness

d)

Charity

18.

Which of these is not one of Shakespeare's intentions for Hamlet?

a)

To highlight the importance of a loving family.

b)

To emphasise how, if we allow it, others can manipulate and create conflict within relationships.

c)

To highlight the impact of grief.

d)

To emphasise the prejudiced nature of society in regards to gender.

19.

How does Shakespeare present Ophelia as mad after Polonius' death?

a)

She screams and runs around the castle.

b)

She sings songs and talks in riddles.

c)

She can't stop crying.

d)

She can't stop laughing.

20.

Who is Gertrude?

a)

Hamlet's grandmother

b)

Hamlet's girlfriend

c)

Hamlet's mother

d)

Hamlet's sister

21.

Who is Horatio?

a)

The prince of Denmark

b)

Hamlet's best friend

c)

The prince of Norway

d)

An actor

22.

Who is Ophelia?

a)

The daughter of Gertrude

b)

The daughter of Claudius

c)

The daughter of Polonius

d)

The daughter of Horatio

23.

Why does the ghost speak to Hamlet?

a)

He wants Hamlet to kill Polonius.

b)

He wants to warn Hamlet about Gertrude.

c)

He is bored walking earth as a spirit.

d)

He wants his murder to be avenged.

24.

What message does Act I send about the state of Denmark?

a)

Denmark is in an uncertain state.

b)

Denmark is strong and ready to fight.

c)

Denmark is full of ghosts.

d)

If you are king, you will not live for a long time.

25.

Why does Hamlet request a specific play from the actors?

a)

He wants his mother to see the play.

b)

He wants Claudius to show his guilt.

c)

He wants Ophelia to be impressed.

d)

He is high maintenance.

26.

What is the main idea behind Hamlet's famous speech, "To be or not to be?"

a)

He is thinking about marrying Ophelia.

b)

He is thinking about killing himself.

c)

He is thinking about his mother's marriage.

d)

He figures out what he is going to be for Halloween.

27.

Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius when he is praying in the church?

a)

He believes if he kills him while he is praying, Claudius will go to heaven.

b)

He doesn't believe in shedding blood in church.

c)

He's worried about his mother.

d)

He is soft.

28.

While discussing the gravedigger’s actions, Hamlet says to Horatio, “…its lower jaw knocked off and thwacked on the noggin with a shovel.” Thwacked is an example of:

a)

Alliteration

b)

Simile

c)

Onomatopoeia

d)

Hyperbole

29.

According to Hamlet, who is to blame for turning men into monsters?

a)

God

b)

Satan

c)

Men

d)

Women

30.

What does Laertes poison?

a)

a ring

b)

a necklace

c)

a cup

d)

a sword

31.

Who tells Ophelia that Hamlet's love is fleeting?

a)

Laertes

b)

Polonius

c)

Claudius

d)

Gertrude

32.

Who is instructed to take Hamlet to England?

a)

Horatio

b)

Laertes and Polonius

c)

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

d)

Fortinbras

33.

How did Hamlet's father die?

a)

tragic accident in the garden

b)

a potent poison in his ear

c)

Claudius stabbed him with a poisoned sword

d)

a plane crash

34.

Who wrote Hamlet?

a)

Shakespeare

b)

Wordsworth

c)

Hamlet

d)

Horatio

35.

Who kills Polonius?

a)

Hamlet

b)

Claudius

c)

Gertrude

d)

Laertes

36.

Which country does Laertes go to at the beginning of the play? -Returning for Ophelia’s funeral.

a)

Denmark

b)

Norway

c)

France

d)

England

37.

Where is Fortinbras from?

a)

Demark

b)

Norway

c)

France

d)

England

38.

Where is the play set?

a)

Demark

b)

Norway

c)

France

d)

England

39.

How many times does the ghost appear in Hamlet?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

40.

What object does Polonius use to hide himself when eavesdropping on Hamlet?

a)

A mirror

b)

A portrait

c)

An arras

d)

A curtain

41.

Which of the following characters does not appear in Hamlet?

a)

Gertrude

b)

Ophelia

c)

Miranda

d)

Laertes

42.

Where was Hamlet studying before he returned to Denmark?

a)

Wittenberg

b)

Oslo

c)

London

d)

Dublin

43.

Who does Polonius send to France to spy on Laertes?

a)

Ophelia

b)

Marcellus

c)

Reynaldo

d)

Horatio

44.

Which of the following characters cannot see the ghost?

a)

Marcellus

b)

Hamlet

c)

Gertrude

d)

Horatio

45.

Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius after the traveling players’ play?

a)

Claudius is asleep

b)

Claudius is praying

c)

Claudius is singing

d)

Claudius is crying