By Reverie Black

 

Are you studying Hamlet for A Level? Be prepared for your exam by testing your knowledge with our Hamlet quiz. 

Consider Horatio’s advice:

“If it be now, 'tis not to come: if it be not to come, it will be now: if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all.”
(Hamlet, Act 5 Scene 2)

 

Correct answers at the bottom of the page.

 

1. What is the name of the play within the play that Hamlet stages to catch his uncle's conscience?

1. The Murder of Gonzago
2. The Death of Giorgio
3. Love's Labour's Lost
4. Gonzago's Revenge

2. What does Polonius believe is the cause of Hamlet's madness?

1. Hamlet's love for Ophelia
2. The death of Hamlet’s father
3. The remarriage of his mother
4. Being kidnapped by pirates

3. "This above all: to thine own self be true." Who delivers this line?

1. Polonius
2. Hamlet
3. Horatio
4. Laertes

4. Who is Laertes seeking revenge against?

1. Hamlet, for killing his father (Polonius)
2. Claudius, for killing the King
3. Claudius, for manipulating him
4. Gertrude, for marrying Claudius

5. Who are the first characters to see the ghost of Hamlet's father in the play?

1. Ophelia, Laertes and Horatio
2. Polonius, Hamlet and Claudius
3. Gertude, Horatio and Yorick
4. Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo

6. "Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies; good night, good night." Who says this line?

1. Ophelia
2. Gertrude
3. Hamlet
4. Laertes

7. What is the cause of Ophelia’s death?

1. Drowning
2. Poison
3. Old age
4. Murder

8. "Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love." This quote is addressed to:

1. Ophelia
2. Gertrude
3. Horatio
4. Hamlet

9. "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Who says this line?

1. Gertrude
2. Ophelia
3. Hamlet
4. Polonius

10. What is the name of the character who is the chief counsellor to the king and is killed by Hamlet?

1. Polonius
2. Rosencrantz
3. Guildenstern
4. Fortinbras

11. Who is the prince of Norway who appears in the final act of the play?

1. Rosencrantz
2. Fortinbras
3. Hamlet
4. Yorick

12. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." This quote is uttered by:

1. Hamlet
2. Horatio
3. Claudius
4. Marcellus

13. "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go." Who speaks these words?

1. Hamlet
2. Polonius
3. Gertrude
4. Claudius

14. "Brevity is the soul of wit." These words are uttered by:

1. Ophelia
2. Horatio
3. Hamlet
4. Polonius

15. What is the name of the castle where most of the action occurs?

1. Vormir
2. Elysium
3. Elsinore
4. Leydell

 

Did you find our Hamlet quiz helpful?

We hope our Hamlet quiz has helped to kickstart your revision. For everything you need to know to pass your exam, please see our A Level study guide for Hamlet. 

Available as an online and a printed resource, this comprehensive guide features:

• A summary of the plot
• Key information about characters, themes and contexts
• Key critical debates
• Shakespeare’s use of language, form and structure.

The online version includes video tutorials, sample essay plans and answers, and revision cards.

 

 

Biography:

Reverie Black is an aspiring writer currently pursuing an MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway.  As a freelance Editorial Assistant at York Press Limited, Reverie excels in research, copyediting, and blog management, ensuring engaging and informative content for readers.

 

 

Answers:

1a. 2b. 3a. 4a. 5d. 6c. 7a. 8d. 9c. 10a. 11b. 12d. 13d. 14d. 15c.