Hamlet MCQs Quiz Multiple Choice Questions & Answers

1. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leave Hamlet, what does he basically say in his soliloquy?

1. He knows he is about to commit a mortal sin, and he begs Gods forgiveness.
2. He believes that love conquers all, and he resolves to be even more loving toward those he dislikes.
3. He is angry at his father. He says that if King Hamlet had been stronger, he never would have let Claudius kill him.
4. He thinks himself a coward for not getting right to the revenge.

2. At the end of Scene III, Ophelia agrees to obey Polonius wish. What will she do?

1. She will go into a convent for a year of prayer.
2. She will stay away from Hamlet and reject his affections.
3. She will befriend the Queen to spy on her.
4. She will marry Fortinbras.

3. Describe Hamlets tone when he speaks to Ophelia.

1. He is patronizing and sarcastic.
2. He is rude and aggressive.
3. He is meek and fearful.
4. He is kind and loving.

4. Hamlet is upset for two reasons. What are they?

1. His father has died, and his uncle has declared war on Fortinbras.
2. He wants to travel for about a year, but he is afraid to leave his mother because she has been acting strangely since the Kings death.
3. His father has died, and his uncle has married his mother less than two months after his fathers death.
4. His mother has been ignoring him, and his fiancée has cancelled the wedding plans.

5. Hamlet swears Horatio to two things. What are they?

1. Hamlet asks Horatio to promise to attend Mass for him everyday for a year if he dies, and to marry Ophelia.
2. Hamlet asks Horatio not to reveal the events of the evening, and to go along with him (Hamlet) if he pretends to be crazy.
3. Hamlet asks Horatio to defend him in battle, and to kill Claudius if he (Hamlet) does not do it first.
4. Hamlet asks Horatio to promise to protect his mother, and to defend the country against Fortinbras.

6. Hamlets famous To be or not to be soliloquy is in Scene One. Which of the following paraphrases his main points?

1. He is pondering whether a miserable life is better than the unknown of the death.
2. He questions whether peace of mind is a good substitute for material wealth.
3. He questions the traditions about succession to the throne in Denmark. He feels that either he or his mother should be the rightful successor to his dead father.
4. He questions whether love, either romantic or family love, is worth all of the pain it causes.

7. How does Polonius die?

1. Polonius is hiding in the Queens room while she and Hamlet are talking. He makes a noise. Hamlet runs through the tapestry, thinking it may be Claudius, and kills Polonius.
2. The King decides to get rid of any potential enemies. He sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to murder Polonius. They make it look like a suicide.
3. He realizes Hamlet has been right all along. He kills himself in his grief and remorse.
4. He and Ophelia are standing on the top of the castle tower, talking. Ophelia becomes enraged and pushes him over the edge.

8. Laertes thinks that Ophelia should have a better funeral service. What is the priests answer.

1. He agrees and sets about preparing one.
2. He says she is lucky to be getting as nice of a funeral as she is, considering the nature of her death.
3. He says that women are inferior beings and only deserve very simple funerals.
4. He says there is no one to pay for it, since Polonius is already dead.

9. Polonius gives a lot of advice to Laertes. Which of these statements is not part of that advice?

1. Keep you in the rear of your affection. Out of the shot and danger of desire.
2. To thine own self be true.
3. Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
4. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, but not expressed in fancy; rich; not gaudy; For the apparel oft proclaims the man.

10. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern finally meet with Hamlet, and Hamlet discovers they were sent for by the King. How does Hamlet describe his personal problems to them?

1. He tells them he used to think the world was wonderful, but now he finds differently, and he has no delight in man or woman.
2. Hamlet has written a poem that he reads to them, describing his sorrows.
3. He cries and takes them into his confidence, hoping they will align themselves with him against the King.
4. He compares himself to an erupting volcano.

11. The King has Rosencrantz and Guildenstern prepare to do what?

1. They prepare to try and patch things up between Hamlet and Ophelia.
2. They prepare to help Hamlet write another play. However in this one, the King has written some lines that accuse Hamlet of the murder of his father.
3. They prepare to capture Hamlet and imprison him.
4. They prepare to take Hamlet to England.

12. The Queen tells Laertes that Ophelia is dead. How did she die?

1. She has died of a broken heart.
2. She has fallen on her own knife.
3. She has drowned.
4. She has taken poison.

13. What arrangement does Hamlet make with Player 1?

1. He arranges to have the lights turned on and the play ruined in the middle of the performance.
2. He arranges to have several of his own lines put into the play.
3. He arranges to have the player pay extra attention to the Queen, to get the King jealous.
4. He arranges to trade places with the player during the last act of the play.

14. What did the ghost tell Hamlet?

1. The ghost told Hamlet that he was not really the son of King Hamlet. The Queen had lied, and Hamlet was really the son of Claudius.
2. The ghost told Hamlet that Fortinbras is the rightful ruler, and asks Hamlet to help him gain the throne.
3. The ghost tells Hamlet that he should take his mother and flee to Sweden, where they will be safe.
4. The ghost told Hamlet that King Hamlet was murdered by Claudius, and it asked Hamlet to avenge the murder.

15. What do the King and Polonius decide about Hamlets condition after eavesdropping on Hamlet and Ophelia?

1. They decide he is not love-sick; rather; he has some other trouble deep in his soul.
2. They decide his fathers death has left him troubled.
3. They decide hes not sick at all; hes just being a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum.
4. They decide he is love-sick, and the only cure is to find him another love.

16. What does Hamlet decide to do after he hears Horatios news?

1. He decides to have the doctor examine his mother.
2. Hamlet decides to go on watch with the guards at midnight to verify Horatios news.
3. He decides to ready his army for battle.
4. Hamlet decides to go to confession and communion.

17. What does Hamlet do to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

1. He offers them money and reminds them that the three of them used to be friends. He asks them to stay with him.
2. He arranged for them to be kidnapped and taken to Poland.
3. He replaced their letters (which called for Hamlets execution) with letters which called for their executions.
4. He pays a group of thugs to beat them and leave them for dead.

18. What does Hamlet think of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

1. He calls them leeches, saying they associate themselves with the King to appear superior to other commoners.
2. He calls them monsters, saying they are selfish and look for ways to destroy others.
3. He calls them monkeys, saying they follow the Kings orders without thinking.
4. He calls them sponges, saying they soak up the Kings words, commands and gifts.

19. What does the King say to Laertes to console him after Laertes and Hamlet are separated?

1. He offers Laertes money and a piece of land as consolation.
2. He tells Laertes he will have the priest say a special prayer to make sure Ophelias soul goes to heaven.
3. He tells Laertes that he (the King) will exile Hamlet instead of killing him.
4. The King tells Laertes not to worry, that he (Laertes) will soon have the appropriate time and place to kill Hamlet.

20. What does the King tell Hamlet?

1. He tells Hamlet to stop grieving for his fathers death, and to think of him as his father.
2. He tells Hamlet that he should go on a pilgrimage to honor his father.
3. He tells him that the Queen never really loved King Hamlet, and is only pretending to grieve for him. She secretly loved Claudius all along.
4. He suggests that Hamlet think about going to England to go to the University at Cambridge.

21. What does young Fortinbras want to do?

1. Fortinbras wants to receive payment from Hamlet.
2. Fortinbras wants to avenge his fathers death by killing Hamlet.
3. Fortinbras wants to regain the lands his father had lost.
4. Fortinbras wants to conquer Denmark.

22. What had Bernardo seen at a prior watch?

1. He had seen King Hamlets ghost.
2. He had seen Hamlet crying and acting crazed.
3. He had seen the Queen in the arms of an unknown suitor.
4. He had seen Horatio and Marcellus meeting secretly in a grove of trees. He was suspicious.

23. What has happened to Ophelia?

1. She has gone to a convent in Norway.
2. She has defied her father and announced that she is going to England to be with Hamlet.
3. She has gone crazy.
4. She has married another man, chosen by her father.

24. What is Laertes advice to Ophelia?

1. He tells her to take time to look over all of the young men before she makes a choice.
2. He tells her she would be better off going to a convent than marrying any one of her suitors.
3. He tells her that Polonius is secretly in love with her.
4. He warns her to stay away from Hamlet and tells her to protect her virtue.

25. What is Polonius plan for testing his theory about Hamlets madness?

1. He wants the most famous doctors to be brought from all over Europe to observe and study Hamlet, then to make a diagnosis and treatment plan.
2. He wants to have Hamlet meet Ophelia. He (Polonius) will hide and eavesdrop on the conversation.
3. He wants the priest to come from Rome to perform an exorcism on Hamlet.
4. He wants to stage a duel and see if Hamlet is mentally aware enough to fight.

26. What is the content of Hamlets letter to Horatio?

1. He tells him about his old friend Yorick.
2. He expresses his regrets about the way he has treated Ophelia, but says that he has acted this way for a greater good.
3. He asks Horatio to talk to the Queen for him; he thinks she might listen to Horatio.
4. He says he has escaped from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern onto a pirate ship, where he is being well treated. He asks Horatio to give letters to the King and Queen, and then to come to see him as quickly as possible.

27. What is the content of the letters the King sends with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to England with Hamlet?

1. The King sends money to the King of England to pay for Hamlets upkeep for one year.
2. The King sends a document saying that Hamlet is mad, and asking that he be imprisoned in the Tower of London until he regains his sanity.
3. It is a letter thanking the King of England for his help, and inviting him and his wife to visit Denmark the following spring.
4. The King wants Hamlet to be killed as soon as he reaches England.

28. What message do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern carry to the King and Queen? What is their response?

1. They tell them Hamlet is having a special Mass said for his dead father. He asks them to come. The Queen accepts, but the King refuses.
2. They tell them Hamlet wants to go off on a long journey, on foot, by himself. The Queen objects, but the King thinks it is a good idea.
3. They tell them Hamlet wishes the King and Queen to see a play that night. They both accept.
4. They tell them Hamlet wants the King to order Ophelia to marry him. The King refuses.

29. What message does Rosencrantz deliver to Hamlet from the Queen?

1. She wants to see him.
2. She is arranging for him to have dinner with a girl she thinks he will like.
3. She wants him to go to Norway immediately.
4. She is angry and wont speak to him for one month.

30. What news does Horatio bring Hamlet?

1. Horatio tells Hamlet that his mother has been excommunicated.
2. Horatio tells Hamlet that Fortinbras is on the way with his army.
3. Horatio tells Hamlet about King Hamlets ghost.
4. Horatio tells Hamlet of a great plague that has come upon the land.

31. What news does Osric bring Hamlet?

1. The King and Queen are expecting a child.
2. The King has made a wager on Hamlets behalf in a contest between Laertes and Hamlet.
3. The King has confessed to the murder of King Hamlet, and has renounced the throne. Hamlet is the new King of Denmark.
4. The King has forgiven him and offered him safe passage.

32. What plan do the King and Laertes discuss to kill Hamlet?

1. They plan to set up a duel between Laertes and Hamlet. Either Laertes will honorably kill Hamlet, or, if he survives, the King will poison him.
2. They plan to go to him and escort him back to Denmark. On the way, they will stage a shipwreck. They will leave Hamlet in the water to perish, and they will be rescued by another ship.
3. They plan to force Horatio to do it. If he refuses they will kill all the members of his family.
4. They will go to see him, disguised as beggars. Then they will rob him and kill him.

33. What prompts Hamlet to say, My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!?

1. He realizes that his father has been murdered, his uncle is a murderer, his mother is living in an incestuous marriage, and the soldiers he has just seen are going to kill each other over a little piece of land which is not worth anything.
2. He decides to offer Rosencrantz and Guildenstern more money than the King is giving them, in the hopes that they will turn traitor on the King and murder him for Hamlet. He realizes that he is committing a wrong, but decides to do it anyway.
3. He realizes that he has been thinking about death and destruction almost constantly. He feels sad, and wonders if he will ever again be able to think peaceful thoughts.
4. He feels guilty for killing Polonius.

34. What was the Kings reaction to the play, and what did Hamlet and Horatio decide his reaction meant?

1. The King laughed and laughed. They decided he didnt really get the point, and they would have to be more direct the next time.
2. The King got up and called for the lights. They were convinced that the ghost had been correct.
3. The King clenched his teeth and gripped the arms of his chair, but said nothing. They thought they were on the right track, but would need to do something else to force the King into making a confession.
4. The King had no reaction to the play. They decided it meant they were wrong, and that he was innocent after all.

35. What would Hamlet have his mother do?

1. He wants her to stop sleeping with the King.
2. He wants her to have the marriage annulled by the Church.
3. He wants her to poison the King at dinner the next night.
4. He wants her to go to England.

36. When the King asks Hamlet where Polonius is, what is Hamlets answer?

1. First he says it is with the other vermin. Then he says it is on its way to England, so as not to desecrate good Danish soil.
2. First he says it is not where he eats, but where he is eaten. Then he tells the King to look for him in Heaven, and if he cant find Polonius there, to go to the other place (hell) himself.
3. First he says Polonius is now keeping company with my dear dead father. Later he tells the King he has put the body on display in the marketplace for all the people to see, telling them that this is what happens to those who disobey the King.
4. First he says he has brought the fair body to the chapel. Then he says it is in a place where no harm will come to it.

37. Where does Claudius send Cornelius and Voltimand?

1. He sends them to England to ask for money.
2. He sends them to Norway to ask the King to keep Fortinbras from going to battle.
3. He sends them to Rome to get the Popes blessing for the upcoming battle.
4. He sends them to Sweden for reinforcements.

38. Where does Polonius send Reynaldo?

1. Polonius sends Reynaldo to Paris to spy on Laertes and to take him money and messages.
2. Polonius sends Reynaldo to the castle to take care of Hamlet.
3. Polonius sends Reynaldo to Sweden, Finland, and Norway to see who will give Hamlet and the Queen asylum if they need it.
4. Polonius sends Reynaldo to London to offer the King money in return for soldiers.

39. Who do the soldiers/guards want to tell about the ghost?

1. They want to tell the Queen.
2. They want to tell the priests.
3. They want to tell the Commander of the Guards.
4. They want to tell Hamlet (King Hamlets son).

40. Why does Hamlet give instructions to the players?

1. He is helping them remember their lines, because he does not want to disappoint his mother when she watches the play.
2. He is merely showing off his superiority, to keep in character with his masquerade of being mad.
3. He does not want the parts to be over-acted. He wants it to appear as natural and as real as possible, so it will hit home to the King.
4. In his madness, he believes that he is really a great actor, not the Prince of Denmark.

41. Why does Hamlet jump into Ophelias grave?

1. He shows that his sorrow is as great as Laertes.
2. He wants everyone to think he is still mad.
3. He wants to be buried alive so he can be with her forever.
4. He wants to make sure that she is really dead.

42. Why does Laertes force his way in? What does he want?

1. He wants to kidnap the Queen and hold her for ransom.
2. He wants to avenge his fathers death.
3. He wants to be given the title to his fathers lands.
4. He wants to marry Ophelia.

43. Why does Marcellus think Horatio should speak to the ghost?

1. Marcellus thinks Horatio should speak to the ghost because he is the only one who does not believe in ghosts, so he is the only one who is not afraid.
2. Marcellus thinks Horatio should speak to the ghost because he is a scholar and should know the proper way to address a ghost.
3. Marcellus thinks Horatio should speak to the ghost because his parents are dead; he may have more influence with the ghost.
4. Marcellus thinks Horatio should speak to the ghost because Horatio is the most religious of them.

44. Why does Polonius think Hamlet is mad?

1. He thinks Hamlet has been dabbling in witchcraft, and that it is affecting his mind.
2. He thinks Hamlet is angry because he has not become King. His anger and jealousy are driving him mad.
3. He thinks Hamlet realizes now that the King never really loved him. Now that the King is dead, there is nowhere to release his frustration. He is turning it inward, which makes him appear mad.
4. He thinks Ophelias rejections have been too much for Hamlet, that Hamlet is lovesick.

45. Why doesnt Hamlet kill the King when the King is kneeling?

1. Hamlet loses heart, and realizes that his father would not have wanted another murder committed.
2. Hamlet wants the King to die without a chance for a last confession. If he is praying, he may not be in enough sin to get eternal punishment.
3. He thinks he hears noises in the hallway. He is afraid that someone will see him. He decides to wait until he can be sure they are alone.
4. Hamlet wants his mother to be there to witness the deed.

46. Why have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to the castle?

1. They have come to tutor Hamlet so that he can go on to the University in Paris or London.
2. They are master soldiers who have come to prepare the troops for battle.
3. They have come to find out why Hamlet is acting so strangely and to report their findings to the King.
4. They have come to help the Queen redecorate in a manner suitable to Claudius.

47. Why must the King not put the strong arm on Hamlet?

1. He is protecting his wife. He thinks that Hamlet might try to hurt her if he is provoked.
2. He needs to save all of his strength for fighting the enemies from other countries.
3. Hamlets mother would not want him harmed. The people of Denmark like him and would be upset if anything happened to him..
4. He is afraid that his soul would be permanently blackened if he committed any more evil deeds.