ACT I - Scene I Quiz — Hamlet

Where does Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamlet take place?

• Inside the throne room at Elsinore
• A platform on the battlements of Elsinore Castle
• A graveyard outside the castle walls
• The royal garden at midnight

Why have Marcellus and Bernardo brought Horatio to the watch?

• To replace Francisco, who has fallen ill
• To deliver a message from Prince Hamlet
• To witness the Ghost and speak to it as a scholar
• To help defend against an expected Norwegian attack

What is Horatio's initial reaction to the idea of a ghost?

• He is excited to see it
• He dismisses it as fantasy and says it will not appear
• He immediately believes and prays for protection
• He refuses to come to the watch

What does the Ghost look like when it appears?

• A shadowy, formless mist
• The dead King Hamlet in full armor
• A skeleton wrapped in a burial shroud
• A glowing figure without distinct features

According to Horatio, why is Denmark preparing for war?

• England has threatened to invade Denmark
• King Claudius wants to expand Danish territory
• Young Fortinbras is raising an army to reclaim lands his father lost
• Pirates have been raiding the Danish coast

To what historical event does Horatio compare the Ghost's appearance?

• The fall of Troy
• The supernatural omens before Julius Caesar's assassination
• The death of Alexander the Great
• The eruption of Mount Vesuvius

What causes the Ghost to vanish during its second appearance?

• Horatio recites a prayer
• Marcellus strikes it with his partisan
• The cock crows at dawn
• Prince Hamlet arrives on the battlements

What do the men decide to do at the end of the scene?

• Report the Ghost to King Claudius
• Attempt an exorcism the following night
• Tell Prince Hamlet, believing the Ghost will speak to him
• Summon a priest to bless the battlements

Which of these events actually occur in Act 1, Scene 1?

Which of the following statements about the Ghost are true in this scene?

What does "avouch" mean when Horatio says he needs "the sensible and true avouch" of his own eyes?

• Permission or approval
• Proof or evidence
• Comfort or reassurance
• Vision or eyesight

What does "portentous" mean when Bernardo calls the Ghost a "portentous figure"?

• Impressive and grand in appearance
• Ominous, signaling something momentous is about to happen
• Transparent or ghostly in form
• Angry and threatening

What is a "partisan" when Marcellus asks "Shall I strike at it with my partisan?"

• A political supporter or ally
• A short dagger worn at the belt
• A long-handled spear with a broad blade
• A wooden shield used by sentinels