Hamlet Act #2 Quiz

1. Why does Polonius send his servant to Paris?

A. To buy new clothes for Laertes
B. To spy on Laertes
C. To send a message to Laertes
D. To kill Laertes

2. In Scene 1, Polonius instructs Reynaldo to…

A. Determine Laertes’s behavior indirectly
B. Supervise Laertes to keep him out of trouble.
C. Spread damaging rumors about Laertes.
D. Help Laertes make friends and learn the language.

3. Hamlet visits Ophelia “with his doublet all unbraced, / No hat upon his head” to…
A. Ask how she feels about him.
B. Declare his love for her.
C. Convince her of his madness.
D. Tell her about the ghost of his father.

4. Hamlet’s soliloquy in Scene 2 expresses…

A. Frustration with his weak and indecisive nature.
B. Anticipation of how he will feel if his plan works.
C. Satisfaction with the plan he has made.
D. Anger over the action he must take.

5. A major reason for Hamlet’s dilemma is that he…

A. Likes Claudius.
B. Knows his mother would be sad to learn the truth.
C. Is uncertain of the Ghost’s authenticity.
D. Does not want to become king himself.

6. What does Polonius believe is the cause of Hamlet’s apparent madness?

A. He doesn’t believe Hamlet is mad.
B. The ghost of his dead father is haunting the castle
C. He was denied love from Ophelia.
D. His uncle married his mother and his father’s death.

7. What are the names of Hamlet’s friends that Claudius and Gertrude asked to spy on Hamlet?

A. Guildenstern and Rosencratz

B. Marcellus and Horatio
 C. Barnado and Marcellus
D. Guildenstern and Laertes

8. How does Hamlet treat the actors when they arrive?

A. He welcomes them warmly.
B. He hates all of them and threatens to kill them.
C. He thinks that they are beneath him and a waste of his time.
D. He says that their acting is poor and they should be ashamed.

9. Why does Hamlet call himself a coward?

A. He’s not a coward, everyone else it.
B. He can’t bring himself to speak to Ophelia
C. He is scared of ghosts
D. He hasn’t gotten revenge for his father

10. How are Hamlet and his father foils to Laertes and his father Polonius?
A. Hamlet and his father distrusted each other while Laertes and his father trust one another.
B. Hamlet and his father hated each other while Laertes and his father love each other.
C. Hamlet and his father trusted each other while Laertes and his father distrust one another.
D. Hamlet and his father were complicated while Laertes and his father are simple.

11. Why does Ophelia cease all contact with Hamlet?

A. She ceases all contact with Hamlet because her mother ordered her to do so and she is
obedient to him.
B. She ceases all contact with Hamlet because her father ordered to do so and she is obedient to
him.
C. She ceases all contact with Hamlet because she believes that Hamlet is dangerous.
D. She ceases all contact with Hamlet because that Hamlet is playing with her emotions.

12. Dramatic irony is evident when Hamlet behaves oddly to Ophelia?

A. The audience is aware that Hamlet has really gone mad, but Ophelia believes he is faking it.
B. The audience is aware that Hamlet is pretending to be mad, but Ophelia is unaware.
C. The audience is aware that Hamlet is still in love with Ophelia, but Ophelia has a new boyfriend.
D. The audience is aware that Hamlet never loved Ophelia, but she doesn’t know it.

13. Why does Polonius hurry to tell Claudius and Gertrude about Hamlet’s supposed depression?
A. Polonius hurries to tell Claudius and Gertrude because he enjoys the power he has with this
news.
B. Polonius hurries to tell Claudius and Gertrude because he is worried about how this affects
Ophelia.
C. Polonius hurries to tell Claudius and Gertrude because he loves Hamlet like his own son Laertes.
 D. Polonius hurries to tell Claudius and Gertrude because he thinks it will get him favor with
Hamlet.

14. Claudius has the most to lose, for if people discovered his secret, he would lose all of these except
which?
A. His faith/religion
B. His kingship/reign
C. His life
D. His marriage