Interesting facts about Shakespeare

William Shakespeare Quiz.

Interesting facts.

Are they True or False?

• There are  more than 80 variations recorded for the spelling of Shakespeare’s name .

True

• Shakespeare spelt his name “Willm Shaksp,” “William Shakespe,” “Wm Shakspe,” “William Shakspere,” ”Willm Shakspere,” and “William Shakspeare”. There are no records of him ever having spelt it “William Shakespeare”, as we know him today.

• Shakespeare’s family home in Stratford was called Old Place.

False

• Shakespeare’s family home in Stratford was called New Place. The house stood on the corner of Chapel Street and Chapel Lane, and was apparently the second largest house in the town.

Which of the crest belonged to Shakespeare’s family?

• The crest was a yellow spear on a yellow shield, with the Latin inscription “Non Sans Droict”, or “Not without Right”.

• During his life, Shakespeare wrote at least 25 plays, 154 sonnets and a number of poems!

False

• During his life, Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets and a number of poems!

• Shakespeare has been credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with introducing almost 3,000 words to the English language.

True

• Shakespeare has been credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with introducing almost 3,000 words to the English language. Estimations of his vocabulary range from 17,000 to a dizzying 29,000 words – at least double the number of words used by the average conversationalist.

• Shakespeare had close connections with King James I.

True

• The Bard was close friends and extremely popular with King James I. The king was so impressed with his talent that he made the actors of his company, The Lord Chamberlain’s, the Grooms of Chamber and gave them a patent allowing them to perform. The Bard returned the favor by changing the name of his company to “The King’s Men.”

• Shakespeare is the most quoted English writer.

False

• According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Shakespeare wrote close to a tenth of the most quoted lines ever written or spoken in English. But Shakespeare is only the second most quoted English writer after the writers of the Bible.

• Shakespeare has  descendants in 10 countries.

False

• Shakespeare and Anne had three children– a son Hamnet, and two daughters, Susanna and Judith. Hamnet died in 1596, and his only granddaughter Elizabeth (daughter of Susanna) died childless in 1670. Therefore Shakespeare has no descendants.

• It is believed that only Shakespeare in his family attended Oxford but the other members were illiterate.

False

• It is believed that he never attended any college and also his family members were also illiterate

• The word ‘love’ appears 2,191 times in the complete works.

True

• The word ‘love’ appears 2,191 times in the complete works.

• The cheapest places in the old Globe cost one penny. 7. The most expensive places cost a shilling (twelve pennies).

False

• The cheapest places in the old Globe cost one penny. 7. The most expensive places cost 6 pence.

Shakespeare's quotations.

“ All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

Fill in the gaps

• All the world’s a ______, and all the men and women merely __________
• To be, or not to be, that is the __________.
• Love is a _______ made with the fume of sighs. Love looks not with the ________, but with the _______. A _____ thinks himself to be ______, but a ______ man knows himself to be a _____. It is not in the __________ to hold our destiny but in ourselves.
• If music be the food of _____, play on. The course of true ______never did run smooth.
• Listen to _____, speak to a _________.
• A good heart’s worth ________.
• God has given you one ________, and you make yourself another. Be great in ______, as you have been in thought. There is nothing either good or bad but _________ makes it so. Love all, ________ a few, do wrong to none.

Answers.

• All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
• To be, or not to be, that is the question.
• Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.
• Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
• A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
• It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.
• If music be the food of love, play on.
• The course of true love never did run smooth.
• Listen to many, speak to a few.
• A good heart’s worth gold.
• God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.
• Be great in act, as you have been in thought.
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
• Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

Match quotations with their translations.

• All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
• Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.
• Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
• A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
• It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.
• If music be the food of love, play on.
• The course of true love never did run smooth.
• Listen to many, speak to a few.
• A good heart’s worth gold.
• God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.
• Be great in act, as you have been in thought.
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
• Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.
• To be, or not to be, that is the question.

• Любовь – это дым, порожденный парами вздохов.
• Любовь глядит не взором, а душой.
• Если музыка – пища для любви, играйте ее.
• Путь истинной любви никогда не бывал гладким.
• Любите всех, доверяйте немногим, не делайте плохого никому.
• Быть или не быть – вот в чем вопрос
• Слушайте много, говорите мало.
• Бог дал вам одно лицо, а вы рисуете себе другое.
• Будь таким же великим в действиях, каким ты был в мыслях.
• Нет ничего ни хорошего, ни плохого, но своими мыслями мы делаем это таковым.
• Глупец считает себя мудрым, а мудрец знает себя дураком.
• Наша судьба не в звездах, а в нас самих.
• Доброе сердце ценится на вес золота.
• Весь мир – театр, а люди в нем актеры.