First Folio by William Shakespeare (London, UK — 1623) — Questions and answers

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What important thing might have been lost forever if the First Folio wasn't made?

Choices

  1. The King's favorite stories.
  2. Eighteen of Shakespeare's plays. ✓
  3. William Jaggard's printing press.
  4. The ability to read books.

Answer: Eighteen of Shakespeare's plays.

From page 1

Who helped Isaac Jaggard look through the manuscripts?

Choices

  1. William Jaggard and the King.
  2. John Heminges and Henry Condell. ✓
  3. Ben Jonson and Edward Blount.
  4. Only Isaac Jaggard worked alone.

Answer: John Heminges and Henry Condell.

From page 2

What did Ben Jonson say about Shakespeare's plays?

Choices

  1. They were only for people of that specific time.
  2. They were a mirror to human nature, showing both good and bad. ✓
  3. They were too confusing for most people to understand.
  4. They only showed funny stories, not sad ones.

Answer: They were a mirror to human nature, showing both good and bad.

From page 3

What did King James I say about the First Folio?

Choices

  1. He said it was not important at all.
  2. He said it should be hidden away and not shared.
  3. He said it deserved royal support and Shakespeare's words would last forever. ✓
  4. He said it was too heavy to carry.

Answer: He said it deserved royal support and Shakespeare's words would last forever.

From page 4

What was William Jaggard's advice to Isaac about the printing process?

Choices

  1. To hurry up and finish quickly.
  2. To make sure each character and page was perfect. ✓
  3. To take a long break and rest.
  4. To change the words of the plays.

Answer: To make sure each character and page was perfect.

From page 5

What did Edward Blount, the bookseller, encourage people to do with the First Folio?

Choices

  1. Hide it in a secret place.
  2. Throw it away because it was too old.
  3. Invest in it, calling it a "treasure trove of human emotion." ✓
  4. Use it as a prop in a play.

Answer: Invest in it, calling it a "treasure trove of human emotion."

From page 6

Why did Heminges and Condell think proofreading the pages carefully was so important?

Choices

  1. They wanted to make the book shorter.
  2. A misplaced comma could change the meaning, and Shakespeare deserved accuracy. ✓
  3. They were bored and needed something to do.
  4. They wanted to add new stories to the book.

Answer: A misplaced comma could change the meaning, and Shakespeare deserved accuracy.

From page 7

What did one scholar say about the First Folio years later?

Choices

  1. That it was just an ordinary book.
  2. That half of Shakespeare's work might have been lost without it, calling it a "miracle of preservation." ✓
  3. That it was too difficult to read.
  4. That it only inspired one person.

Answer: That half of Shakespeare's work might have been lost without it, calling it a "miracle of preservation."

From page 9

Where can two copies of the First Folio be found today, according to the Art Fact?

Choices

  1. In a private collection.
  2. At a small bookstore.
  3. In the hallowed halls of the British Library. ✓
  4. At William Jaggard's old house.

Answer: In the hallowed halls of the British Library.

From page 10