AQA A2 Classical Civilisation 29th and 31st May 2012

Original post by emmahebron13

Just a heads up: my Classics teacher said that they have never asked a question on Book 11 so...be prepared for that!

Thanks, I didn't know that. Probably the worst book in the whole of the Aeneid. I have no idea what happens in it except for the whole Camilla episode :colondollar:

Reply 102

emmahebron13

Original post by ndx

Thanks, I didn't know that. Probably the worst book in the whole of the Aeneid. I have no idea what happens in it except for the whole Camilla episode :colondollar:

Yeah I know about her; Amazonian warrior who gets a javelin thrown through her.

I've not exactly read the book though...I've skimmed sections, and I know how it begins and where it gets to, but as for actually reading it? Nah. Not done that.

I liked the tragic plays, but I hate this book. So much. And I love books and work in a bookstore so this is saying something!

Reply 103

Pallas' funeral is at the start of it too, they might use a passage from his funeral.

Yeah, I'm not a huge fan either. Much prefer The Odyssey but I've done so much work in school on The Aeneid that I feel more prepared for it than I did for the tragedy paper. Hope the essay question is another one asking if a Roman audience would have liked Aeneas.

Reply 104

lp94

Anyone have a full list of the themes of The Aeneid?
Or more specifically a list of themes which haven't yet come up as synoptic questions?

As far as I know, father-son relationships, the anger of Juno, and the conflict between pietas and furor haven't come up. They're the only major themes I can think of which have never been set.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 105

There haven't been many, if any, essay questions that solely concentrated on the gods. The last few have been the Roman audience's reaction to Aeneas or if the Aeneid was propaganda. I wouldn't be surprised if question on the gods, or a women question came up. There hasn't been a question on women since 2008.

Themes on AQA website - Nature of heroism, society and status, family values, portrayal of war, religion, impact of fate.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 106

lp94

Original post by ndx

There haven't been many, if any, essay questions that solely concentrated on the gods. The last few have been the Roman audience's reaction to Aeneas or if the Aeneid was propaganda.

Themes on AQA website - Nature of heroism, society and status, family values, portrayal of war, religion, impact of fate.

Ah, that's true. Although it's only really Juno, Venus and Jupiter who play substantial roles in the action.
What does 'society and status' refer to?

Also, I don't think there's ever been anything on religious ritual but that would be an awful question. And there's been one on fate vs. human action but never anything on fate alone, which I would love as I've done a homework essay on it and spent ages on it in class.

Reply 107

I think society and status would mean maybe, pietas and the sort of civilisation that Aeneas is trying to create. The only question on society was in 2009 - "How sympathetic to his treatment of political, social and religious matters in the Aeneid do you think Virgil's readers in the time of Augustus would have been?". I quite like that question. I think you could do political as war (a necessary evil), social as pietas and religion as the role of the gods.

Religion would be a horrible question and one I'd avoid because I'm not sure writing about the gods would be enough.You could look at prayer and sacrifice but there's not that much to write.

Reply 108

lp94

Original post by ndx

Okay, thanks!
I agree that there doesn't seem like a lot to write about for religion - the rituals and sacrifices are scattered throughout the epic and you'd need to know it in great detail to write about it well, I think.

How did you find the tragedy paper?

Reply 109

I didn't like section A. I chose the Oedipus question and I hated the passage they used. I messed up most of my 10 mark but hopefully did okay in my 5 and 20. I liked the essay question about women but I ran out of time so my last paragraph and conclusion are rushed and illegible! How about you?

Reply 110

ManicDreamGirl

My teacher thinks Augustus/history or heroism is going to come up which I hope it does. I know the Roman history like the back of my hand now! :lol:

Reply 111

mariejulian

this programme on bbc four has some really good analysis' on the aeneid if anybody is interested, have made some really useful notes from it especially regarding connotations and historical context http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p003k9c1/In_Our_Time_The_Aeneid/

For CIV4C

Reply 112

Did anybody else do Tiberius and Claudius? (CIV4D)

Reply 113

Yeah I did Tiberius and Claudius. It was harder than what I was expecting and some people left out a 5 marker because they found It too difficult. I just hope it went okay and the grade is good. How about you? Did you just find yourself packing it with loads of examples cose I certainly did lol just hope analysis was good. Glad it's all over anyway :smile:

Reply 114

Original post by Supton

I think it was harder than I was expected too, in my opinion it was harder than a lot of past papers so I'm hoping for low grade boundaries. Which option did you do for section A? I did Claudius because I hated the 10 marker for Tiberius! I think both the passages chosen were really obscure, and nothing like the usual Sejanus/Freedmen/Wives passages :s-smilie:

And for the 40 marker which did you do? I did the sources question which was the one I wanted to come up, and yeah I did keep using lots of examples but that's what they like :smile:

Reply 115

It sounds like we answered it similarly but I did the Tiberius questions and the other 40 marker lol. I looked at the Claudius questions and I had no idea of how to answer them so I did Tiberius instead. The 5 and 10 marker were hard to speak about but I hope I did another to get good marks. I agree that the passages were vague and it was not what I was expecting at all. I am sure that if we gave a load of examples and wrote a lot then we would have done fine. Just a long anxious wait now lol. Did you do the tragedy paper as well?

Reply 116

Original post by Supton

I'm sure you did enough :smile:

Haha that we did the opposite questions, I can't ask you what you wrote now :tongue:

Yeah, I was really expecting Sejanus/Senate (with a nicer passage) and Freedmen/Wives for Claudius. They seem to have chosen completley different passages this year to avoid repeating themselves I think, because all the questions on section A and B were nothing like most the past paper questions.

Yes it is a long wait :frown:

Most my friends haven't even started their exams! At least there's a break until after half term now.

Yes I did tragedy as well, I found that one much better as it seemed more typical of the past papers. I thought I was stronger at Unit 4 but I think I've done better on the tragedy paper overall. How did you find it?

Reply 117

Yeah lol it seems that most people favoured the questions you did. As usual i am different to everyone. I am surprised they missed out questions on freedmen and wives etc as they are most interesting parts to a stale topic but like you say probably to avoid repetition

Good luck with your other exams after ht. what topics are they in? Good we have a break to revise other stuff

Tragedy was alright I thought just hope what I wrote was good. I am sure you did well as it sounds like you know the subject well. Did you do dramatic irony question?

Reply 118

Yeah, wives and freedmen were my favourite part! I was so sad they missed them out :frown:

Thanks, good luck for you in yours too. I have history and philosophy after half term :frown:

you?

Yeah, I find it so hard to tell how I did in tragedy because I don't know If I wrote how they wanted me to write. No, I did the women question as I could think of more stuff to say about all the plays, whereas for dramatic irony I could think of loads for Oedipus but not much for the other plays. :s-smilie:

Reply 119