Hamlet

Hi

I couldn't see a Hamlet thread going, so i wondered if there are many other people taking the exam? Also, it's the first year the text has been on the syllabus...ouuuch!

Reply 1

Circa1892

9

I think there's a Hamlet thread a bit further down, but nevermind.

I'm taking the exam. Not exactly delighted at the fact it's a first time text, as it means there's no past questions (aside from January) to go through.

But it's a fantastic play, and I'd be happy with pretty much any character question. My money's on Polonius and Hamlet questions coming up this year.

Reply 2

SomthingOriginal

Aye im doing it too. A few of the texts i get seem to be first time on the syllabus, heh....

Polonius, hmm havn't really looked much at him. I think Claudius is quite likely, or something about the women?

Reply 3

klerr

Yeah, I'm doing Hamlet too.
Shame there's no past questions, but it is just about his most well know play (though also perhaps the most allusive) so there's loads of secondary sources.
New Casebooks Hamlet, Martin Coyle (Ed.) is a good collection of contemporary critical essays. Also, I used the Cambridge Advance notes for Much Ado last year and found them really useful, so I've ordered them for Hamlet.

What else are you taking? We've got Blake's Songs, and comparison of A Clockwork Orange and Riddley Walker.

Reply 4

boopshaboop

I've had a look at the questions from january and they were on claudius and laertes, so i doubt theyll be on this paper. actually, seeing as they were both character questions maybe its more likely there'll be one on a theme?

Reply 5

srslysweets

5

Eep, I'm taking it too but dreading it because our teacher is awful. I'm having to do all my own learning of the play and wider reading etc. Does anyone have any useful website links or things like that which could help me?

Reply 6

JH08

12

boopshaboop

I've had a look at the questions from january and they were on claudius and laertes, so i doubt theyll be on this paper. actually, seeing as they were both character questions maybe its more likely there'll be one on a theme?

I sat that paper, it was very surprising. The questions were awful, it is very unusual to have two character questions, particularly when it was the first sitting and candidates had no past papers to go on.

As a result, the whole country did pretty badly and AQA lowered the boundaries quite considerably.

Reply 7

boopshaboop

Yeah i can understand that, although the claudius question didnt look too bad. i guess if you hadnt revised characters then you'd be screwed.
Ive got to do an essay on how female characters are presented in hamlet, and how important they are to the play. Does anyone have any notes on this because im struggling quite a bit...if anyone does they'll be really helpful! thanks

Reply 8

Beautiful_Plumage

Hmmm I did Hamlet for my coursework and so haven't studied it for the past 3/4 months. What can I remember about female characters?

Gertrude depends on external pleasures from men...

Ophelia is 'hysteric' as in Shakespeare's time they believed hysteria came from the womb...

O dear I can't remember much!

Hamlet

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