This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Please help me with Hamlet!!

Im doing WJEC English Lit A level, no-one else seems to be on this exam board :p:

Anyway, we are doing Hamlet (partner text is 'The Revenger's Tragedy)
And I am completely lost!

I know the plot pretty well,
I know a FEW quotes, (it is a closed text exam :frown:

)
And basic characters
(Haven't really looked into critical analysis :/)

I just don't know how to write an essay on it! The question will most likely be according to a theme, & i have started writing an essay on 'revenge' in Hamlet, this should be the easiest theme ever! But I just can't do it...
Can anyone help me! Please :biggrin:

Rep available :smile:

Thanks

Reply 1

Touched With Fire

9

That's a little ambiguous. What aspect of essay writing do you difficult?

Reply 2

Jemmmy

OP

3

Touched With Fire

That's a little ambiguous. What aspect of essay writing do you difficult?

I am fine with writing essays, just feel like I don't have enough knowledge about Hamlet, finding it hard to lump it all together under one theme I guess

Reply 3

Touched With Fire

9

Jemmmy

I am fine with writing essays, just feel like I don't have enough knowledge about Hamlet, finding it hard to lump it all together under one theme I guess

Yeah. I've done an essay on the role of madness in Hamlet and that was in my first year of uni. What I can suggest is to go through it again - concentrating manily on the character of Hamlet himself. He's the character that seems to have to most mental instability and is the most vengeful figure of the play. Then try to pull it together.
It's important not to panic. You can do this.

Reply 4

Touched With Fire

9

E.g. what does revenge do to Hamlet? What destruction does it cause over the entire play? Is Hamlet so blinded by revenge that he somehow also causes Ophelia's death? How does his revenge bring about madness? Hamlet's vengeful nature is exactly why the play is as it is.

Reply 5

99 Red Balloons

13

Try making notes on it as you go along; take note of quotes relating to themes of madness, revenge, death, morality etc. and try to write around them? Hamlet can seem a bit daunting when you've just started, don't worry! :smile:

Reply 6

Jemmmy

OP

3

Touched With Fire

E.g. what does revenge do to Hamlet? What destruction does it cause over the entire play? Is Hamlet so blinded by revenge that he somehow also causes Ophelia's death? How does his revenge bring about madness? Hamlet's vengeful nature is exactly why the play is as it is.

Good ideas, thanks!
Did you find any useful critical readings whilst you were writing your essay?

Reply 7

Touched With Fire

9

Jemmmy

Good ideas, thanks!
Did you find any useful critical readings whilst you were writing your essay?

If you wanted to lend some focus to the idea of the characters as being vengeful and fighting for the top (as in a survival-of-the-fittest ecosystem), then Green Shakespeare by Gabriel Egan might interest you.
If you wanted a less heavy text, then the Norton Shakespeare with Stephen Greenblatt as editor has some marvellous introductions to each play and also explains Shakespeare's language and phrases very clearly.

Reply 8

Saint

11

key themes in Hamlet-
rage
ghosts
revenge
rage
procastination
family
morality
grief

concentrate on ALL characters when discussing a theme, eg
REVENGE- could inculde
hamelt
laretes
ophelia
claudius

compare the way they react AND look at language- compare laretes bombastic language by ophelia's grave with hamlet's mocking,scathing wit. compare who is laretes is fuming and gasping for revenge without understanding the situation with hamlet who is cautious to act and self internalized his grief and desire for revenge.
try to make unexpected comparisons, for example.. ophelia appeared to have no desire for revenge, but is her self scarfice(suicide) the ultimate revenge for her fathers murder? (the man who loved her and killed her father suffers as a result and she does what Hamlet can never do and ends her pain)

--------------------------------------

try to find how the key monologues- 'oh if this too too sallied flesh would melt...', 'to be or not to be...' and claudius's confession- amoung others relate to and highlight the key themes.

think also about each characters devolpment thoughout the play.

and look at feminist/freudian/psycho-anylitcal approachs, you will learn ALOT form understanding these!

hope this helps :smile:

Reply 9

Touched With Fire

9

Also do not forget A.C Bradley's Shakespearean Tragedy. Absolutely marvellous book that will assist you through your whole course and into uni if you choose to go.

Reply 10

tazzdan

Hi Jemm,

I would recommend you the Sparknotes on http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/ . My list of the literature read :-) for my exam in American literature was based on this site giving me detailed background information on most of the major works. Maybe you'll find there something useful for your Hamlet. ;-) When I was writing, for instance, an essay on Kafka's Trial, I gathered so much information on this book as possible, reading secondary literature and other sources, and during this process I made notes that I found interesting from my point of view. Finally, I gathered them all up and provided them with my personal view. Moreover, if you are lost a bit in "the process of writing an essay" (structure and all other requisites), go on the website http://www.uefap.com/writing/writfram.htm - it's the best guide on writing for academic purposes (I have written my thesis with its help) I've ever found. I hope, I've helped you a bit. So, enjoy your writing ;-), and don't be afraid, you'll be doing well! ;-)

Reply 11

hydra6001

Im doing WJEC too and we are studying Hamlet with the Revenger's tragedy. What ive found useful is compiling a list of similarities and differences between the main characters in both plays as well as themes prevalent in both plays.

We also have prepared sheets on the major characters in Hamlet with extensive information on them as well as quotes as we have only been told in the last month that it is closed book so we cannot take any texts in :s-smilie:

I think a good knowledge of the themes along with the characters that are integral to those themes as well as those effected by the theme. Knowing this as well as how the two plays are linked is how im trying to tackle it all

I'm also studying Lyrical Ballads by the way

Reply 12

lefneosan

1

you can have my essay on how hamlet transcends the boundaries of genre if you want. much more far reaching thna it sounds

Reply 13

amenhotep

1

Jemmmy

Im doing WJEC English Lit A level, no-one else seems to be on this exam board :p:

Anyway, we are doing Hamlet (partner text is 'The Revenger's Tragedy)
And I am completely lost!

I know the plot pretty well,
I know a FEW quotes, (it is a closed text exam :frown:

)
And basic characters
(Haven't really looked into critical analysis :/)

I just don't know how to write an essay on it! The question will most likely be according to a theme, & i have started writing an essay on 'revenge' in Hamlet, this should be the easiest theme ever! But I just can't do it...
Can anyone help me! Please :biggrin:

Rep available :smile:

Thanks

Compare interpretations of Hamlet, on screen, using DVDs - Kenneth Brannagh 1996, Zeffirelli 1991 (I think), Olivier 1948.
I bet you'll find film reviews etc. helpful too.

They'll help you understand how you can interpret Hamlet's innermost thoughts, his actions, his worldly significance etc. and from there you can...

Please help me with Hamlet!!

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you