OCR Virgil and the World if the Hero - A2

Anyone got any predictions for the exam next week?
I feel so underprepared.

Scroll to see replies

I've done barely any revision because all of my exams have been really close together and I've had no time to revise The Aeneid, it's worrying because I don't even feel like I can summarise what happens in each book, and I have more than one exam on Tuesday too so I can't even cram it properly :/

Personally I'm hoping we get a question about the context of the poem, so we can talk about Augustus and the way his values affect the writing of it.

Reply 2

Millie1497

It sounds like I'm in the same boat as you then!
Have they ever done a historical 50 marker before?
I'm really hopping for the conventional roman or Homeric hero question or whether the gods are a hindrance or help.

Reply 3

07harris

Original post by Millie1497

I've never seen one, but it's on the spec so there's a chance it could come up. I wouldn't mind those essays either tbh, it's just finding evidence that's hard for me. I'm not even going to get a chance to properly read it through now, because I've got a C4 maths exam on the same day, so I'm going to have to cram sparknotes summaries :frown:

Reply 4

Emma5331

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure book 10 has never come up in a context question. If it were to come up, then I would imagine we would get some sort of question on pathos (death of Pallas? Lausus?), possibly a furor question (Aeneas giving in to furor on the battlefield after Pallas' death/Turnus behaviour when killing Pallas) or maybe even a question on father-son relationships (Killing Lausus, Aeneas' furor is broken and he is reminded of the love he has for his own father Anchises, as Lausus has essentially sacrificed himself for his father... Who is basically an evil tyrant, highlighting how no matter what a son should love and respect his father? Also the scene where mezentius mourns Lausus death).

It's difficult to try and guess what could come up for section B, but I would really like a question on Aeneas as more of a Homeric or Roman hero, though I think this may have been done before. A question on the gods and/or Aeneas pietas would also be quite nice.

I felt much more prepared for my Comic Drama exam, although I only had one day to revise for that one :s-smilie:

Reply 5

danmahoney23

That's a good point, could also be about the Gods if it's the start of Book 10?

Reply 6

Emma5331

Original post by danmahoney23

That's a good point, could also be about the Gods if it's the start of Book 10?

Definitely, maybe something about the gods/fate. I guess even just a general war question, though that has come up before with the shields.

At the end of the day it could be absolutely anything. I'm praying that I won't have to do a comparison question with the Iliad...

Reply 7

Millie1497

Im just seriously hopping an essay isn't on honour and reputation as we never did that theme in class. :frown:

Reply 8

Spotted Hippo

I'm gonna need to get at least something like 75/100 tomorrow if I want an A :frown:

I've always found the Epic exams to be really awkward and demanding, I can remember heaps of stuff about statues/sculpture/pots/sanctuaries in the Art & Architecture module but give me questions on the Iliad and I can't remember a single thing, even though I've read over the book and the Schmoop summaries half a bazillion times.

Anyone think it likely for a Roman/Augustus-context essay to come up? Or one on whether or not Virgil represents war as a good thing?

Reply 9

Millie1497

Original post by Spotted Hippo

I'm gonna need to get at least something like 75/100 tomorrow if I want an A :frown:

portrayal of war was a 2014 question so another war question might be unlikely

Reply 10

Emma5331

Original post by Spotted Hippo

I'm gonna need to get at least something like 75/100 tomorrow if I want an A :frown:

I need an A too. I was 2 UMS in the A boundary last year, so I need to scrape 80 to make sure I get my A. Hopefully it will be nice questions tomorrow!

Reply 11

Millie1497

Original post by Emma5331

I need an A too. I was 2 UMS in the A boundary last year, so I need to scrape 80 to make sure I get my A. Hopefully it will be nice questions tomorrow!

I need an A too! have to get 79 ums on both exams this year for that to happen. fingers crossed the questions are good,

Reply 12

littlemorrissey

For 2011 there was a context question about the middle of Book 10, when Juno asks Jupiter if she can save Turnus from death (for a while anyway). Although perhaps one on the war-aspect of the book, like you said, could be likely!

Good luck everyone anyway!!

Reply 13

Spotted Hippo

Right, few hours to go - does anyone have any A-grade model answers that they can share? My teacher had an allergy to example responses and I find it really helpful to 'acclimatise' by looking at them

Reply 14

Emma5331

Good luck for the exam everyone! :h:

Reply 15

EnnieR

So, how did people find the exam?????

Reply 16

ammyokko

I thought it went okayish, but I didn't finish 1b and I didn't write a conclusion for 1a. I did the non-comparison for both sections. How did you find it?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 17

Becky_xo

I think it was okay but I wouldn't say great, I preferred previous years papers by far
I chose essay question 4 as well but really wish I'd done 3 :frown:

o well, its done now

Reply 18

cucaracha

I did 1 and 4 (didn't learn the iliad very well lol) I thought 1b and 4 were a bit oddly phrased

for 4 I made a lot of points agreeing with the statement, but concluded that virgil's main focus is in fact on promoting augustus and rome's triumph whoops

what points did people make? :smile:

Reply 19

EnnieR

Original post by cucaracha

I also did 1 and 4- actually bit annoyed that I learnt the Iliad seeing as I didn't get to mention it!
Phrasing was a bit odd - especially the "celebrates the tragedy of human suffering"
but anyway I took that to mean the primary concern of Virgil in the Aeneid - what he focused on most
I argued that it was human suffering more than the destiny of rome- so agreeing with the statement
--> My points mainly focused on the numerous deaths of childrens before their parents, priam and polites, menzentius and lausus, evander and pallas, aeneas as a surrogate father and pallas, and Euryalus' mother wailing after his death.
-->Then the general suffering of other characters, such as Dido- broken heart, and Amata's suicide. Analysed Dido's curse as possible celebration of romes future, but said that overall her death before her time, overwhelmed the triumph of rome with human suffering and tragedy.
-->Next Turnus' death as a tragedy, then his death as the end of war and so the founding of rome, then from his sisters perspective-Juturna so tragedy again.
-->Also mentioned how human suffering seems to be caused by the Gods- Juno's fierce and un-forgetting anger at the slight to her beauty, dido's deadly wound caused by the gods/ cupid.
-->Mentioned the destruction of troy suffering of losing home and the suffering of Aeneas that he has been tossed about on all the oceans of the world for seven long years.
-->Also said that Romes destiny was a central theme- Jupiter unrolling the secrets of the scroll of the Fates bk 1, Aeneas's shield telling the future triumphs of rome, battle of Actium, bk 6 Augustus and future leaders,
but that human suffering seemed more powerful and out weighed all of this.
What points did you make ?