AQA Hamlet Exam A2
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forster1988
is it really likely that character questions are going to come up as laertes and claudius where the focus of the jan exam??
themes all the way...revenge, madness and sickness&decay
themes all the way...revenge, madness and sickness&decay
I'm hoping and praying for one on Ophelia! I have a theory on her that's never been expressed before! I bet the examiner will steal it and win the nobel prize...
- James (who is bizarrely obsessed with Hamlet)
Does anyone think the question will be on anything as obvious as madness or procrastination? Or do you think we ought to be revising/making notes on more obscure themes.
Hmmm...I took this exam for the first time in January but I'm retaking because I didn't do so good. Anyway, I have enough criticisms for Hamlet the character...does anyone else have any for other characters (not including the ones that were on the exam paper in January about Laertes and Claudius)
Thanks.
Thanks.
Hey! I haven't had a chance to go through the other forum yet. But like someone said it was all getting a bit confusing in there.
If we are all doing AQA is it English Lit A or B (coz that confused me) unless they are both studying different texts. It's just Eng Lit A in the Assessment Objectives states that
So Hamlet is tested with AO4 which is so does anyone have an critic's views on Hamlet that they can post in here.
Blake is tested with AO5 which is so does anyone here have any info on Blakes cultural, historical, and contextual influences. I have a few that I will post later.
NEED HELP!
If we are all doing AQA is it English Lit A or B (coz that confused me) unless they are both studying different texts. It's just Eng Lit A in the Assessment Objectives states that
"As a whole, this unit tests Assessment Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5ii fairly equally but the assessment pattern for each question is different.
The question in Section A tests AOs 1, 2 and 3 fairly equally, but the
dominant AO is AO4 which is only tested in this question. The
question in Section B tests AOs 1, 2 and 3 fairly equally, but the
dominant AO is AO5 which is only tested in this question."
The question in Section A tests AOs 1, 2 and 3 fairly equally, but the
dominant AO is AO4 which is only tested in this question. The
question in Section B tests AOs 1, 2 and 3 fairly equally, but the
dominant AO is AO5 which is only tested in this question."
So Hamlet is tested with AO4 which is
"articulate independent opinions and judgements, informed by different interpretations of literary texts by other readers"
Blake is tested with AO5 which is
"evaluate the significance of cultural, historical and other contextual influences on literary texts and study."
NEED HELP!
glsgbbayb
Hey! I haven't had a chance to go through the other forum yet. But like someone said it was all getting a bit confusing in there.
If we are all doing AQA is it English Lit A or B (coz that confused me) unless they are both studying different texts. It's just Eng Lit A in the Assessment Objectives states that
So Hamlet is tested with AO4 which is so does anyone have an critic's views on Hamlet that they can post in here.
Blake is tested with AO5 which is so does anyone here have any info on Blakes cultural, historical, and contextual influences. I have a few that I will post later.
NEED HELP!
If we are all doing AQA is it English Lit A or B (coz that confused me) unless they are both studying different texts. It's just Eng Lit A in the Assessment Objectives states that
So Hamlet is tested with AO4 which is so does anyone have an critic's views on Hamlet that they can post in here.
Blake is tested with AO5 which is so does anyone here have any info on Blakes cultural, historical, and contextual influences. I have a few that I will post later.
NEED HELP!
There is loads of stuff on the context of Blake in the 'Revising Blake (lit,A2)' thread, this one's more for Hamlet. And I'm sure you could find some Critic views on Google- heres a very useful site I've used http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/earlycrit.html
anyone else think somethng on the women in the play may come up.. seeing as the last exam was character q's both discussing male characters
aimeegreen
anyone else think somethng on the women in the play may come up.. seeing as the last exam was character q's both discussing male characters
I hope so but then again they might be directed more towards a specific theme or act.
i've been reading so much Hamlet stuff that i'm now getting to the point where all the people are saying exactly the same thing about it urg!!
Key themes i think that could come up: (if anyone has any more just add them):
There are prob more that I just can't think of right now!
Key themes i think that could come up: (if anyone has any more just add them):
•
Sickness and disease pervading court
•
Madness
•
Appearance Vs reality
•
Hamlet's delay
•
Ghost = real?
•
Misogynistic play?
•
Players
•
Morality
•
Mortality
There are prob more that I just can't think of right now!
Maybe that ties in with the theme of appearance vs reality? In reality Gertrude knows her new husband is guilty of fratricide but she must put on an act so as not to harm her reputation/ the reputation of Elsinore. Or maybe, she wants Hamlet to seek his revenge - and has to appear as though she is completely in the dark about Claudius in order for him to be able to do this. Or, perhaps, she genuinely loves him. Could be any number of reasons really.
RosiRox
i've been reading so much Hamlet stuff that i'm now getting to the point where all the people are saying exactly the same thing about it urg!!
Key themes i think that could come up: (if anyone has any more just add them):
There are prob more that I just can't think of right now!
Key themes i think that could come up: (if anyone has any more just add them):
•
Sickness and disease pervading court
•
Madness
•
Appearance Vs reality
•
Hamlet's delay
•
Ghost = real?
•
Misogynistic play?
•
Players
•
Morality
•
Mortality
There are prob more that I just can't think of right now!
I've gone through most of those themes in my revision but haven't touched on mortality or players at all. What sort of thing would come under those headings?
So, when writing the essay, is it half the time comparing the two opinions, assessing their validity, etc, then half the time giving your own response?
OMG i am so scared of hamlet our teacher went on materinty leave and i haven't done much just read through hamlet 
I am so lost!, i am going through key themes, but i need some pointers. What is the examiner looking for? different interpreataions? how would i struture the essay!
I will be in your debt to those who help. (BTW thanks for everyone who posted in the WW1 thread.....B I G help)
I am so lost!, i am going through key themes, but i need some pointers. What is the examiner looking for? different interpreataions? how would i struture the essay!
I will be in your debt to those who help. (BTW thanks for everyone who posted in the WW1 thread.....B I G help)
If two theme questions come up then im screwed.
likelihood of this happening?
please say near zero!!
likelihood of this happening?
please say near zero!!
phil_m88
So, when writing the essay, is it half the time comparing the two opinions, assessing their validity, etc, then half the time giving your own response?
I dont think its that crass.
I think its more, spend half the essay on one view point, and weave in ur own opinions, then the second half on the second view, weaving in ur own opinion.
#then in your conclusion you give you own response fully.
Personally I think that the question will be based upon the females of the play (hopefully) or a theme, since Januarys were characterisation.
Does anyone have any relevant context they'd like to share - I'm stuck on this bit!?
And what is this noble prize deserving theory of Ophelia!?!?! LOL.
Does anyone have any relevant context they'd like to share - I'm stuck on this bit!?
And what is this noble prize deserving theory of Ophelia!?!?! LOL.
don't need context for this exam.
Can anyone help with interpretations though? like say for women, can you suggest two perspectives and then provide the evidence you would use to support them?
Can anyone help with interpretations though? like say for women, can you suggest two perspectives and then provide the evidence you would use to support them?
"Gertrude and Ophelia are typically weak Shakespearian women"
"Gertrude and Ophelia have many strengths"
What evidence is there to support both of these views? And what is your own view on the matter?
Justifications of first assertion:
- Revenge tragedies not without their conventions, one of which is that the audience does not expect the female characters to be ‘strong’ e.g. other women in revenge tragedies e.g. Abigail (Marlow’s The Jew of Malta) and Anabella (Ford’s ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore) who are both incredibly weak.
- Thus, before even the first reading or viewing of the play, we have many preconceptions regarding the nature of the female characters of the play based entirely on the genre of Hamlet alone
- Focussing on Ophelia: Seemingly weak “green girl”. Submissive to her Father, her brother and her lover. She is pliable and arguably pathetic. When Laertes advises her that Hamlet’s “will is not his own” and that she should “fear” him, she does not try to oppose him, or justify Hamlet’s “affections” instead she tells Laertes that he “shall keep the key” of her memory. As such she hands him power over her, power that as the sole bearer of this figurative “key” no one else has.
- She grants all the other male influences in her life a similar power e.g. Polonius insults her and disparages Hamlet’s love, responding to her declaration that Hamlet “has of late made tenders of his affection to ...[her]...” he cries “Affection? Pooh!...Do you believe his tenders as you call them?” she meekly replies “I do not know, mr lord, what I should think”. Clearly here she has wittingly let Polonius offend and mock her, showing a weakness of mind and disposition too.
- However this respect may be an act of self-preservation rather than outright weakness. Perhaps to undermine men in Shakespearian England may have resulted in social exclusion or other consequences
- However, Shakespeare does not develop her character enough to make this interpretation unambiguous
- Modern director may present her as intelligent enough to swallow her pride and merely seemingly appear agree with Laertes and Polonius
- However, her later actions e.g. denying Hamlet “access” to her as result of Polonius’ orders undermine this interpretation
- Her submissive spirit leads her to madness – arguably a sign of weakness
- Due to obeying Polonius request not to “give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet” lead her to “repel” Hamlet’s letters which trigger his tirades e.g. “god hath given you once face and you paint yourselves another” This snubbing, in addition to her inability to deal with her Fathers’ death leads to her madness
- The fact that neither Gertrude or Ophelia stands up to Hamlet’s “daggers” instead blaming his behaviour on the Gods “O heavenly powers restore him” – particularly when O knows her Father and Brother are watching
- Alternately, this may be what causes her not to respond, after all when he is bawdy to her she tells him he is “merry” and “you are naught, you are naught, I’ll mark the play”
- Regarding Gertrude, she is too arguably weak
- E.g. Hamlet’s proclamation that he will “speak daggers to her, but use none” illustrate that he perceives her to be inferior, weak enough to fall foul to his words
- Gertrude is objectified by Claudius e.g. third in the triplet “my crown, mine own ambition and my Queen” – shows she does not come first to him?
- The haste of their marriage shows her weak reliance on men and general neediness “within a month” and “with such dexterity to incestuous sheets”
- Hamlet perceives passion to be weakness “give me a man that is not passion’s slave and I will wear him in my heart’s core” whereas G is incredibly passionate “in an enseamed bed, stewed in corruption, honeying and lovemaking over the nasty sty” and “how she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on”
Justifications for second assertion
- However, the constant references may not show weakness, but in fact strength, her powerful sexuality and strong hold it has over men
- Also strong given her social standing, once admired by “so excellent a King” who was so “loving” that he might not “beteem the winds visit her face too roughly”. Unconditional affection = might not always have been weak, however being molly coddled may hint at physical weakness/not very hardy
- She can also be seen as sly and seductive e.g. “a bloody deed – almost as bad, good mother, as kill a King and marry with his brother”, the fact she does not react to the player queen who says “a second time I kill my husband dead, when second husband kisses me in bed” and “the lady doth protest too much methinks” however, her role in the murder is questionable.
- She ignores Claudius when he demands “do not drink” saying “I will my Lord”
- Claudius has to repeat “let’s follow”
- Ophelia is strong too e.g. not just a character but also a device – her suicide triggers the plays finale. Clearly a strong hold on the males.
- Perhaps her death was suicide – arguably takes strength of character due to the risks associated with it such as going to hell. Undermining religious beliefs of the time “If this had been a gentlewomen, she would have been buried out o’Christian burial”
- Hamlet believe that women have a certain strength/power of over men = “for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them” – admitting that Ophelia/other women have strength over men and an ability to manipulate them
- Not as innocent as she appears e.g. when she is mad, singing bawdy rhymes, holds her own in the conversation with Hamlet. Picking “long purples” that “liberal Sheppards give a grosser name” the fact that Hamlet calls Polonius a “fishmonger” i.e. pimp
Just notes that I had in my folder, I'm not convinced they're very good, but it's a start!
"Gertrude and Ophelia have many strengths"
What evidence is there to support both of these views? And what is your own view on the matter?
Justifications of first assertion:
- Revenge tragedies not without their conventions, one of which is that the audience does not expect the female characters to be ‘strong’ e.g. other women in revenge tragedies e.g. Abigail (Marlow’s The Jew of Malta) and Anabella (Ford’s ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore) who are both incredibly weak.
- Thus, before even the first reading or viewing of the play, we have many preconceptions regarding the nature of the female characters of the play based entirely on the genre of Hamlet alone
- Focussing on Ophelia: Seemingly weak “green girl”. Submissive to her Father, her brother and her lover. She is pliable and arguably pathetic. When Laertes advises her that Hamlet’s “will is not his own” and that she should “fear” him, she does not try to oppose him, or justify Hamlet’s “affections” instead she tells Laertes that he “shall keep the key” of her memory. As such she hands him power over her, power that as the sole bearer of this figurative “key” no one else has.
- She grants all the other male influences in her life a similar power e.g. Polonius insults her and disparages Hamlet’s love, responding to her declaration that Hamlet “has of late made tenders of his affection to ...[her]...” he cries “Affection? Pooh!...Do you believe his tenders as you call them?” she meekly replies “I do not know, mr lord, what I should think”. Clearly here she has wittingly let Polonius offend and mock her, showing a weakness of mind and disposition too.
- However this respect may be an act of self-preservation rather than outright weakness. Perhaps to undermine men in Shakespearian England may have resulted in social exclusion or other consequences
- However, Shakespeare does not develop her character enough to make this interpretation unambiguous
- Modern director may present her as intelligent enough to swallow her pride and merely seemingly appear agree with Laertes and Polonius
- However, her later actions e.g. denying Hamlet “access” to her as result of Polonius’ orders undermine this interpretation
- Her submissive spirit leads her to madness – arguably a sign of weakness
- Due to obeying Polonius request not to “give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet” lead her to “repel” Hamlet’s letters which trigger his tirades e.g. “god hath given you once face and you paint yourselves another” This snubbing, in addition to her inability to deal with her Fathers’ death leads to her madness
- The fact that neither Gertrude or Ophelia stands up to Hamlet’s “daggers” instead blaming his behaviour on the Gods “O heavenly powers restore him” – particularly when O knows her Father and Brother are watching
- Alternately, this may be what causes her not to respond, after all when he is bawdy to her she tells him he is “merry” and “you are naught, you are naught, I’ll mark the play”
- Regarding Gertrude, she is too arguably weak
- E.g. Hamlet’s proclamation that he will “speak daggers to her, but use none” illustrate that he perceives her to be inferior, weak enough to fall foul to his words
- Gertrude is objectified by Claudius e.g. third in the triplet “my crown, mine own ambition and my Queen” – shows she does not come first to him?
- The haste of their marriage shows her weak reliance on men and general neediness “within a month” and “with such dexterity to incestuous sheets”
- Hamlet perceives passion to be weakness “give me a man that is not passion’s slave and I will wear him in my heart’s core” whereas G is incredibly passionate “in an enseamed bed, stewed in corruption, honeying and lovemaking over the nasty sty” and “how she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on”
Justifications for second assertion
- However, the constant references may not show weakness, but in fact strength, her powerful sexuality and strong hold it has over men
- Also strong given her social standing, once admired by “so excellent a King” who was so “loving” that he might not “beteem the winds visit her face too roughly”. Unconditional affection = might not always have been weak, however being molly coddled may hint at physical weakness/not very hardy
- She can also be seen as sly and seductive e.g. “a bloody deed – almost as bad, good mother, as kill a King and marry with his brother”, the fact she does not react to the player queen who says “a second time I kill my husband dead, when second husband kisses me in bed” and “the lady doth protest too much methinks” however, her role in the murder is questionable.
- She ignores Claudius when he demands “do not drink” saying “I will my Lord”
- Claudius has to repeat “let’s follow”
- Ophelia is strong too e.g. not just a character but also a device – her suicide triggers the plays finale. Clearly a strong hold on the males.
- Perhaps her death was suicide – arguably takes strength of character due to the risks associated with it such as going to hell. Undermining religious beliefs of the time “If this had been a gentlewomen, she would have been buried out o’Christian burial”
- Hamlet believe that women have a certain strength/power of over men = “for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them” – admitting that Ophelia/other women have strength over men and an ability to manipulate them
- Not as innocent as she appears e.g. when she is mad, singing bawdy rhymes, holds her own in the conversation with Hamlet. Picking “long purples” that “liberal Sheppards give a grosser name” the fact that Hamlet calls Polonius a “fishmonger” i.e. pimp
Just notes that I had in my folder, I'm not convinced they're very good, but it's a start!
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