AQA Hamlet Exam A2

Does this make any sense?:

Horatio, loyalty/friendship towards Hamlet. Key quote said by him: "This bode some eruption to our state" - covers the whole play in effect, and said by a minor character. Dramatic techinique-type thing used by Shakespeare..? Horatio is key to structure as he is the one who decides to tell Hamlet about the ghost, he is also the intital witness, a technique used by Shakespeare for belief that the ghost is real ? His character is contrasted against Hamlet's as he is calm and Hamlet is often erratic and energetic.. some kind of technique. Horatio also acts like a kind of narrator - at the beginning about the ghost/fortinbras, middle Hamlets letters, and at the end when he dies etc. (almost voices Shakspeare?). Person who Hamlet wants to be/sets the scene with first solioquy of the play "Valiant Hamlet" neutal character.
I have a bit more but I want to know if im going the right way with it?

Anybody have any notes on Appearance vs. Reality in Hamlet? They would be so much appreciated!

Hey guys.

A few questions.

Is the Hamlet question always related to characters? As I haven't covered themes outside how they relate to the characters themselves.

Is there any characters I can safely rule out and not go into depth on?

Anyone have any *really good* quotes from which a summation of character can be drawn?

I'll give some of my favourite and a bit of clarification...

Ophelia:
'Thoughts and afflictions, passion, hell itself
and she turns to flowers and prettiness' - She becomes a charactature (sp?) of herself in her madness. It has been described as 'tidy and unproblematic' in contrasts to Hamlet's madness. But there is something more deep about it. The fact that she is a silent character almost wills us to believe that something deeper is occurring beneath the surface- this is qualified by the sexual nature of her madness. She dies making wreaths out of dick shaped flowers. And hands out fennel (relating to adultery). This sexual thing may be an offshoot of unseen oppression and unhealthy emphasis on purity that has almost dampened her as a character. There is depth to her.

Pussycat!

P assive
U nderdeveloped
S exual
S uicidal (ultimate sign of autonomy and control?- Hamlet couldn't!)
whY?
Characature (sp?) of herself
A quiet wisdom
Tidy, unproblematic madness

It's a bit tenuous but it helps! Try one for other characters.. read notes and then highlight character themes..

Claudius:
'Like a man by double business bound' - Claudius on himself. He is a torn man, not wholly villain and apparently morally aware but caught up in a lust for power, that ultimately takes precedence over his love for Gertrude.

Laertes:
'Treble the woe, fall ten times treble on that cursed head!' - Laertes exhibiting passion like Hamlet, but shakespeare deliberately uses uncalculated and shallow imagery to suggest those attributes in his character.

'Conscience and grace to the profound pits, I dare damnation' - Pretty obvious contrast to Hamlet, conscience is what plagues Hamlet. But all in all Hamlet is far more endearing as we are exposed to his thoughts, his inadequacies almost justify him as a character whereas Laertes' unfounded mouthing off lacks substance- it is all bravado!


Some more good quotes, not loads but some choice ones would be helpful! Especially for Hamlet, Gertrude and Polonius!

Also can someone tell me how to spell characature!

X

Let me be first to say: THAT PUSSYCAT THING ROCKS!!! lol

In answer to your qs:

yes, we can be asked on a theme - the general opinion seems to be that we'll get a theme question and a character q to choose between

ermm... i can't remember who has been on b4 - Polonius and Gertrude - but flick back through the thread 'cos it comes up several times

Finally, most ppl are making educated guesses that Ophelia, Madness, R+G, Horatio, Fortinbras and Appearance and Reality are most likely tomorrow - but by no means rule anything out -examiners love to surprise


(caricature)?
(ooh, I no i've sed it a gazillion times, but the wiki is really good for quotes )

this is very cheeky of me to ask, but does anyone have like an amazing portfolio of Hamlet Notes they've compiled in a word document there willing to share?

Craaaaaaaap. I haven't done anything on Fortinbras, R+G or Appearance and Reality to any great depths?

Anyone want to do some summaries? (thanks for the Fortinbras one!)

I'm gonna do ophelia in depth.

Also how long do you usually write (how long is a piece of string...i know). Like how far should i spread my quotes?

I am worried