Hamlet question....

amortentia

I just realised I don't have an essay on revenge.. Out of the 15 essays I do have!

I made a plan:

OP: introducing theme
BP1: Ghost instructs Hamlet to avenge his murder
BP2: Hamlet's initial rage and desire to avenge, procrastination creeps in
BP3: Hamlet's attempts at revenge, Mousetrap and antic disposition
BP4: Fails to avenge at seminal moment (Claudius praying)
BP5: Hamlet spurred to revenge by seeing Fortinbras, Fortinbras and Laertes revenges
BP6: Laertes revenge leads to Hamlet's revenge
CP.

I know it's not great, could anyone give me some tips, pretty please? Or are there any other essays that I could sort of adapt parts of?

partyatmygaff

That plan sounds a bit too plot-driven. I'd be wary, it could lead the examiner in to viewing it as a summary of sorts.

amortentia

partyatmygaff wrote: »

That plan sounds a bit too plot-driven. I'd be wary, it could lead the examiner in to viewing it as a summary of sorts.

Thank you. Yeah, I see how it could appear that way.. Hmm. Do you have any idea of how I could make it better or change it completely? I was intending to describe the theme of revenge throughout the essay, just using those moments to guide it. Agh I don't know, I'm tired and it seems like all the learning is never ending.

partyatmygaff

Make it more logic-driven. Discuss each aspect of Hamlet separately. Dedicate one to his moral views on revenge, another perhaps on his passion to exact revenge and then perhaps a third paragraph to tie the two together under the larger heading of procrastination.

amortentia

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Make it more logic-driven. Discuss each aspect of Hamlet separately. Dedicate one to his moral views on revenge, another perhaps on his passion to exact revenge and then perhaps a third paragraph to tie the two together under the larger heading of procrastination.

Brilliant, thank you. That was exactly what I needed to get my brain going. Got lots of ideas now. Good luck!

Anita Blow

I was told in a grinds course by an examiner that if you're doing an answer on revenge the structure should be:
Intro

Hamlet

Laertes

Fortinbras

Pyrrhus (only a small paragraph)

Conclusion

Just discuss how they're all avenging sons and how they all contribute to theme of revenge.

Iceboy

Anita Blow wrote: »

I was told in a grinds course by an examiner that if you're doing an answer on revenge the structure should be:
Intro

Hamlet

Laertes

Fortinbras

Pyrrhus (only a small paragraph)

Conclusion

Just discuss how they're all avenging sons and how they all contribute to theme of revenge.

That is exactly how I have my essay on revenge layed out, would love a question to come up on it

Salty

Anita Blow wrote: »

I was told in a grinds course by an examiner that if you're doing an answer on revenge the structure should be:
Intro

Hamlet

Laertes

Fortinbras

Pyrrhus (only a small paragraph)

Conclusion

Just discuss how they're all avenging sons and how they all contribute to theme of revenge.

I'm confused about Fortinbras' role in the play. Anyone willing to explain?:P

partyatmygaff

Anita Blow wrote: »

I was told in a grinds course by an examiner that if you're doing an answer on revenge the structure should be:
Intro

Hamlet

Laertes

Fortinbras

Pyrrhus (only a small paragraph)

Conclusion

Just discuss how they're all avenging sons and how they all contribute to theme of revenge.

Would you really need to give something that minute a paragraph to itself though? Personally, i'd give it a passing mention and no more.

BeanbagBallbag

_meehan_ wrote: »

I'm confused about Fortinbras' role in the play. Anyone willing to explain?:P

Young Fortinbras and all his cronies come to conquer Denmark because Claudius refused his demand that the land Old King Hamlet inherited by slaying Old Fortinbras be returned to Norway. I think?

Anita Blow

_meehan_ wrote: »

I'm confused about Fortinbras' role in the play. Anyone willing to explain?:P

Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are the 3 avenging sons of the play.
Fortinbras reclaiming land lost to Denmark after his dad lost honourably in a fight with King Hamlet.
Laertes and Fortinbras act as foils to Hamlet. Both carry out revenge decisively but Fort is reckless. Seeing Fort carry out revenge all for a "little patch of ground" when Hamlet has more reason to avenge, focuses hamlet on his task.

Anita Blow

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Would you really need to give something that minute a paragraph to itself though? Personally, i'd give it a passing mention and no more.

It's only like 5 or 6 lines but I was told you'd need to use it. Sticking it in to Hamlet's, Laertes' or Fort's paragraph would look messy.

partyatmygaff

According to my English teacher, a question on imagery may come up this year for Hamlet considering there is a new Chief Examiner who may want to break the whole "Character/theme/scene" styled questions that have been coming up over the past few years.

Dr.Evil

Make a point along the lines of how in Hamlet's 6th soliloquy, it becomes clear that Hamlet has some admiration for the dedication of Fortinbras, "the delicate and tender prince whose spirit with divine and ambition puffed, makes mouths at the invisible event". He's ready to risk death and march "even for an eggshell". This is the opposite to Hamlet whose "native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought". I think there's another quote where Hamlet compares about how he has such a strong reason for revenge, that he doesn't understand why Fortinbras can do such tasks and he can't.
Basically from thinking of Fortinbras and watching his active revenge, he motivates himself, "from this point forth, my thoughts be bloody or nothing worth".

Ugh..I'd hate a language/imagery type question, I don't like studying the whole disease imagery bits. There is loads of it..but eww.

Wats_in_a_name

If the question was a Claudius Character essay how would you do the introduction? Have all the other paragraphs sorted except the introduction!

Bbbbolger

The intro would have to be completely based on the question. I very much doubt we'll be asked "Discuss/describe the character of Claudius." It will be a specific question so you would have to either agree, disagree or disagree in part with the question. You would then mention the topics you are going to explore to prove your point of view e.g. "Claudius does, however, have some good qualities which show he isn't a truly evil character." Give a general sentence like this for each papragraph you plan on writing. When i get to the pargraph I mentioned above I'd focus on his proficiency as Head of State and of his attempts at spiritual healing in the Prayer Scene. Just basically map out your question for the examiner so that he/she sees where you plan on going with it.

Iceboy

Wats_in_a_name wrote: »

If the question was a Claudius Character essay how would you do the introduction? Have all the other paragraphs sorted except the introduction!

Here is my opening

Claudius is clearly the villian of the play. He is a murderer and a usurpur. He ruthlessly kills his own brother because he wants both his crown and wife for himself. He cleverly hides himself behind a kindly exterior. While he is a throughly unappealing character, he is not without humanity. His complexity makes him an entirely credible villian.

Fireball07

Iceboy wrote: »

Here is my opening

Not trying to be clever or anything but there are a couple of spelling mistakes in that intro. They might be typos and it probably wouldn't affect your overall mark but there's no point throwing away even 1 mark.

"Villain" and "usurper"

Cumingi

Would anyone be able to help me with introductions to a few hamlet essays? im very bad at english and realy need help anything would be realy appreciated!

Iceboy

Fireball07 wrote: »

Not trying to be clever or anything but there are a couple of spelling mistakes in that intro. They might be typos and it probably wouldn't affect your overall mark but there's no point throwing away even 1 mark.

"Villain" and "usurper"

good spot cheers

polka dot

Really hoping for Shakespeare's portrayal of women.

Salty

polka dot wrote: »

Really hoping for Shakespeare's portrayal of women.

It came up before, so I doubt it. It there is a question about more minor characters, I reckon it could deal with Horatio and Laertes.

Cumingi

please anything would be of help!

partyatmygaff

_meehan_ wrote: »

It came up before, so I doubt it. It there is a question about more minor characters, I reckon it could deal with Horatio and Laertes.

If there is a question about them it'll be comparing Hamlet with his foil characters. They simply aren't important enough to make up an entire question.

polka dot

_meehan_ wrote: »

It came up before, so I doubt it. It there is a question about more minor characters, I reckon it could deal with Horatio and Laertes.

Oh Oh well. Laertes wouldn't be so bad! Haven't done anything on Horatio though!

irishgirl10

Iceboy wrote: »

Here is my opening

That is my exact opening. Do we have the same notes? Haha

irishgirl10

Sorry, meant to include your actually opening in that, Haha ^

Iceboy

irishgirl10 wrote: »

Sorry, meant to include your actually opening in that, Haha ^

Key notes

would be lost without it

Bbbbolger

Could that not be considered plagiarism then no? Obviously the vast majority of us take things from books, notes etc. but with so many people using Key Notes for English, examiners could notice the blatant similarities and mark down.

partyatmygaff

Bbbbolger wrote: »

Could that not be considered plagiarism then no? Obviously the vast majority of us take things from books, notes etc. but with so many people using Key Notes for English, examiners could notice the blatant similarities and mark down.

The thing most people seem to ignore is that the people correcting the English exam are English teachers. They will have read these notes before, they may have even printed them for their own students. If they see a plagiarised section, they will simply bracket it and ignore it from the marking. If your entire essay is plagiarised then you will receive no marks.