[Canard]

Originally Posted by BritBrit

I have essays done on:
-Role of Women
-Character of Hamlet
-Character of Claudius
-Theme of Deception
-Theme of Revenge

But I'm thinking of just studying the role of women because my teacher is positive it's coming up. I might glance over my hamlet essay too just in case but I only know a few quotes from Gertrude, a few from ophelia and the to be or not to be quote.
My essay on women in the mocks got 69/70 so hopefully it'll come up

The Hamlet q is worth 60 marks

I dunno why it'd come up when its been on before
I have essays on Claudius, death, loyalty/betrayal, hamlet as a tragic hero and hamlet as a man who cannot make up his mind. A2/A1/A1/B1/B1

I have a load of notes too anyway so should be grand My deception in the mock got 48/60 but we hadnt done Hamlet properly at the time, might learn it since it was on both mocks but idk if its worth it :/

[JeaicMaG]

Would anyone be able to explain to me how they write their essays on Hamlet? I'm hopeless. Like would it go:

-Intro on the subject
-4-5 points on the subject being discussed
-Conclusion referring to the introduction

[Canard]

Yep, the main thing seems to be just make sure you focus on specific events and dont re-tell the story.

[wonderfulname]

Have any of you considered knowing and understanding the play overall and one key scene in great detail as opposed to essays on it?

That was my approach, got me an A2 two years ago, I really don't understand learning off essays...

[Canard]

Originally Posted by wonderfulname

Have any of you considered knowing and understanding the play overall and one key scene in great detail as opposed to essays on it?

That was my approach, got me an A2 two years ago, I really don't understand learning off essays...

Well yeah, but if we didnt do essays we wouldnt learn where we're going wrong. Learning the play in detail alone could lead to storytelling which is a huge pitfall, and writing essays orders the points in your mind. Its not as if we'd be absolutely lost if the exact essays didnt come up or anything.

[Mysteriouschic]

Yeah the questions might not always be the same. I have a corruption sample essay but I've done another question which is on corruption and it has other things included so you'd need to be able to adjust the answer. The question I did was the sample B paper and you have to talk about the deaths and disease too. I usually look a the question and underline the key words then make points from each of the words and then include them in the essay.

[wonderfulname]

Originally Posted by Patchy~

Well yeah, but if we didnt do essays we wouldnt learn where we're going wrong. Learning the play in detail alone could lead to storytelling.

Of course do essays, but learning essays or specific essay content is a strange concept to me. I don't see how knowing the play leads to storytelling, knowing summaries maybe but not the play itself. I can see where you're coming from outside of those points though.

[Whatsisname]

I'm so confident that something to do with Deception/Appearance vs. Reality/Corruption will come up so I'll be studying that, the Role of Women and ''Hamlet A Noble Hero?''

[ViveLaVie]

Originally Posted by wonderfulname

Of course do essays, but learning essays or specific essay content is a strange concept to me. I don't see how knowing the play leads to storytelling, knowing summaries maybe but not the play itself. I can see where you're coming from outside of those points though.

Agreed. I never learnt off a single essay for my English and I got an A1 (98 percent ). Made them all up on the day. That said, I knew my texts very well and I had written a few practice essays. Getting into the habit of learning off essays is dangerous. Once you get into college, you'll realise you can't get away with this, but you won't have any experience in writing off the cuff in an exam. English exams should be testing your ability to think critically, not how well you can memorise and regurgitate essays back onto the page. IMO you'd be better off writing a few practice ones off the cuff, going over key scenes in detail and organising your thoughts on a few different aspects of the play. Quotations aren't really all that important either. Once you demonstrate detailed knowledge of the play, the examiner won't mark you down if you don't have loads of accurate quotations.

[JonnyMcNamee]

Originally Posted by ViveLaVie

Agreed. I never learnt off a single essay for my English and I got an A1 (98 percent ). Made them all up on the day. That said, I knew my texts very well and I had written a few practice essays. Getting into the habit of learning off essays is dangerous. Once you get into college, you'll realise you can't get away with this, but you won't have any experience in writing off the cuff in an exam. English exams should be testing your ability to think critically, not how well you can memorise and regurgitate essays back onto the page. IMO you'd be better off writing a few practice ones off the cuff, going over key scenes in detail and organising your thoughts on a few different aspects of the play. Quotations aren't really all that important either. Once you demonstrate detailed knowledge of the play, the examiner won't mark you down if you don't have loads of accurate quotations.

Hi, just wanted to ask you a question I'm going for an A1 in English in June and Im just wondering did you do much practice for your Composition question? It's the only thing I'm worried about really! I mean, if I get an essay to write for homework I always get good marks (lowest this year was a B1) but then I went into my mocks and wrote something only worth about a C (even though it got around 75%). How did you stay calm enough to write a good essay within the time constraints? I always seem to use childish language and sloppy expressions under pressure. Any pointers would be really appreciated!

[Togepi]

Guys how likely is it for a character question to come up?



Just checked my Hamlet result from last year - I got 43/60 - a B3 (it was on revenge and justice I think). Pretty disappointed with that looking back, but I didn't revise Hamlet very well at all, just went for the knowing the play really well approach. Wish I'd just learned the character of Claudius like everyone else.

[jos360]

Originally Posted by subz3r0

R&G ? Really? I think they are too minor to ever come up. And if they do it effectively boils down to the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet, Hamlet's antic disposition and wit and Claudius' malevolence.

A nice on they could ask would be to compare R&G to Horatio

[PictureFrame]

Originally Posted by jos360

A nice on they could ask would be to compare R&G to Horatio

Ah now, in fairness they're never going to ask something like that. I barely remember a scene where they were even a major part in. Guys, if you look at the Shakespearean single text questions over the last 5 years or such, they've never been really hard. If you know your characters, a key scene and a theme or two we'll be fine.

[Togepi]

I'm after looking through the papers from 2011 to 2001 and even the SEC Sample paper. There's been a character question every year Hamlet has been on (even in the sample paper). And in general, character questions are the most common kind of question for the Shakespearian dramas. Suuurely there'll be one this year?!

[PictureFrame]

Originally Posted by Togepi

I'm after looking through the papers from 2011 to 2001 and even the SEC Sample paper. There's been a character question every year Hamlet has been on (even in the sample paper). And in general, character questions are the most common kind of question for the Shakespearian dramas. Suuurely there'll be one this year?!

We will get a character question this year, we have to! My bet is Polonius or Horatio for a bit of a shake up!