Hamlet

    OCR
    A-Level

    Prince Hamlet returns to Elsinore to discover his father murdered and his mother, Gertrude, married to his uncle Claudius, the new King. The Ghost of King Hamlet commands his son to avenge his death, plunging Hamlet into a profound existential crisis regarding the morality of revenge, the nature of performance, and the certainty of death. Feigning madness to investigate Claudius's guilt, Hamlet utilizes a play-within-a-play to confirm the King's conscience but fatally delays action, inadvertently killing Polonius. This error precipitates Ophelia's descent into madness and suicide, and Laertes's return for vengeance. The tragedy culminates in a rigged duel where the Danish royal family is annihilated by poison and treachery, leaving the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras to claim the throne of a purged state.

    0
    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
    4
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • AO1: Construct a coherent, argumentative response using precise literary terminology (e.g., iambic pentameter, hendiadys, soliloquy)
    • AO2: Analyse how Shakespeare's methods (imagery, verse structure, dramatic irony) shape meaning in the printed extract
    • AO3 (mapped to AO5 for OCR): Evaluate the critical proposition provided in the prompt, engaging with varying interpretations of the character or theme
    • AO1: Synthesize close reading of the extract with wide-ranging knowledge of the whole text to support the argument

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have included historical context, but this paper only credits Critical Interpretations (AO5) - remove the history"
    • "Your analysis of the extract is good, but you must link these methods to the wider argument in Part (b)"
    • "Don't just agree with the statement; evaluate to what extent it is true using evidence"
    • "Identify the verse form in the extract - is it disrupted? What does that tell us about Hamlet's state of mind?"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • AO1: Construct a coherent, argumentative response using precise literary terminology (e.g., iambic pentameter, hendiadys, soliloquy)
    • AO2: Analyse how Shakespeare's methods (imagery, verse structure, dramatic irony) shape meaning in the printed extract
    • AO3 (mapped to AO5 for OCR): Evaluate the critical proposition provided in the prompt, engaging with varying interpretations of the character or theme
    • AO1: Synthesize close reading of the extract with wide-ranging knowledge of the whole text to support the argument

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Split time evenly: 37 minutes for Part (a) and 37 minutes for Part (b) - they carry equal weight
    • 💡In Part (a), focus exclusively on the printed text; do not drift into whole-text discussion yet
    • 💡In Part (b), explicitly state your stance on the critical proposition in the introduction
    • 💡Memorise critics' views not as quotes, but as schools of thought (e.g., 'A psychoanalytic reading might suggest...') to satisfy AO5

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Including historical/biographical context (AO3) which attracts zero marks in this section
    • Treating Part (b) as a prepared essay and ignoring the specific critical proposition
    • Using the extract merely as a springboard without analysing its specific language and form
    • Asserting critical views without challenging or evaluating their validity against the text

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Analyse
    Discuss
    How far and in what ways
    Evaluate
    Explore

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