Hamlet – typical questions



Hamlet – typical questions

It’s difficult to predict what questions will come up for the Shakespearean play.

First of all let’s look at the broad categories questions usually fall into.

1. CHARACTER

2. THEME

3. OPEN

4. STYLE

You must be able to discuss the following when it comes to characters:

HAMLET

• his state of mind (mostly revealed in soliloquies)

• his ‘madness’

• his delay (procrastination)

• his nobility (is he a good man?) .Strengths and weaknesses

• a tragic hero or an anti-hero?

• his relationship with Claudius (the struggle between them.)

• his relationship with women (Gertrude and Ophelia) and treatment of them

CLAUDIUS  (a good king? a villain? or an admirable villain?)

GERTRUDE (a good mother despite her flaws? a negative portrayal of women?)

OPHELIA (an innocent victim or a weak and foolish girl? a negative portrayal of women?)

Minor Characters: Need to be known insofar as they relate to a major theme – for example, Polonius’ general suspicion of everyone leads him to take part in spying on Hamlet with Gertrude, and therefore to his own death.

Themes:

The major themes in the play are:

• Revenge (and justice)

• Good versus Evil

• Loyalty and Betrayal

• Appearance versus Reality (Deception)

• Power and Corruption

For each theme – no matter what the wording – ask yourself

1. WHO does this theme apply to?

2. HOW / WHY does this character have to deal with this issue?

3. Do they CHANGE over the course of the play?

4. Are there any SCENES which highlight this theme specifically?

5. What are our FINAL IMPRESSIONS of this issue?

Asking these questions – and being able to come up with answers yourself – is what critical analysis is all about. Also, anything you take the time to figure out for yourself sticks in your brain. Reading someone else’s ideas just isn’t quite the same!

Open questions ask you to discuss the entire play – not the plot, but your experience of watching/studying the play.

• Favourite / most dramatic scene.

• Relevance to a modern audience.

• Although Hamlet is a tragedy, it is a play with many memorable comic moments – discuss.

• Hamlet is a dark, depressing and pessimistic play – discuss.

Style questions are quite difficult and pretty rare in the new course– they ask you to look at how the play is written.

• Language and imagery.

• Dramatic function of various characters (how they make the plot more compelling).

No matter how the question is phrased on the day, you must stay calm. Keep using the words from the question and synonyms.

Write down the 5 key Q’s – 1. WHO? 2. HOW/WHY? 3. CHANGE? 4. SCENES? 5. FINAL IMPRESSIONS?

You must quickly plan your 6 paragraphs.

Beware of just starting to write and writing until the hour is up (writing whatever comes into your head without doing any planning). This stream of consciousness approach tends to lead to waffle, plot summary and lots of irrelevant information .

Keep the question in your mind at all times as you write. Remember you must demonstrate that the information you are including is relevant to the question being asked.

Questions on Hamlet based on Past Papers

Some questions were about other Shakespearean plays but have been applied to Hamlet

2011

(i) ‘Revenge and justice are finely balanced themes in the play, Hamlet.’

Discuss this statement, supporting your answer with suitable reference to the text.

Or

(ii) ‘Claudius can be seen both as a heartless villian and a character with some redeeming qualities in the play, Hamlet.’

Discuss both aspects of this statement, supporting your answer with suitable reference to the text.

2010 King Lear (adapted to suit Hamlet)

“In Hamlet determination and loyalty triumph over treachery and brutality.”

Write your response to this statement supporting your answer with suitable reference to the text.

OR

‘In Hamlet, the villainous characters hold more fascination for the audience than the virtuous ones.’

Discuss this answer with reference to at least one villainous and one virtuous character. Support your answer with suitable reference to the text.

2009 Macbeth (adapted to suit Hamlet) Only (ii) could be adapted

“Hamlet has all the ingredients of compelling drama.”

Write a response to this statement, commenting on one or more of the ingredients which, in your opinion, make Hamlet a compelling drama.

2008 Othello. (adapted to suit Hamlet) Only (ii) could be adapted.

“Shakespeare’s play Hamlet demonstrates the weakness of human judgement.”

Discuss this statement supporting your answer with the aid of suitable reference to the text.

2007 Macbeth (adapted to suit Hamlet) Only (ii) could be adapted.

“Essentially the play Hamlet is about power, its use and abuse.”

Discuss this view of the play, supporting your answer with the aid of suitable reference to the text.

2006 King Lear (adapted to suit Hamlet) Only (i) could be adapted.

“In the play, Hamlet, the stories of the Hamlet’s and Polonius’ families mirror one another in interesting ways.”

Write a response to this view of the play, supporting your answer by reference to the text.

2005 Hamlet

In your opinion, what is the appeal of the play, Hamlet, for a twenty-first century audience?

Support the points you make by reference to the text.

“We admire Hamlet as much for his weaknesses as for his strengths.”

Write a response to this view of the character of Hamlet, supporting your points by reference to the text.

2004 Macbeth (adapted to suit Hamlet) Only (ii) could be adapted.

“The play, Hamlet, has many scenes of great drama.”

Choose one scene that you found compelling and say why you found it to be so. Support your answer by reference to the play.

2003 Macbeth – neither suitable for adaptation

2002 Hamlet

(i) ‘The appeal of the Shakespeare’s Hamlet lies primarily in the complex nature of the the play’s central character, Hamlet.

To what extent do you agree with the above statement? Support your answer by reference to the play.

(ii) What is your view of the importance of either Gertrude or Ophelia in Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet?

Support your answer with reference to the play

2001 Hamlet

(i) The struggle between Hamlet and Claudius is a fascinating one.’

Discuss this statement, supporting your answer with reference to the play.

(ii) Choose the scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet that in your view was the most dramatic. Discuss your choice, supporting your answer with reference to the play.(Textual support may include reference to a particular performance of the play that you have seen.)

Other Questions:

“Although Hamlet is guilty of morally questionable deeds, he is, deep down, a good man.”

Would you agree with this opinion of Hamlet? Give reasons for your answer based on your knowledge of the play.

You have been invited to play the part of a character in your school’s

production of the play Hamlet.

Describe the qualities of your chosen character which you would wish to

make clear to your audience. Support your answer with reference to the text.

Hamlet has been arrested for the murder of Polonius. You are to make a

speech either defending or prosecuting him at his trial. Write the speech.

Imagine that Horatio kept a diary of the time he spent with Hamlet. Write out

two entries he might make about his experience during that time.

Your local library is holding an event called My Favourite Play where readers

explain what they particularly liked about their chosen play. You are to take part

and you choose to introduce Hamlet to the audience. Write the talk you would give.

The most important lesson the play teaches us is that -

- People are not to be trusted

- Everybody makes mistakes

Choose one of the above statements and explain how the play teaches you that lesson.

The play, Hamlet, has many exciting scenes. Briefly describe one scene that had

a strong effect on you and explain why it had such an effect

Imagine that you could write to William Shakespeare. Write a letter in which

you tell him your opinion of the play and its relevance to young people of

today. Refer to the play in your answer.

“The play, Hamlet, presents many opportunities for dramatic performance.”

Write your response to the above statement, supporting it by reference to the play.

“Hamlet’s attitudes and actions make him a very unattractive character.”

Do you agree with the above view? Support your answer by reference to the play.

“Shakespeare’s Hamlet invites us to look into the world of a man given a mission he wasn’t suited to.”

Write a response to this view of Hamlet, supporting the points you make by reference to the text.

“In Hamlet the dividing line between heroes and villains is blurred.”

Discuss this statement with reference to at least one villainous and one virtuous character. Support your answer with suitable reference to the text.

“Claudius is often perceived as a heartless villain in the play Hamlet but nevertheless we can be impressed by his better qualities”

Write a response to this statement, referring to the text in your answer.

“Positive values of hope and redemption overcome the sense of pessimism and disorder in the play Hamlet”.

Write a response to this statement. You should refer to the play in your answer.

“Claudius’ murder of King Hamlet has terrible consequences both for Claudius himself

and for Denmark.”

Write a response to this statement. You should refer to the play in your answer.

The foolishness of Claudius and Laertes, rather than Hamlet’s cleverness and determination leads to Hamlet’s revenge finally being achieved”

Discuss this statement supporting your answer with the aid of suitable reference to the text.

“Shakespeare’s play Hamlet demonstrates the weakness of human judgement.”

Discuss this statement supporting your answer with the aid of suitable reference to the text.

“The relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia undergoes significant change during the course of the play.”

Discuss this statement supporting your answer with the aid of suitable reference to the text.

“Reading or seeing Hamlet is a horrifying as well as a challenging experience.”

Write a response to this view, supporting the points you make by reference to the text.

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