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AS and A Level: Hamlet

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434 AS and A Level Hamlet essays

  • Marked by Teachers essays 14
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  1. Marked by a teacher

    How does Shakespeare present ideas of disorder, corruption and decay in Act 1 of Hamlet?

    4 star(s)

    This essay explores Act One in detail and relates much of the analysis to the question. The essay would demonstrate a higher level of analytical skill if points were linked…

    • Essay length: 1128 words
    • Submitted: 07/02/2012
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Laura Gater 26/04/2013
  2. Marked by a teacher

    Discuss the dramatic significance of Hamlet Scene 1 Act 1

    4 star(s)

    This is a very good essay and shows a very good understanding of 'Hamlet'. The writing successfully addresses language, structure and form and supports all the points made with direct…

    • Essay length: 1416 words
    • Submitted: 02/11/2011
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Laura Gater 26/04/2013
  3. Marked by a teacher

    Discuss the significance of the ghost in Act 1

    4 star(s)

    The writer has a good knowledge of the text but should ensure that the question is addressed more analytically and less descriptively. Context is used effectively and much of the…

    • Essay length: 1519 words
    • Submitted: 01/11/2010
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Karen Reader 08/03/2012
  4. Marked by a teacher

    Polonius has sometimes been presented as an essentially comic character and sometimes as a more sinister figure. What critical and dramatic issues are raised by the character of Polonius?

    4 star(s)

    A well researched essay which shows a good knowledge of text and context. It is worth researching who Shakespeare was said to have modelled Polonius on - and the significance…

    • Essay length: 2178 words
    • Submitted: 06/01/2009
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Karen Reader 03/08/2012
  5. Marked by a teacher

    Explore Shakespeare's presentation of Claudius. Does he have any redeeming qualities, or is he merely a "damned, smiling villain"?

    4 star(s)

    There is a good understanding of the character of Claudius and the points on his inability to repent are good. The essay could have covered Claudius' treatment of Hamlet in…

    • Essay length: 1922 words
    • Submitted: 27/10/2003
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Laura Gater 26/04/2013
  6. Marked by a teacher

    How far, and in what ways, do you agree that the story of Polonius and his children is a tragedy within a tragedy?

    3 star(s)

    A confident commentary on the nature of tragedy, exploring a number of models and concluding with a strong case for Shakespeare not only examining but also transcending many of the…

    • Essay length: 1590 words
    • Submitted: 20/10/2011
    • Marked by teacher: (?) karen reader 08/03/2012
  7. Marked by a teacher

    Hamlet presents indecision with decisive craft. Discuss Hamlets character in the light of this quote.

    3 star(s)

    While this is an articulate and well researched essay, the writer could have achieved the highest rating by including more attention to the text itself. The examiners need to see…

    • Essay length: 1716 words
    • Submitted: 12/06/2011
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Karen Reader 08/03/2012
  8. Marked by a teacher

    Explore how Shakespeare examines the theme of revenge in Hamlet.

    3 star(s)

    This essay shows a clear understanding of the plot of 'Hamlet'; however it does not provide a high enough level of analysis. The whole essay should be peppered with textual…

    • Essay length: 2146 words
    • Submitted: 25/05/2011
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Laura Gater 22/12/1999
  9. Marked by a teacher

    Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are all reflections on each other. Discuss.

    3 star(s)

    This is an uneven essay. The writer shows a good knowledge of the text and an effective attention to textual detail, with well used terminology. With better planning and structuring,…

    • Essay length: 1704 words
    • Submitted: 01/11/2010
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Karen Reader 08/03/2012
  10. Marked by a teacher

    What Does the Ghost Contribute to the Tragedy of Hamlet?

    3 star(s)

    The writer shows a good knowledge of both text and context, but needs to structure the ideas to optimise their impact and importance. Repetition should be avoided and terminology not…

    • Essay length: 1402 words
    • Submitted: 20/12/2009
    • Marked by teacher: (?) Karen Reader 08/03/2012
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Shakespeare and 'Hamlet' - some contextual knowledge to include in your response

  1. 1 Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest, most popular and most performed play.
  2. 2 There are several quartos and folios or editions which make it very difficult to date, but it is generally thought to have been written between 1599 and 1603.
  3. 3 Hamlet is classed as a tragedy and draws on many features of the revenge tragedy genre, which originated in catholic countries such as Italy and Spain – consider the portrayal of Old Hamlet in purgatory in Act 1.
  4. 4 Being set in Denmark and being written around the time of the reformation, Hamlet also embraces many protestant ethics, drawing on differing religious traditions and beliefs. Horatio’s rationalism perhaps counters the superstition attached to the ghost of Old Hamlet in Act 1.

'Hamlet' and revenge

  1. 1 Hamlet embraces many themes typical of tragedies contemporary to Shakespeare: treachery, murder, moral corruption, madness, incest, revenge. What evidence can we see of each of these in Hamlet?
  2. 2 Bacon referred to revenge as a ‘wild justice’ since the revenger figure was positioning himself with God in his desire to exact a justice which should only be ‘divine’. This creates the sense of a flawed protagonist, even an anti-hero, whose quest will ultimately fail. Can this view be applied to Hamlet himself?
  3. 3 Shakespeare subverts many of Aristotle’s notions of classical tragedy, most notably in his depiction of Hamlet himself. The play could be said to dwell on character far more than on action (consider Hamlet debating whether or not to kill the praying Claudius)
  4. 4 Hamlet’s duality and feigned madness has been viewed as problematic in terms of revenger tragedy codes – some critics see his ‘delay’ as a device by which to merely prolong the action of the play.
  5. 5 Hamlet can be compared to other more traditional revenger figures such as Laertes, whose impetuous action contrasts strongly with Hamlet’s own indecision and unwillingness to become corrupted by the society he seeks to purge.

Different readings of 'Hamlet'

  1. 1 Freudian interpretations suggest that Hamlet’s Oedipal desire for his mother prevents him from murdering Claudius, as Claudius has done what he secretly desired to do (i.e. killed his own father) and he is plagued by guilt/aligns himself too strongly with Claudius to act. Close analysis of the closet scene between Hamlet and Gertrude is useful here, but avoid speculation without using the text!
  2. 2 Feminist theorists argue that Gertrude has no knowledge of Claudius’ actions and that there are many ambiguous moments in the play which are read as signs of her guilt. Can you find evidence of this?
  3. 3 Feminist critics argue that both Gertrude and Ophelia are entirely constructed by and according to the men, who use them as pawns and/or objectify them as sexual territory. Ophelia’s madness is caused by the abandonment of the three men who have controlled her identity: her father, brother and Hamlet.
  4. 4 Much of the play can be seen to comment on Elizabethan England – Polonius is thought to have been modelled on the Queen’s chief counsellor; the visiting theatre troupe is thought to have been a reference to a contemporary troupe which was forcing the Globe actors to go on tour.

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Conclusion analysis

Good conclusions usually refer back to the question or title and address it directly - for example by using key words from the title.
How well do you think these conclusions address the title or question? Answering these questions should help you find out.

  1. Do they use key words from the title or question?
  2. Do they answer the question directly?
  3. Can you work out the question or title just by reading the conclusion?

  • To What Extent Do You agree that Gertrude

    "I feel that this is the most likely conclusion that can be drawn from the limited evidence provided to us by the text on Gertrude. Due to her over bearing role in her relationship with her husband Claudius, I feel that she must have knowledge of the circumstances of the King's death. I believe that it is she who drove Claudius into his actions which in turn leads on to any other evil actions carried out later on in the play, including those carried out by Hamlet in vengeance for his father. Therefore, assuming this to be true, all evil can be traced back to Gertrude, which places her at the very centre of evil. 1,890"

  • Compare and Contrast Hamlets two soliloquiesin Act 1.

    "To conclude, there are many stark contrasts in the language used, the mood and emotions of Hamlet personally before and after his meeting with the ghost. However the overall mood of the play in general and the themes of appearance and reality and disturbed order are very similar and strong in both soliloquies. Chris Gill 02/05/07"

  • "To what extent do you consider Hamlet a play which presents a patriarchal society in which women are essentially disempowered?"

    "In conclusion, I think the evidence shows that there are different types of empowerment and disempowerment, male and female scattered throughout the play, some blatantly obvious, some rather more subtle. After careful analysis of the play, I have come to my own personal opinion that women in Hamlet are essentially disempowered, for these main reasons : Firstly, there are more men than women in the play, showing that women play less important roles. Secondly, women are not involved in the real important parts of the plot, they only act as a sub-plot, a tangent from the storyline. Also, by the end of the play, neither of the women are seen to have any sort of peace of mind, and they both die tragically. Sources Used: Shakespeare's Ophelia - Amanda Mabillard Gertrude In Hamlet - Orah Rosenblatt A - Z of Shakespeare - Charles Boyce Shakespeare's Life And Times - Oscar J Campbell Hamlet Commentary - Granville - Barker Hamlet Psychoanalysed. 1815words.W/Quotes 1703words W/out Quotes . SAM MAY L6WH ENGLISH LIT COURSEWORK: HAMLET"

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