"I hold my duty as I hold my soul both to my God and to my gracious king". In what ways does Hamlet challenge this statement then? In what ways does Shakespeare challenge this statement now?

"I hold my duty as I hold my soul both to my God and to my gracious king". In what ways does Hamlet challenge this statement then? In what ways does Shakespeare challenge this statement now? It is clear that Polonius' words in Act 2 Scene 2 epitomize an impression of order and certainty. Shakespeare challenges this statement by using both action and the characters, particularly Hamlet himself. Hamlet's individuality sets him aside from all the other characters as the hero of the play. This is revealed at the beginning of the play when, against the advice of his best friend Horatio, he follows the ghost into the unknown. "Horatio: Be rul'd; you shall not go" This comment from Horatio fully illustrates his whole character; he is a classical thinker and does not believe in encountering anything that would exceed the realms of his experience. When his experience goes against what he "knows" he exclaims; "Horatio: Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason And draw you into madness?" Horatio is Hamlet's best friend and intends to be at the princes side until death do them part. When this unfortunately transpires much more prematurely than he had thought he wishes to drink the rest of the poison from the cup and die with Hamlet. "Horatio: I am more an antique Roman than a Dane. Here's yet some liquor left." On Hamlet's deathbed, he charges Horatio, "To tell my

  • Word count: 1505
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"I Want My Name" how far does pride dictate the events of the play.

"I Want My Name" How Far Does Pride Dictate The Events Of The Play The play is set around an Italian- American family living in Red Hook, "the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge." The main scenes are set in the living and dining rooms of the Carbone's residence. But the street is also used in a few scenes especially towards the end of the play. In this play pride is a huge factor in dictating its events. This is the main reason why Eddie Carbone takes in his wife, Beatrice's cousins from Sicily, to make himself seem hard-working family man who is risking helping his family, Marco and Rodolfo. As we read through the play it becomes apparent that there are some serious problems between Eddie and Beatrice. But again Eddie's bullish pride stops them from talking about their problems and sorting them out. It is as if Eddie is shy about this issue, or maybe there is another agenda where he doesn't want to work out their problems. On page fifty-one Eddie says, "What I feel like doin' in bed and what I don't feel like doin'. I don't want no." This shows us that Eddie has almost no feelings for his wife anymore and there is certainly no love in the relationship. Beatrice stays in her home as a housewife and takes great pride in keeping her house pristine and presentable. When she begins to talk about where her cousins will be sleeping she begins to

  • Word count: 949
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"If you want to make them listen, make them laugh" - What does Willy Russell want you to listen to and how effectively does he use humour to make that message appealing?

"If you want to make them listen, make them laugh." What does Willy Russell want you to listen to and how effectively does he use humour to make that message appealing? In "Educating Rita", Willy Russell conveys his views about education through humour. The writer makes the play funny so that the audience will listen to his points about education. This subject is particularly important to Willy Russell as he wasted his first chance at education. With six months schooling to go, he realised he had left it too late to start studying and "like it or not I'd end up in a factory." Russell was stuck in a dead end job and wanted to become a writer. He took O level English Literature at night school and passed it, but to get into college needed five O levels. He found a college that would allow him to take all his courses in one year. Russell got a second chance for education, in "Educating Rita", Russell tries to teach the audience how important education is and that it should not be wasted. Frank and Rita are presented as two opposites in personality, outlook on life, educated background and etiquette. Willy Russell creates Rita as a construct similar to that of his own life. Russell had very little real education; his school years were taken up by bullies and peer pressure. The school that Rita went to was much the same. "Broken glass, knives an' fights. An' that was just in

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"Imagine you are Marco. Write a letter to your wife telling her about your journey to America, where you are staying and your work."

"Imagine you are Marco. Write a letter to your wife telling her about your journey to America, where you are staying and your work." Eddie and Beatrice Carbone 441 Saxon Street BROOKLYN NEW YORK U.S.A Dear family and friends I am missing you all desperately. It has been two months since I have seen you all. The journey was in cramped conditions, we experienced a mix of storms and showers. This didn't bother Rodolpho or me as the fishing trips to Africa and Yugoslavia prepared us well. I spent most of my time conversing with another group of Sicilians. We shared our hopes of America. Our main worry was that we would be caught getting off the boat and deported. The travelling was long and boring with loud thunderstorms at night, which made it impossible to sleep. Because of the large amounts of people on the ship it was very cramped. We had to sleep on the floor, which was hard and uncomfortable. The only way I stayed sane was thinking of succeeding at the American dream and returning to Sicily as rich as some of the tourists! When the ship docked in Brooklyn a very kind and hospitable man named Tony Bereli met us at the pier. He dropped us off at Beatrice's house were we are temporarily staying. I was surprised at how nice Beatrice's house was after Bereli described it as a slum. Over here in America people live in

  • Word count: 765
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"In what ways does Miller succeed in making the moment when Proctor tears up his confession particularly dramatic?"

"In what ways does Miller succeed in making the moment when Proctor tears up his confession particularly dramatic?" Miller succeeds in making the moment when Proctor tears up his confession particularly dramatic by making the situation that Proctor is in an outwardly simple decision, though his life depends on it Miller adds a certain irony to the situation, however as Danforth claims (after Proctor says he will confess, but the confession is a lie) that he 'will not deal in lies', when in fact, he has been dealing in lies through the entire play. Following the hard decision between living with a bad name or being murdered with a good one, Proctor destroys his confession which leaves the characters who are present, and the audience, in shock. Proctor has accepted his fate and decides to have his good name over his life. The stage directions play a large part in creating a dramatic atmosphere in the play also, where Proctor's directions are "His breast heaving," (showing heavy breathing), "his eyes staring," (perhaps assuming a state of anger, if not concentration), "weeping in fury" (I think that this part of the stage direction shows Proctor's raw anger, where the term 'weeping' is used to show how amazingly enraged he is at that point in the play). This part of the play is more dramatic than most other parts of the play, just like in a modern-day film when a main character

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"Inspector Calls" is about the discriminations between different classes and sexes.

AN INSPECTOR CALLS GCSE COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT I think that an "Inspector Calls" is about the discriminations between different classes and sexes, it conveys a lot of messages about these topics and uses An Inspector - a mysterious, curt individual who makes an unexpected call on an upper middle class, very opinionated family named the Birlings. The inspector seems to invade their own little world - upsetting a celebration of theirs, forcing them to realise the truth - they all contributed to the death of a young, working class girl with what should have been years ahead of her, instead these were snatched away by a greedy, insensitive and selfish chain of events, all down to the Birlings. The girls name was Eva Smith. It is set just before the First World War, a time which is linked to one of the messages that the play delivers to the viewer in one of the final, most powerful, statements and at a time when class was very important, there was a clear divide between the working and upper classes, the working class being inferior, almost uncivilised or animals. I would want a large, open well-furbished and elegant dining room with a solid looking fairly ornate dining table in the centre of the stage. Some exotic plants such as small palm in the corner giving an individual air to a traditional setting. They might believe it sets them apart from other higher and lower

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"It is impossible to feel sympathy for Blanche" - Discuss.

"It is impossible to feel sympathy for Blanche." Discuss. Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" is a character who will throughout the duration of the play invoke all sorts of contrasting, even opposite emotions. To analyse one's emotions is no easy task, and to do so most effectively one must break the play into different parts and analyse them separately. The problem with Blanche is that she presents a character so mixed up in her own motives and opinions that one never knows if it is really her or an act she's putting on. The audience will find itself constantly readjusting its position towards Blanche and the other characters as the play unfolds and we learn more about her story and the reasons behind her inadequacies. Williams makes sure nothing is white or black but grey so that at some moments in the play we struggle to find a reason for her cool manipulation and hunger for power while at others we pity her pathetic life founded on lies and misconceptions. Even when she tries to break up Stanley and Stella's relationship we don't immediately brand her as a villain, we remember that if Stella hadn't left than maybe Blanche would have become what she had wanted to become rather than what society dictated her to become. When we see Blanche for the very first time we know right away that she does not belong in Stella's neighbourhood, she is "daintily dressed" and her

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"Hamlet is ultimately selfish by taking revenge in his own time as he causes much unnecessary death" By referring to at least 2 sequences from the play explain whether you agree with it or not.

"Hamlet is ultimately selfish by taking revenge in his own time as he causes much unnecessary death" By referring to at least 2 sequences from the play explain whether you agree with it or not. Hamlet's procrastination can be seen as his downfall, and to a further extent it can be seen as selfish as it resulted in loss of life. I however strongly disagree with this accusation, as I personally feel that Hamlets procrastination is what makes him what he is and separates him from the standard Revenge Hero an Elizabethan audience would expect. It is through he postponing of events that Hamlet manages to "Know thy self" such to the degree that he can put his conscious at rest. By comparing Hamlet at the beginning to at the end one can see the change in character Hamlet has undergone, this change would not have been possible had he not take time out to console in himself. By examining to sequences this contrast can be clearly see, first one can see the scene after Hamlet's first confrontation with the ghost. Here Hamlet adopts a most different approach from the average Revenge Hero, to begin with Hamlet distrusts the ghost seeing him as a "goblin". A typical Revenge Hero would have not questioned the ghost and have gone half-wittedly to commit the revenge. Hamlet however is very unsure, and this can be seen through his speech, he uses short uncertain phrases "O all you

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"It's not Lear's weakness but his strength that makes the story a tragedy." Discuss.

"It's not Lear's weakness but his strength that makes the story a tragedy." Discuss. I would disagree with the statement above, since we can see from the very beginning of the play, that Lear makes the mistake himself of abdicating his throne to fuel his ego, which eventually results in his downfall. By abdicating his throne, not only is he plunging his family and community into crisis by abandoning his responsibilities, he is also violating God's natural law. In the 18th Century man's task was to obey God's law and maintain his position in the hierarchy, fulfilling his duties. King Lear by giving away his kingdom went against this and violated the natural order. This creates a parallelism between another of Shakespeare's plays, "Macbeth." Macbeth when he becomes king is not a true king, as he is not behaving like God's deputy on earth, and instead he acts like a usurper. Both Lear and Macbeth abdicate their responsibilities, disobeying God's law, which has devastating consequences to the family and country causing disorder and chaos later on in the play. Following this, Lear out of pride and anger begins to banish those around him who genuinely care for him, starting with Cordelia. This is another of Lear's tragic flaws, which prevents him from seeing the true faces of people because his pride and anger overrides his judgement. As we see in this first act, Lear does not

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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"John Proctor is the tragic hero of The Crucible". How far would you agree with this statement?

"John Proctor is the tragic hero of The Crucible". How far would you agree with this statement? A tragic hero is a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. During the play The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, the character John Proctor suffers a change in fortune from happiness to misery. Proctor is an honest, brave man that carries a hidden fact, a fatal flaw. Proctor's flaw is his lust for Abigail Williams that throughout the play leads to jealousy and hysteria and in the end results to his own death. Proctor is considered to be a tragic hero; this is because he suffered from his bad decisions, which were the causes of the trials. Abigail, a true symbol of evil, defeated him. She influenced him to betray his wife Elizabeth, leaving her lonely and forgotten. Proctor tremendously regrets his flaw and feels guilt even though Elizabeth forgave him. Proctors marriage still existed but it was very cold and suspicion was everywhere. Everything leaded by Abigail that seduced Proctor. All she wanted was to be better than Elizabeth and defeat her. It was Abigail's hate and envy that lead something that wasn't a big thing, into a big confusion. Proctor certainly made mistakes, and he paid for them with his life. No one is perfect, every human being has flaws. Many are

  • Word count: 871
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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