“Hamlet”
Essay Revision
Act and
Scene
Number
Context.
Who said it?
Situation in
which it was
said.
Quotation
What it
tells me
about
character
What it tells
me about
relationship
between
characters.
What it tells
me about
theme of
“Knowing
what to do”
What it tells
me about
theme of
corruption
Any other
significant
points
Character Questions
1.Choose a play in which a character feels insecure about his or her position within
the society or social group to which he or she belongs.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the character’s insecurity and discuss
how it influences your appreciation of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
1.Choose a play in which a character shows signs of instability at one or more than
one key point in the play.
Explain the reason(s) for the character’s instability and discuss how this feature adds
to your understanding of the central concern(s) of the play.
1. Choose a play in which a central character is slow to understand fully the
seriousness of his or her situation.
Explain how this situation has developed and discuss how the character’s behaviour
influences your overall assessment of him or her.
1. Choose a play in which a central character experiences rejection, isolation or
loneliness.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the character’s situation and discuss
how it adds to your understanding of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
Theme Questions
Choose a play which has a theme of revenge or betrayal or sacrifice.
Show how the dramatist explores your chosen theme and discuss how this treatment
enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole.
Choose a play in which a central concern is clarified by the contrast between two
characters.
Discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of the contrast between the two characters
adds to your understanding of this central concern.
Choose a play which explores one of the following as a central concern: sacrifice,
courage, integrity, steadfastness of purpose.
Show how the dramatist introduces and develops the central concern in a way which
you find effective.
Choose a play which explores one of the following: the nature of heroism, the impact of
self-delusion, the burden of responsibility.
Discuss how the dramatist explores this central concern through her or his presentation of
one or more than one character.
Key Scene Questions
Choose from a play an important scene which you found particularly entertaining or
particularly shocking.
Explain briefly why the scene is important to the play as a whole and discuss in detail
how the dramatist makes the scene so entertaining or shocking.
Choose from a play a scene in which an important truth is revealed.
Briefly explain what the important truth is and assess the significance of its revelation
to your understanding of theme or character.
Choose from a play a scene which significantly changes your view of a character.
Explain how the scene prompts this reappraisal and discuss how important it is to
your understanding of the character in the play as a whole.
Choose from a play a scene in which tension builds to a climax.
Explain how the dramatist creates and develops this tension, and discuss the extent to
which the scene has thematic as well as dramatic significance.
The Question
• There will be three questions in each section.
• They are not there to catch you out; the SQA are trying to
give you an opportunity to show them what you know.
The Drama section will have the following instruction in a box
above the questions.
Answers to questions on Drama should refer to the text and to such
relevant features as characterisation, key scene(s), structure, climax,
theme, plot, conflict, setting…
• You don’t have to cover all of the above: you’d be there for a year!
• The ellipses allows you to mention other techniques not in the list.
• For “Hamlet”, an obvious word to mention would be soliloquy; a device
Shakespeare famously uses in “Hamlet”.
The Question!
The critical essay comes in two sentences.
Choose a play in which there is a scene involving a moment of
conflict or of resolution to conflict.
By referring to details of the scene, explain how the dramatist
presents this moment and discuss how this contributes to your
appreciation of the play as a whole.
• The first sentence is there to help you decide if the question is
suitable for the play you have studied.
• The second sentence is there to tell you what to do.
The Question!
The critical essay comes in two sentences.
Choose a play in which there is a scene involving a moment of
conflict or of resolution to conflict.
By referring to details of the scene, explain how the dramatist
presents this moment and discuss how this contributes to your
appreciation of the play as a whole.
• The first sentence is there to help you decide if the question is
suitable for the play you have studied.
• The second sentence is there to tell you what to do.
The Question!
Many questions give you two things to do.
Choose a play in which there is a scene involving a moment of
conflict or of resolution to conflict.
By referring to details of the scene, explain how the dramatist
presents this moment and discuss how this contributes to your
appreciation of the play as a whole.
You could break down what you have to do like this:
First I have to explain how the dramatist presents this moment.
Then I have to discuss how this contributes to your appreciation of
the play as a whole.
What do the coloured-in bits mean?!
First I have to explain how the dramatist presents
this moment.
First I have to explain how Shakespeare shows me
the conflict between two characters, or even the
conflict within Hamlet.
Then I have to discuss how this contributes to your
appreciation of the play as a whole.
Then I have to explain how this moment helps me
understand more about the characters and/or the
themes of the play.
They mean the same thing.
Choose a play which explores an important issue or issues within society.
Briefly explain the nature of the issue(s) and discuss how the dramatist’s
presentation of the issue(s) contributed to your appreciation of the play as
a whole.
• Write a topic sentence with a linking word, recycled words of the question and
telling me what you are about to discuss.
• Introduce evidence from the text that you think proves this point. You should
give the context of the quotation. (Act, scene number, what has just
happened, who is speaking to whom) Your evidence could be a quotation or a
paraphrase of something that has been said. It could also be an example of
something that has happened in the play.
• Explain what your evidence tell us about a character, about the relationship
between characters or about the theme(s) of the play.
• Explain how the evidence you have given and explained answers the question
you have been asked.
Introduction
• Opening sentence: title, author; recycled words
of the question; a clear indication of what you
will be talking about.
• A sentence saying what the play is about
(themes, not plot)
• A brief summary of the plot: fewer than 50
words.
• A sentence saying referring back to the question
and saying what you will be discussing
Conclusion.
• Sum up what you have said: should do this in
one sentence.
• Give your personal response. You should make
sure your personal response is to the question
you have been asked.
1.Choose a play in which a character shows signs of instability at one or more
than one key point in the play.
Explain the reason(s) for the character’s instability and discuss how this
feature adds to your understanding of the central concern(s) of the play.
Choose a play in which a central character experiences rejection, isolation or
loneliness.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the character’s situation and discuss
how it adds to your understanding of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.