here are the steps you should follow for this week: 27 31...
TRANSCRIPT
English HL Grade 12 Lockdown Learning Week 2
Hoërskool Roodepoort Compiled by Mr L. Breytenbach
Hoërskool Roodepoort: Grade 12 English HL
Lockdown Learning: Week 2 (27 – 31 July 2020)
This is your self-study guide for work that has to be done at home during the lockdown:
Here are the steps you should follow for this week: 27 – 31 July 2020 1. Join and follow the WhatsApp Group [“HSR Gr 12 English HL”] to stay up to date:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/CmFVazrBg4C4XA3D8svFfR 2. Join the Online Classroom at www.edmodo.com using class code m6qkap (See p.2) 3. Study Mrs Venter’s notes for Hamlet, Act II (pages 3 – 11) – NB for EXAMS! 4. Use the Hamlet Youtube Links Page to listen to and watch Hamlet (p.12) 5. Complete Worksheet B3 of Hamlet 6. Check your answers for “The THREE LAYERS” and worksheets F and Z (from week 1). 7. Mark your answers for the Language worksheets using the Teacher’s Guide 8. Study the language notes about Idoms and proverbs as well as the pages with tone words. 9. Read through all the Life of Pi notes and study the questions and answers. 10. Revise the TWO poems, “Felix Randal” and “Funeral Blues” by reading through all the notes. 11. Complete the Online Quiz (for week 2) at the following link: https://forms.gle/Qyoat5SMhfEY5vad9
English HL Grade 12 Lockdown Learning Week 2
Hoërskool Roodepoort Compiled by Mr L. Breytenbach
HSR English HL Gr 12 with Mr.BreytenbachI’m using Edmodo in my class to keep everyoneupdated! I’ll use it to share important notes,assignments and more. It’s free and it takes under aminute to sign up! Learn how to get started below.
1.
3.
2.
Instructions for StudentsVisit edmodo.com usingyour smartphone orcomputer.
Click or tap "Get Startedas a Student."
Follow the instructionson your screen. Use yourclass code: m6qkap.
1.
4.
2.
3.
Instructions for ParentsVisit edmodo.com usingyour smartphone orcomputer.
Click or tap "Get Startedas a Parent."
Follow the instructions tocreate an account.
When prompted, enteryour student's ParentCode. Parent Code canbe found on the bottomleft corner of thestudent's home page(www.edmodo.com).
Download the Edmodo app
YOUR CODE
m6qkap
WEEK 2 GRADE 12 ENG HL
MONDAY: 27 JULY 2020
HAMLET
Lets do a quick revision of ACT I
The THEMES that run through Hamlet are:
1. ACTION AND INACTION
2. APPEARANCE VERSUS REALITY
3. WOMEN
4. RELIGION, HONOUR AND REVENGE
5. POISON, CORRUPTION AND DEATH
QUOTES FROM ACT I
Below follow a number of quotes from Act 1. At each quote you have to give the following information:
1. Who is the speaker?
2. Who is the related or mentioned character
3. The related themes (some quotes might refer to 1 or more themes)
a) Seems, madam! Nay , it is; I now not “seems” (line 76)
b) O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew (line 130)
c) Frailty, thy name is woman! (line 146)
d) Thrift, thrift Horatio!. The funeral bak’d meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables (line 179)
e) This above all – to thine ownself be true;
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Though canst not then be false to any man (line 78)
f) Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (line 95)
g) O, villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! (line 105)
ALSO MONDAY 27 July 2020
HAMLET
Summary and Analysis Act II: Scene 1
Summary
o Polonius meets with his sly servant Reynaldo and tells him to go to Paris and
spy on Laertes. o He orders the servant to find any Danes (People from Denmark) living in
Paris and to question them as to Laertes' whereabouts and reputation. o Polonius even goes so far as to give Reynaldo permission to use lies to catch
out Laertes. o After Reynaldo leaves on his mission, Ophelia enters and tells Polonius that
she has been horrified by the Prince. o Hamlet came to her in her sewing room with his jacket skew and unfastened,
and wearing no hat; his stockings were filthy and unfastened, drooping at his
ankles; and he was pale and trembling, looking "piteous." o Polonius diagnoses Hamlet's condition as madness due to his love of Ophelia,
brought about because Ophelia obeyed her father and spurned Hamlet's
advances. o Polonius decides to take his information to the king.
Analysis
This scene reflects themes that are central to the play's purpose. APPEARANCE and REALITY are disparate entities that contradict one another.
o In Act II, Scene 1, the apparently caring, nurturing father Polonius hires the shady Reynaldo to spy on Laertes.
o Polonius tells Reynaldo that he suspects the worst of Laertes and wants reports of all his dirtiest deed.
o He tells Reynaldo to look into Laertes' life in Paris even if he needs to accuse his son falsely — 'What forgeries you please.'" Polonius will pay Reynaldo to discredit Laertes with negative reports — both real and imagined — in order to teach his son the importance of reputation.
o The deception of this encounter foreshadows the behavior that will characterize Polonius throughout the play.
o In the second part of the scene, Ophelia enters and reports that Hamlet has been acting incomprehensibly.
o She describes with painter's language the way Hamlet is dressed:
Lord Hamlet with his doublet unbraced No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, Ungartered, and down-gyved to his ankle Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a look so piteous in purport As if he had been loosèd out of hell To speak of horrors — he comes before me.
o The description is one that Polonius immediately recognizes — "Mad for thy love?" — because Hamlet's appearance embodies the contemporary stereotype of the spurned lover, indicating that his main objective in visiting Ophelia is to use Ophelia to convince others that his insanity was not due to any mysterious unknown cause, but to disappointment, and so to reduce the suspicions of the King.
o Thus, Ophelia's purpose in this scene seems to be to give credence to the notion that Hamlet never loved Ophelia at all, but merely used her. If so, then Hamlet is as guilty of being deceptive as are those whom he judges.
Tuesday 27July 2020
Summary and Analysis Act II: Scene 2
Summary
o The King and Queen enter with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and others. King Claudiushas summoned Hamlet's two school chums to Elsinore to have them spy on the Prince and report back to Claudius, recounting Hamlet's every move.
o The Queen promises them handsome compensation for their spying and assures them that Hamlet's own good requires the service.
o Rosencrantz and Guildenstern agree. o The two leave to seek Prince Hamlet, and the King and Queen turn their
attention to Polonius, who claims to have the answer to Prince Hamlet's affliction o He promises to elaborate further after Claudius receives his newly arrived
ambassadors from Norway. o When Polonius exits, Gertrude scoffs at the old man's intimations. o She remains certain that Hamlet's woes/troubles are caused by the old king's
death and her hasty remarriage. o Polonius returns with Ambassadors Voltemand and Cornelius. o Here follows some information regarding the political situation in Denmark so you
can realise the reponsibilty of Claudius who has to pick up the pieces of the tatters or remnants of the war between Denmark and Norway.(They bring news from Norway that the old and ailing king, brother to the slain King Fortinbras, has managed to restrain his nephew, young Fortinbras, from invading Denmark. In return, however, the old man asks that Denmark provide some assistance in Fortinbras' campaign against Poland — that Claudius allow Fortinbras to pass through Denmark on his way to Poland.)
o As soon as the ambassadors leave, Polonius launches into an elaborate discussion on the meaning of life and duty, promising to be brief (but which we know is NEVER ) and then launching into further wordiness.
o Finally, Polonius declares that Hamlet is mad. o Having no patience for Polonius, Gertrude admonishes/reprimands him. o Again promising to be less loquacious/over-talkative, Polonius makes showy,
wavy motions with his arms and then reads a letter he confiscated from his daughter, written in the Prince's hand.
o Polonius criticizes the highly dramatic, artificial prose with random rhymes in which Hamlet has written the note (actually typical love letter style) and tells Claudius and Gertrude that he has forbidden Ophelia to accept any advances/attentions from the Prince.
o That is the order, Polonius claims, that has led poor Hamlet into madness. o Polonius then suggests that he and Claudius hide themselves behind a
needlework wall hanging so they can eavesdrop on the couple when Ophelia meets with Hamlet to return his love gifts.
o Claudius agrees, just as Hamlet enters reading. o Polonius asks the King and Queen to leave them so that he may speak to Hamlet
himself. o In the encounter that follows between Hamlet and Polonius, Hamlet warns
Polonius to watch his daughter carefully and then toys/plays the fool with Polonius' limited wit.
o The exchange/conversation convinces Polonius that Hamlet is lovesick when actually, Hamlet's responses have done little but ridicule Polonius.
o Polonius leaves, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. Hamlet greets them as his "excellent good friends" and asks why they have come to his prison.
o They grouse/groan at his choice of words, but he tells them, "Denmark's a prison." Rosencrantz wittily replies, "Then is the world one." Hamlet breaks through his friends' resistance, and the two finally admit that the King and Queen sent them to observe Hamlet and provide them with details of his behavior. Hamlet's melancholy/depression then erupts in a blank verse complaint that he has lately "lost all my mirth." He laments that a foul and sickening fog now besmirches (smears) the heavens, which he once saw as a canopy "fretted with golden fire." Hamlet then indicts the very nature of mankind.
o Rosencrantz seizes the opportunity to announce the arrival of the players, and Hamlet's mood shifts yet again.
o Ecstatic at the opportunity for diversion, Hamlet asks who the players are and why they are on the road.
o Rosencrantz answers that they are on the road because a company of child actors has usurped the London stage.
o Hamlet responds by saying that he welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as he welcomes the actors and hopes he can be a worthy host.
o Polonius enters to announce the arrival of the players.
o When the players enter, Hamlet requests that the lead player perform a speech from a well-known play from that time. In it Queen Dido is told the story of Phyrrus, whose father Achilles was killed at Rome. The player performs the speech and moves himself to tears over Hecuba's horror at seeing her husband dismembered.
o Hamlet asks Polonius to see to the players' lodging, and, as soon as the Lord Chamberlain has left, he tells the small group of players remaining on-stage his plans for their performance of The Murder of Gonzago.
o He tells them that he will provide them with twelve to sixteen original lines that he wants them to add to the play.
o They agree, and they leave. o Hamlet then reveals his real intentions for The Murder of Gonzago. o The players will perform the play with an enhanced scene, which will enact the
murder the Ghost has described. o Hamlet hopes that seeing his crime re-enacted in front of the assembled
audience will make Claudius act guilty and reveal that he murdered King Hamlet. o Such an admission will prove to Hamlet, once and for all, that the Ghost is real
and not simply a devil or the figment of his imagination.
Analysis
1. Gertrude implies in her opening words to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that the she and Claudius have invited the pair to Denmark for Hamlet's benefit.
2. Although Claudius may have ulterior motives, Gertrude is the person who insisted on contacting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and bringing them to court because of the friendship and respect that Hamlet bears for them.
3. At this point in the play, one can reasonably assume that both Claudius and Gertrude had Hamlet's welfare in mind when they summoned the two Germans to court.
4. Claudius, however, is once again aware that all eyes are on him as he solicitously/thoughtfully welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and expresses his grave concern for "Hamlet's transformation."
5. Although Shakespeare gives no suggestion that Claudius had anything but Hamlet's welfare in mind when he summoned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to court, the reader knows that Claudius does nothing without self-promotion in mind. His suggestion that they report back any affliction/disorder of Hamlet's echoes Polonius' instructions to Reynaldo in Scene 1 regarding Laertes.
6. Both Polonius and Claudius exhibit distrust and deception when dealing with their heirs.
7. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern heartily agree to do the King's and Queen's bidding, Gertrude promises they will receive "such thanks / As fits a king's remembrance." Claudius has successfully deceived Gertrude as well, convincing her that he loves Prince Hamlet.
8. When Polonius ushers in Cornelius and Voltemand — Claudius' ambassadors to Norway — the old man entices the King with a promise that he knows something about the Lord Hamlet that Gertrude and Claudius cannot know.
9. He refuses to divulge any information until after the ambassadors have left, but he creates excitement over his "find." Gertrude, motivated only by her deep, even overprotective, love for her son, remains skeptical about Polonius' ability to help.
10. The ambassadors bring good news for Claudius, which cheers the King, and he plans a celebratory party. Shakespeare presents here another mirror.:Young Fortinbras, a dutiful nephew whose uncle has ascended to the throne that might have been his, obeys his uncle/sovereign's request to show Denmark leniency.
11. Claudius knows of no reason that his nephew/subject would be less cooperative or less charitable, and he is more than willing to toy/play with Hamlet's good nature.
12. Gertrude expresses her concern for and sensitivity toward Hamlet. She fully understands the trauma he has experienced in returning to Denmark to find his world shattered and re-ordered.
13. Polonius' plan to spy on Hamlet, to trap him, as it were, by exposing a private letter the old man has impounded/confiscated from his daughter, does not please Gertrude.
14. Her son's welfare concerns her far more than affairs of state. 15. However, Gertrude agrees to Polonius' plan because it affords/allows her the
hope that Hamlet's madness merely results from unrequited unreturned love, which can be easily remedied.
16. The old man clearly agitates Gertrude, who urges him to disclose something substantive: "More matter and less art."
17. However, Polonius' report finally wins her over, and she agrees to Polonius' plan to spy on Hamlet.
18. Another deception is premeditated and prearranged, another of Polonius' "springes to catch woodcocks."
19. That both Gertrude and Ophelia are complicit/in kahoots with the entrapment is a key to Hamlet's distrust of women and of his inability to allow himself to love either of them.
20. Hamlet enters in his state of apparent madness. 21. Yet, mad with despair as he may seem on the surface, Hamlet remains sharp
enough to volley/play around artfully with words that confound/unnerve Polonius' limited wit.
22. Hamlet calls the old man a fishmonger, a term rife with double entendre/meanings.
23. Because "fish" was an off-color allusion to women, "fish sellers" were those who sold women's favors — in other words, pimps.
24. Hamlet demonstrates his sharp sense of wordplay with his sad cynicism on the subject of honesty. "To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked in ten thousand." But he clearly convinces Polonius that he is not rational. "How pregnant sometimes his replies are! A happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of."
25. Then again, as soon as Polonius exits, Hamlet reveals his true level of reason: "These tedious fools." He understands that Polonius is not the only old man he needs to worry about.
26. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern return, and Hamlet elucidates/clarifies his astuteness/sharp-wittedness once more.
27. He manipulates his "excellent good friends" into admitting they have been sent for.
28. He calls Fortune a whore, suggesting that one can buy luck and fate . . . like friendship.
29. He proves that he understands the duplicitous/deceptive nature of their visit. 30. He further clarifies his presence of mind through his lucid discourse on the nature
of dreams and the paradox of human existence. 31. Prison imagery surrounds this scene. "Denmark's a prison," he says. In answer
to Rosencrantz's retort that "then the world must be one," Hamlet assents /agrees but asserts/insists that Denmark is "One o' the worst."
32. The brooding clarity with which Hamlet perceives his predicament reminds us that he has announced that he will wear an antic disposition — that he is faking his madness.
33. When Polonius announces the arrival of the players and Hamlet again plays with what he perceives as Polonius' meager intelligence, however, Polonius again concludes that Ophelia's rejection is the cause of Hamlet's madness.
34. After the player's rendition of Hecuba's horror, Hamlet expounds to himself on the crux of his dilemma. He compares himself to an actor playing out the drama of his own life, but he cannot find the motivation to move beyond his immobilized state of melancholy.
35. He is stuck in words, in the idea of action, terrified to move forward. The actor playacting as Phyrrus, a fictional character, is moved to kill his father's killer; the actor relating a fairytale about a woman's woes is capable of real emotion.
36. Hamlet is an actor prompted by heaven and hell to seek revenge for his murdered father but is unschooled in his art and hesitates for fear of the consequences.
37. His judgmental conscience stifles his emotions. He cannot sympathize with Gertrude or follow the Ghost's instructions to defend her honor because his fears blind him.
38. His incessant/non-ending pandering/ playing around with words emasculates/weakens / takes away his courage him. "That I . . . must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words." But because he is a man of words, he uses first the words of the play in his plan to strike at the king.
39. Hamlet ends the scene by revealing his plan to entrap the King by manipulating the play to force the King's conscience to incriminate/implicate him.
40. Surrounded by false friends and dubious/ doubtful love, Hamlet recognizes an opportunity to use the honest deception of the stage to illuminate/bring to light the truth.
Hamlet: Youtube links Attention Roodies Matrics of 2020!
Listen to the following readings of the text of Hamlet. It is of high
quality and you will be able to follow the text in your Hamlet book.
Act 1: https://youtu.be/p44qJ3RjpFM
Act 2: https://youtu.be/laBRXJSxxxg
Act 3: https://youtu.be/c5aa9bwEyUU
Act 4: https://youtu.be/elAret-tlFc
Act 5: https://youtu.be/3ilZn_1MPrE
You can read the whole play, view more videos and get scene summaries here:
https://myshakespeare.com/hamlet/act-1-scene-1
Here’s a very good (and watchable) FULL version of the play
– produced by Peter Brook:
(it actually skips Act I, scene 1)
https://youtu.be/XSfRZmNPHoE
Also view these FUN videos to understand the play: 1. Video SparkNotes – Hamlet Summary: https://youtu.be/t0CqUTmwKiM
2. Hamlet Part 1: Crash Course Literature: https://youtu.be/My14mZa-eq8
3. Hamlet Part 2: Crash Course Literature: https://youtu.be/nDCohlKUufs
4. Cliffsnotes' Video Summary: https://youtu.be/_uBleSUVheM
Very FAST (but Brief) Summaries of Hamlet for Students: Act 1: https://youtu.be/h56Hg-2vYOQ
Act 2: https://youtu.be/EL43j99Wzus
Act 3: https://youtu.be/bxoT7b-lo6A
Act 4: https://youtu.be/kkTF_h5Sx54
Act 5: https://youtu.be/PlIrjzq9C-Y
"To be, or not to be"
Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet film (1948):
https://youtu.be/5ks-NbCHUns
Kenneth Branagh:
https://youtu.be/SjuZq-8PUw0
Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1: Hamlet and Ophelia
https://youtu.be/iXrTWZ6otZo
Page 1 of 4
Hamlet: Worksheet B3 ACT II p. 47 – 79: “Intrigue and deception”
1.1 Read the summary of the plot on p. ix and complete the following sentences:
a) _____________ instructs _____________ to spy on _____________ while he is in
____________ to study.
b) Polonius’ daughter, _____________ , is very upset because she
has had an _____________ encounter with _____________ ,
who seems to have gone _____________.
c) _____________ and _____________ have summoned
_____________ and _____________, who are old friends of
_____________. They are asked to ________ on
_____________. [What is their motivation?]
d) _____________ and _____________ return from Norway to
report that _____________ has decided to attack
_____________ instead of _____________.
1.2 Do you think that Queen Gertrude (at this point in the play) knows that Claudius has had
the King murdered? Motivate your answer. ____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1.3 What reason does Polonius give for Hamlet’s “lunacy”? ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1.4 Does Hamlet actually reject Ophelia at this stage of the play?
1.5 What does Hamlet force his two (former) friends to confess? _____________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1.6 What is the name of the play within the play? ___________________________________
1.7 What is Hamlet’s plan? _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Read Act II, scene 1 (p. 48 – 52) and answer the following questions:
2.1 The word “marry” is used a few times by Polonius. What does it mean in this context?
______________________________________________________________________________
2.2 Polonius also, repeatedly, uses the phrase, “do you mark this?”. What does it mean?
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 2 of 4
2.3 Why does Polonius send his servant to spy on his son? ____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.4 What does the exchange between Polonius and Reynaldo reveal about Polonius’
character? _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.5 Read the “Director’s notepad” at the bottom of p. 51 and answer the questions asked:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.6 When Ophelia enters the stage, she is very “affrighted”(l. 75 on p. 51). What does she
say about Hamlet that upsets her so? __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.7 How does Polonius account for Hamlet’s strange behaviour? Quote one line from p. 52
that supports your answer. __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.8 Read the “Character file” note at the bottom of p. 52. What do you think is Polonius’
attitude towards his daughter? _______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.9 Use the side notes to translate Polonius’ final words in this scene into modern English.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.10 Why is Hamlet acting so strangely? ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 3 of 4
3. Listening Test:
Answer the questions after listening to the “Sparknotes Summary” of Act II, scene 2:
3.1 Write down the names of Hamlet’s two childhood friends:
________________________ and ________________________
3.2 Where are they from? ______________________________________________________
3.3 What is the purpose of their visit? _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.4 Who are TWO the ambassadors whom Claudius sent to Norway?
________________________ and ________________________
3.5 What news do they bring about the war with Norway? ____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.6 What does Polonius show to the King and Queen? _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.7 What plan do they hatch to find out whether Hamlet has really gone mad?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.8 What does Hamlet call Polonius? And why? _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.9 Complete the sentence: Hamlet tells his “friends” that he has lost all of his joy and has
descended into a state of ____________________________________________________
3.10 True or False? Hamlet has lost his mind completely and his insanity spirals out of control.
______________________________________________________________________________
3.11 Why does Hamlet begin cursing himself after he meets the players (actors)?
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ END
Page 4 of 4
Q: What was William Shakespeare like when he was 20 years old?
It seems Shakespeare was a gentle and witty person, but he had to grow up quickly - he
married Anne Hathaway (pregnant and aged 26) when he was 18. His daughter Susanna
was born in May 1583, when Shakespeare was 19, so at 20 he would have been the father
to a baby daughter until his twins, Hamnet and Judith were born in January or February
1585, when he was still 20. After that we don’t really know where he went until he
appears as a playwright in London. https://noshitshakespeare.tumblr.com/
Has HAMLET really gone MAD? Despite the evidence that Hamlet is actually mad, we also see substantial evidence
that he is just pretending. The most obvious evidence is that Hamlet himself says he is
going to pretend to be mad, suggesting he is at least sane enough to be able to tell
the difference between disordered and rational behaviour.
Hamlet tells Horatio and Marcellus that he plans to “put an antic disposition on” (I.v).
His “mad” remarks to Polonius—“you are a fishmonger” (II.ii)—are too silly and
sometimes too clever to be genuinely mad: even Polonius notes “How pregnant
sometimes his replies are” (II.ii.).
Hamlet’s most mad-seeming outburst, against Ophelia, may be explained by the fact
that Claudius and Polonius are spying on the conversation: if Hamlet suspects that
he’s being spied on, he may be acting more deranged than he really is for the
benefit of his listeners. If Hamlet does know that Claudius and Polonius are listening,
the fact that he can instantly adjust his behaviour points toward the idea that he has
a firm grip on reality and his own mind.
Similarly, when Hamlet is sent to England, he acts skilfully and ruthlessly to escape,
which suggests that even at this late stage in the play he is capable of perfectly sane
behaviour. For every piece of evidence that Hamlet is mad, we can also point to
evidence that he’s sane, which contributes to the mystery of Hamlet’s character.
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/central-idea-essay/is-hamlet-really-mad
Hoërskool Roodepoort Mr L. Breytenbach Page 1 of 2
THE THREE LAYERS – IMPROVING ANSWERS to DIFFICULT Questions in English HL
The 3 LAYERS of a GREAT ANSWER are ... 1. What is it? 2. What does it mean? and 3. What does it do?
ONE: Say what it is [ Level 1 and 2 questions: recognition and recall ]
• QUESTIONS types: Identify, name, write down, list, quote
• Also: compare, describe, re-organise, use your own words
• why, who, when, how, what
EXAMPLES:
• Write down what the figure of speech is, e.g.
This is a metaphor OR The poet uses alliteration in line 4
• Describe the setting of the novel
• Give three reasons for ...
• What was the cause of ...?
TWO: Say what it means [ Level 3: Show that you UNDERSTAND the concepts ]
• QUESTIONS types: Explain, give evidence, show, illustrate, discuss, account for
EXAMPLES:
• What does the image of _____ tell us about ______?
• Give examples of moments in the novel where ...
• How does _____ prove that ______?
• How does the poet use rhyme to bring her message across?
• What contribution does the structure of this poem make to the tone?
• Discuss the significance of _____
• What role does _____ play to motivate ______?
THREE: Say what it does [ Level 4 and 5: Evaluation and Appreciation ]
• QUESTIONS types: What is your opinion? Discuss the effectiveness. Discuss your view.
EXAMPLES:
• Do you think that ____ is effective? Substantiate your answer.
• Critically comment on the validity of the statement.
• Do you agree with the statement?
HERE you MUST:
• Say what EFFECT the device or idea has on the audience
• Say whether it WORKS – what makes it work?
• Why did the author include that image/word/character/event/idea?
ASK yourself: What is this ___________ doing in this poem/passage/novel/scene?
WHAT?
HOW?
WHY?
Hoërskool Roodepoort Mr L. Breytenbach Page 2 of 2
WORKSHEET: For each of the following questions, write down your answer using
THREE different layers of meaning
1.1 Read the following extract from Life of Pi and answer the question that follows:
I wept like a child. It was not because I was overcome at having survived my ordeal, though I was. Nor was it the presence of my brothers and sisters, though that too was very moving. I was weeping because Richard Parker had left me so unceremoniously. What a terrible thing it is to botch a farewell. Life of Pi – Ch. 94, p. 278 [ NB: Also refer to Contextual Question 1.6 on p. 319 and its answer on p. 331 ]
By referring to your knowledge of the novel as a whole, comment on whether Richard Parker's
leaving at this point in the story is essential for Pi's well-being. (4)
Level 1 Yes it is important that the tiger leaves.
Level 2 Now that Pi has reached civilization, he no longer needs Richard Parker's companionship or the sense of purpose that taming the tiger gave him. He feels Parker's freedom is well-deserved.
Level 3 If Richard Parker represents Pi's survival instinct, then his disappearance reflects Pi's realisation that he no longer needs to behave in the same savage way as he did on the lifeboat. By releasing Richard Parker, he allows himself to become fully human again and achieve the 'happy ending' that the narrator observes when he interviews the adult Pi.
1.2 Read the following extract from Hamlet and answer the question that follows: CLAUDIUS But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son– 1 HAMLET A little more than kin, and less than kind. 2 CLAUDIUS How is it that the clouds still hang on you? 3 HAMLET Not so, my lord, I am too much i'th' sun. 4 GERTRUDE Good Hamlet, cast thy nightly colour off, 5 And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.
Account for Hamlet's reaction to Claudius's greeting. (3)
Level 1 Hamlet says, 'A little more than kin, and less than kind.' (l. 2)
Level 2 The closer Hamlet gets to Claudius as a family member, the more he hates him. He used to be Claudius’ nephew ... now he is his (step)son
Level 3 Hamlet is being disrespectful toward Claudius. He is resentful of Claudius's calling him 'my son' because he feels that Claudius has no right to usurp his father's role. He disapproves of Claudius's marriage to his mother. He is indignant and tries to distance himself from Claudius's familiarity. This line shows us that Hamlet’s words has more than one layer – he is an intelligent and complex character.
Hoërskool Roodepoort Mr L. Breytenbach Page 1 of 2
THE THREE LAYERS – IMPROVING ANSWERS to DIFFICULT Questions in English HL
WORKSHEET TWO:
1.1 Read the following extract from Life of Pi and answer the question that follows:
I heard a growl. I turned. Richard Parker was observing me from the lifeboat. He was looking at the island, too. He seemed to want to come ashore but was afraid. Finally, after much snarling and pacing, he leapt from the boat. I brought the orange whistle to my mouth. But he didn't have aggression on his mind. Simple balance was enough of a challenge; he was as wobbly on his feet as I was. When he advanced, he crawled close to the ground and with trembling limbs, like a newborn cub. Giving me a wide berth, he made for the ridge and disappeared into the interior of the island.
Refer to the words in bold. Based on your knowledge of the novel as a
whole, discuss the implication of Richard Parker's behaviour in these lines. (3)
Level 1 Richard Parker follows his predatory instinct by rushing off to hunt. Level 2 Through his training of Richard Parker, Pi has established himself as the
dominant force in order to survive. Richard Parker's giving Pi 'a wide berth' indicates that he accepts Pi as the alpha male and respectfully avoids intruding on Pi's territory.
Level 3 Pi is able to keep the tiger's savagery at bay and thus Richard Parker is allowed to disappear. Richard Parker’s disappearance on the island foreshadows his leaving Pi when they reach Mexico. It hints at Pi’s separation from his alter ego when it is no longer required to ensure his survival.
1.2 Read the following poem and answer the question that follows:
Remember – Christina Rossetti Remember me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day 5 You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: 10 For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.
Refer to lines 13–14: 'Better by far … and be sad.' Critically comment on how the speaker's tone
in these lines reinforces the central idea of the poem. (3)
Level 1 A reconciliatory, consoling and comforting tone is used. Level 2 The speaker is at peace with her impending death and separation from the
physical world. The two contrasting ideas, 'forget and smile' and 'remember and be sad', help to reinforce the tone of acceptance.
Level 3 The speaker wants her lover to be happy and continue to live a fulfilled life and not be melancholic when he remembers her.
Hoërskool Roodepoort Mr L. Breytenbach Page 2 of 2
1.3 Read the following extract from the poem, somewhere i have never travelled,gladly
beyond (by ee cummings) and answer the question that follows:
(i do not know what it is about you that closes 17 and opens;only something in me understands 18 the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) 19 nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands 20
Critically comment on how the speaker's tone reinforces the central idea of the poem. (3)
Level 1 The speaker's tone is of admiration/awe/wonder/reverence. The expression in her eyes conveys the intensity of her love for him.
Level 2 The unusual connection the speaker makes between the senses suggests that even without words, there is communication and understanding between the lovers. He finds it amazing that her mere presence can overwhelm his senses, thoughts and emotions.
Level 3 The description conveys the idea of love's being inexplicable, mysterious and spiritual. There is no logic to explain why his beloved is able to exert absolute power over him yet instinctively he is willing to accede to her.
1.4 Read the following extract from an unseen poem and answer the question that follows: WISHING LEAVES – Wayne Visser We sat upon the bench that autumn night And basked beneath the moon's cool silver light While waves of traffic lapped the park's green shore And squirrels rushed to fill their acorn store
A gust of wind set off a whispered sigh 5 Among the trees that leaned against the sky We listened hard to catch their secret words Between the chirping chatter of the birds Then as we turned our faces to the moon Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync, in tune 10 We felt the fingers of the silken breeze And made our wishes on the falling leaves
The mood of the final stanza enhances the central idea of the poem. Do you agree with this
statement? Justify your response. (3)
Level 1 YES. I do agree with the statement.
Level 2 The central idea is about how people try to recreate the harmony and oneness of nature in their relationships. The mood in stanza 3 is peaceful/tranquil, which is consistent with the gentleness/tenderness the couple have achieved in their relationship.
Level 3 'Our hands entwined, our hearts in sync' suggests that the couple share a close emotional connection. The sense of peaceful co-existence they enjoy echoes the balance in nature.
6. Figurative Expressions, Idioms & Proverbs
A bolt from the blue A sudden and unexpected occurrence
A bone of contention A cause of dispute, to argue the point
A chip off the old block A son that closely resembles his father
A dog in the manger One who selfishly refuses to allow others the use that for which he has no use
A feather in one’s cap An honour, an achievement
A fence-sitter One who doesn’t take sides between two opinions or courses of action
A fish out of water Out of place, uncomfortable A flash in the pan Unusual, not likely to be repeated
A red herring Something which diverts people’s attention from the main argument or issue
A red-letter day A day to celebrate, a day of importance
A rough diamond A person with good qualities, but with a rough or unrefined exterior
A storm in a teacup Much fuss made of something unimportant A wet blanket A person who discourages others, dampens fun, a spoil-sport
A white elephant A useless, unwanted or burdensome possession
A wild-goose chase A plan or scheme with no possibility of success
Above board Open, with nothing to hide Add fuel to the fire Make matters that are already difficult, words
All one’s eggs in one basket Risk everything in one venture
An open secret Something which is well known, although it hasn’t yet been made public
At a snail’s pace Very slowly
At someone’s beck and call Available at all times At the eleventh hour At the last minute
Beat about the bush Approach a matter in an indirect or roundabout way
Be left high and dry Stranded
Behind one’s back Without one’s knowledge Behind the scenes In private, out of sight
Between a rock and a hard place Facing two unacceptable options
Bite the dust Be defeated, die
Blood is thicker than water One takes one’s family’s part against those not related Blow hot and cold Chop and change one’s opinions continually
Break the ice The first to begin
Bring the house down Cause rapturous applause
Build castles in the air Make plans in one’s imagination Burn the candle at both ends Overwork oneself by working day and night
Bury the hatchet Make peace, smooth over differences
Call a spade a spade Speak one’s mind, put things bluntly Clear the air Removes doubts or difficulties
Cross the bridge when one comes to it
Not to worry about a situation until one is faced with it
Cut and dried Pre-arranged
a-dog-eat-dog world A fiercely competitive and uncaring world
Full of airs and graces Someone who thinks a great deal of herself or himself Get out of bed on the wrong side Bad-tempered, grumpy
Handle with kid gloves Treat very gently
Have an axe to grind Pursue an unresolved issue
Have a bee in one’s bonnet Have one’s mind continually on one topic, to be obsessed Have a bone to pick with someone
Have a controversy to settle
Have cold feet Feel anxious and uncertain about an undertaking
Hen-pecked A husband ruled by his wife
His bark is worse than his bite He speaks strongly but acts mildly Hit below the belt Act unfairly, say something hurtful
Hit rock bottom Reach the lowest possible level
In black and white Written on paper
In cold blood Deliberately, without heart In seventh heaven In a state of intense happiness, bliss
In the limelight In the public eye
In the pipeline About to happen
In the same boat In the same misfortune or circumstances It is make or break There are no alternatives
Jump the gun Hasty in embarking on a course of action
Keep a person at arm’s length Avoid coming into contact with the person
Keep the ball rolling/keep the kettle boiling
Keep things going
Kill two birds with one stone Achieve a double result with a single effort Let the cat out of the bag Reveal a secret
Look a gift horse in the mouth Examine a gift critically
Long in the tooth Old
Make ends meet Live with one’s income Move the goalposts Change the rules
Neither here nor there Of no consequence
Not cricket Not good sportsmanship
Off one’s own bat On one’s own responsibility or initiative On edge Anxious
On the cards Possible
Once in a blue moon A very rare occurrence
One’s true colours As one really is Pour oil on troubled waters Try to stop a quarrel, calm a heated argument
Put your cards on the table Be honest or frank
Rain cats and dogs Rain heavily
Red tape Bureaucracy, form-filling Rome was not built in one day Big undertakings take time to complete
Salt of the earth A solid dependable, kind-hearted person
Save it for a rainy day Save it for a time of need
Sour grapes Pretend to despise something because it is unattainable Spill the beans Reveal the truth or a secret
Start from scratch Start at the beginning with no help or advantage
Strike while the iron is hot Act when the opportunity arises
The Achilles heel A weak spot, a vulnerable area The black sheep of the family The one who brings disgrace to the family
Throw in the sponge/towel Admit defeat, give up
Turn over a new leaf Begin again, resolve to do better Two-faced A hypocrite, saying one thing and meaning another
Under a cloud Under suspicion, with something amiss
Walk on air Be excited and happy
Proverbs
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Don’t assume that something will be achieved until it has been achieved.
A friend in need is a friend in deed. A friend who is there when you need one is a real friend.
The early bird catches the worm. The person who starts a project first is the most likely to succeed.
Actions speak louder than words. Judge people on what they do and not what they say
Don’t judges a book by its cover. You can’t know what someone is like just by looking at them.
Practice makes perfect. The more you practices the better you’ll be at something.
All that glitters isn’t gold. Not everything that looks wonderful is wonderful.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Other people’s situations always seem better than our own.
The pen is mightier than the sword. Words are more influential than violence. Too many cooks spoil the broth. When lots of people get involved in a project they can
cause confusion. Pride comes before a fall. Over-confidence will be followed by a setback.
You can’t have your cake and eat it. When two attractive options conflict then you have to choose between them.
The only constant is change. Everything is always changing.
Adapt or die. You must be prepared to change in order to survive.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Eating nutritious foods will keep you healthier. The clothes make the man. People judge you according to how you dress.
A stitch in time saves nine A timely effort will prevent more work later.
7. Abbreviations
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word. There are a few rules regarding abbreviations you
need to be aware of.
Certain abbreviations end with a full stop.
Mon. = Monday
Tel. = telephone
Jan. = January
Abbreviations do NOT have an end full stop if the last letter of the full word and the last letter of the
abbreviation are the same!
E.g.: dr = doctor BUT Fri. = Friday
In English we also use phrases taken from other languages, and in most cases their abbreviations are also
written with full stops. Example:
R.S.V.P. = Repondez s’il vois plait (Please reply)
CV = curriculum vitae
e.g. = exempli gratia (for example)
etc. = etcetera (and so on)
Recent abbreviations, and abbreviations referring to the metric system, do not use a full stop even if the las
consonant is left out.
Pop = popular music
Cell = cellular (phone)
m = metre
C = Celsius/Centrigrade
Initialism
We can also abbreviate a phrase by saying the first letter of each word. For example:
HIV – human immunodeficiency virus SA – South Africa USA – United States of America UK – United Kingdom SAP – South African Police DJ – disc jockey SABC – South African Broadcasting Corporation
EFT – electronic funds transfer CD – compact disc DVD – digital versatile disc IT – information technology ATM – automated teller machine SMS – short message service UFO – unidentified flying object
Acronyms
Acronyms are abbreviations that are made up of the first letter(s) of each word in a phrase and which are
pronounced as a new word.
For example:
AIDS or aids – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Cosatu – Council of South African Trade Unions ESCOM – Electricity Supply Commision FIFA – Federation of International Football Associations Laser – Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration PIN – Personal Identification Number Radar – Radio detection and ranging SARS – South African Revenue Service Scuba – Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus Soweto – South Western Townships UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency fund Unisa – University of South Africa
Commonly used abbreviations Titles, Qualifications, job descriptions, business terms
BA – Bachelor of Arts BCom – Bachelor of Commerce BSc – Bachelor of Science Capt. – Captain CEO – Chief Executive Officer Div. – Division
Dr – Doctor Jr/Jnr – Junior MC – Master of Ceremonies Miss – Mistress Mr – Mr Mrs – Mistress (married)
Ms – Mrs or Miss PA – Personal Assistant Prof. – Professor Sen/Sr - Senior
Months Jan. – January Feb. – February Mar. – March Apr. – April
May – May Jul. – July Aug. – August Sept. - September
Oct. – October Nov. – November Dec. - December
Days Times AD – Anno Domini (In the year of the Lord) BC – Before Christ a.m. – ante meridiem (before midday)
p.m. – post meridiem (after midday) p.a. – per annum (yearly)
Places Ave - Avenue Cnr - Corner Rd - Road
St - Street P O Box – Post Office Box
Other e-mail – electronic mail fax - facsimile pc – personal computer www – world wide web aux - auxiliary NB – Nota bene (very important)
Ibid – from the same source ie. – that is P.T.O – Please turn over PS – Post script Re – Regarding Ref. - Reference Viz. - namely
Via – by way of COD – Cash on delivery ICU – Intensive Care Unit IOU – I owe you RIP – Rest in peace VIP – Very important person
Positive Tone / Attitude Words
Amiable Consoling Friendly Playful Amused Content Happy Pleasant
Appreciative Dreamy Hopeful Proud
Authoritative Ecstatic Impassioned Relaxed
Benevolent Elated Jovial Reverent Brave Elevated Joyful Romantic
Calm Encouraging Jubilant Soothing
Cheerful Energetic Lighthearted Surprised
Cheery Enthusiastic Loving Sweet Compassionate Excited Optimistic Sympathetic
Complimentary Exuberant Passionate Vibrant
Confident Fanciful Peaceful Whimsical
Negative Tone / Attitude Words Accusing Aggravated Agitated Angry
Apathetic Arrogant Artificial Audacious
Belligerent Bitter Boring Brash
Childish Coarse Cold Condemnatory
Disappointed Disgruntled Disgusted Disinterested
Harsh Haughty Hateful Condescending
Contradictory Critical Insulting Hurtful
Indignant Outraged Irritated Desperate
Threatening Quarrelsome Wrathful
Humour / Irony / Sarcasm Tone / Attitude Words
Amused Bantering Bitter Caustic
Comical Condescending Contemptuous Critical Cynical Disdainful Droll Giddy
Flippant Mocking Mock-serious Irrelevant
Humorous Insolent Ironic Quizzical
Joking Malicious Patronizing Sarcastic Pompous Mock-heroic Scornful Whimsical
Ribald Ridiculing Teasing Wry
Sardonic Satiric Silly Taunting
Sorrow / Fear / Worry Tone / Attitude Words
Aggravated Despairing Hopeless Paranoid
Apprehensive Disturbed Horror Pessimistic
Agitated Embarrassed Melancholy Poignant Anxious Fearful Miserable Pitiful
Apologetic Foreboding Morose Regretful
Concerned Gloomy Mournful Remorseful
Confused Grave Nervous Resigned Dejected Horrific Numb Sad
Depressed Hollow Ominous Serious
Neutral Tone / Attitude Words
Admonitory Allusive Apathetic Authoritative Baffled Callous Candid Ceremonial
Clinical Consoling Contemplative Conventional
Detached Didactic Disbelieving Factual
Dramatic Earnest Expectant Frivolous Fervent Formal Forthright Incredulous
Haughty Histrionic Humble Loud
Informative Inquisitive Instructive Nostalgic
Intimate Judgemental Learned Urgent Lyrical Matter-of-fact Meditative Vexed
objective Obsequious Patriotic Wistful
Pleading Pretentious Persuasive Questioning
Reflective Reminiscent Restrained Sincere Resigned Serious Zealous
Example: The following statements each express different attitudes about a shabby apartment.
Six different tones are used: Optimistic, bitter, tolerant, sentimental, humorous and objective
1. This placy may be shabby, but since both my children were born while we lived here, it has a
special place in my heart. Sentimental tone ‘it has a special place in my heart’ expresses
tender emotions
2. This isn’t the greatest apartment in the world, but it’s not really that bad. Tolerant tone. The
words ‘not really that bad’ shows the writer accepts the situation while recognizing that it could
be better.
3. If only there were some decent jobs out there, I wouldn’t be reduced to living in this miserable
dump. Tone is bitter. The writer resents a situation that forces him/her to live in a ‘miserable
dump’.
4. This place does need some repairs, but I’m sure the landlord will be making improvements
sometime soon. Tone is optimistic. The writer is expecting the apartment to be improved
soon.
5. When we move away, we’re planning to release three hundred cockroaches and tow mice, so
we can leave the place exactly as we found it. Tone is humorous. The write claims to be
planning a comic revenge on the landlord by returning the apartment to the terrible condition it
was in when the tenants moved in.
6. This is the apartment we live in. It provides shelter. Tone is objective. The writer does not
express feelings about the apartment. He simply states facts.
By Gerard Manley Hopkins
(1844-1889)
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
About the poet
Gerard Manley Hopkins was born in Essex, near London, in
1844.
Studied at Oxford, where he converted to Roman
Catholicism.
He was ordained as a Jesuit(jEH-szoo-iht) priest in 1877, and
some of his poems reflect the conflict he felt between his
religious vocation and the attraction of the sensory world.
Hopkins experimented with poetic techniques, and he
attempted to capture the natural world through his original
use of rhythm, alliteration and internal rhyme. (Romanticism)
Hopkins died in 1889 of typhoid fever
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
THE POEM FELIX RANDAL
Gerard Manley Hopkins
1. Felix Randal the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended,
2. Who have watched his mould of man, big-boned and hardy-handsome
3. Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some
4. Fatal four disorders, fleshed there, all contended?
5. Sickness broke him. Impatient he cursed at first, but mended
6. Being anointed and all; though a heavenlier heart began some
7. Months earlier, since I had our sweet reprieve and ransom
8. Tendered to him. Ah well, God rest him all road ever he offended!
9. This seeing the sick endear them to us, us too it endears
10. My tongue had taught thee comfort, touch had quenched thy tears
11. Thy tears that touched my heart, child, Felix, poor Felix Randal;
12. How far from then forethought of, all thy more boisterous years,
13. When thou at the random grim forge, powerful amidst peers,
14. Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering sandal!
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
ANALYSIS LINES 1-4
1. Felix Randal the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended,
2. Who have watched his mould of man, big-boned and hardy-handsome
3. Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some
4. Fatal four disorders, fleshed there, all contended?
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
Latin = happy Blacksmith
Relief nor regret
Business like – work doneThe priest
Epithet: liveliness and freshnessRepetition: emphasising suffering
ConfusedImbalance: Tuberculosis Manifested
Shadow of former self
Stanza 1: Focuses on physical perspective
ALLITERATION: Lines 2-4 Increases the impact of the
words
Matter-of-
fact tone
Blacksmith: loses shape
Four temperaments Hypocrites
In 450 BC, Hippocrates invented the theory that all human ailments are
caused by an imbalance of the "four humours":
black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood and that there were
four basic personality types: sanguine (courageous, hopeful, amorous);
choleric (easily angered, bad tempered), melancholic (despondent,
sleepless, irritable), phlegmatic (calm, unemotional).
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
Four temperaments Hypocrites
HUMOR BODY SUBSTANCE PRODUCED BY PERSONALITY TYPE
Sanguine Blood Heart Happy, healthy, optimistic
Choleric Yellow bile Liver Irritable, violent, ambitious
Phlegmatic Phlegm Lungs/brain Sluggish, cowardly, lazy
Melancholic Black bile Gall bladder/spleen Gloomy, depressed, sentimental
ANALYSIS LINES 5-8
5. Sickness broke him. Impatient he cursed at first, but mended
6. Being anointed and all; though a heavenlier heart began some
7. Months earlier, since I had our sweet reprieve and ransom
8. Tendered to him. Ah well, God rest him all road ever he offended!
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
Spiritually + physicallyFrustration
Resigned spiritually + emotionallyCatholic last rites: released from life
Volta: Focus on dying
man – Hopkins' work
Acceptance / more spiritual
Extreme Unction
Waiting period
postponement of a punishment: life Released: deliverance
Keep/protect him or give peaceNorthern English =
All waysALLITERATION: Increases the impact of the words
Stanza 2: Focuses on spiritual perspective
ANALYSIS LINES 9-11
9. This seeing the sick endear them to us, us too it endears
10. My tongue had taught thee comfort, touch had quenched thy tears
11. Thy tears that touched my heart, child, Felix, poor Felix Randal;
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
Compassionate / tender love Receives gratitude Repetition:
emphasises
the reciprocal
relationship
Tone of
loss and
griefComforting words Consoled him
Personification: developed deep feelings
Innocence
Stanza 3: Focuses on mutual relationship and loss
ALLITERATION: Creates a gentle and sad rhythm
ANALYSIS LINES 12-14
12. How far from then forethought of, all thy more boisterous years,
13. When thou at the random grim forge, powerful amidst peers,
14. Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering
sandal!
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
Contrast to stanza 1Energetic, happy
Short phrases builds image of
strength
Contrast to stanza 1: respected
Make ready/ trim
horse shoe Large work horse ;
physical robustness
With violence or force
Heated/polished onomatopoeia
19th century
horse shoe ALLITERATION: creates a more dynamic and forceful rhythm
Structure,theme,tone and intention➢ Structure:
➢ 14 lines
➢ Petrarchan sonnet
➢ Octave (4 lines + 4 lines) and a sestet (3 lines + 3lines)
➢ Volta = change in content, theme and mood
➢ Rhyme scheme abba abba ccd ccd
➢ Elegy
➢ Theme:
➢ Suffering and alienation: Acceptance of God’s will brings comfort and relief from pain.
➢ Tone:
➢ Lines 1-4 : Business like/relief/ indifference
➢ Lines 5-8: Sympathetic/acceptance
➢ Lines 9 - 11: Sorrowful
➢ Lines 12- 14: Admiration
➢ Intention:
➢ He meditates upon the purpose of ‘mortal beauty’: what purpose, Hopkins asks himself, does ‘mortal beauty’ serve if its fate is finally to be that of the bed-ridden Felix Spencer/Randal?Man is a fallen creature and that his physical perfection (‘mortal beauty’) serves no purpose.
Compiled by L van Jaarsveld
1
Felix Randal – Questions and Answers
1. Provide a reason for the speaker specifically giving the name of “Felix Randal”. (2) The poem was written for this specific person/soul. A personal address.
2. Explain in your own words what a farrier (line 1) does. (2) A farrier makes and fits horse shoes. (Black-smith)
3. Comment on the tone of “O he is dead then?” (line 1). (3) The speaker expresses no sorrow, joy or surprise. The death was expected. The tone is impersonal.
4. Account for the “duty” (line 1) the speaker refers to. (2) G. M. Hopkins was a priest. It was his duty to minister to the sick and dying. 5. Discuss the connotations of the word “mould” (line 2) and its use in this context. (2) “Mould” means to shape. Just like Felix Randal would mould and shape the horse shoes.
2
6. Describe the image the speaker creates of Felix Randal in line 2. (3) A burly, hardworking, handsome, sturdy individual.
7. Comment on the effectiveness and use of sound devices in line 2. (3) Alliteration – mould man, big-boned, hardy handsome. Hard, harsh sounds imitating the farrier working on the metal/horse shoes. Also links and emphasises words.
8. Explain what “pining” means and give a reason for its repetition. (2) Pining, fading away, losing strength. Repetition to emphasise his decline in health.
9. Why does the speaker refer to “some fatal four disorders” (lines 3-4)? (3) The four humours: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood. Ancient Greeks believed these humours had to be in balance for good health. Felix Randal most likely died of Tuberculosis.
10. Identify and explain the figure of speech use in lines 2-4. (3)
3
Extended metaphor. He loses shape (mould) just as a piece of metal would when immersed in fire (illness). He loses his big-boned body.
11. Comment on the choice of “broke” (line 5) to explain the effect of the sickness. (3) It is an indication that the man is destroyed mentally, physically and spiritually. His reason rambled – he lost control of his senses/mind. 12.1. Explain why Felix Randal “cursed at first” (line 5). (2) He hated the fact that he was losing his strength. 12.2. How was Felix Randal then calmed and “mended” (line 5)? (2) He was counselled by the poet/priest. His spiritual state was attended to. He made peace with is situation. 13. Account for what is implied in: “though a heavenlier heart began some / Months earlier” (lines 6-7). (3) He becomes spiritually enlightened and closer to the speaker. The relationship
4
changes during the progression of his illness. 14. Discuss the connotations of the words “ransom” (line 7) and “tendered” (line 8). (3) These words have financial connotations. He received the sacraments and promise of eternal life. The focus is on the poets reward not the eternal life of Felix Randal. 15. Describe the tone of “Ah well, God rest him all road ever he offended” (line 8). (2) The tone is resigned rather that sympathetic. 16. Explain in detail what you think line 9 means. (3) The illness brought them closer spiritually and emotionally to each other. 17. What does the speaker mean when he says: “My tongue had taught thee comfort” (line 10). (2) The lessons that the speakers tongue gave (his sermons, ect) gave Felix Randal comfort and the speaker received some validation for his efforts.
5
18. Describe the tone of “… child, Felix, poor Felix Randal” (line 11). (3) Sympathetic and sorrowful. 19. Comment on the speaker’s view of Felix Randal is stanza 3. (3) The speaker/poet develops a deeper relationship with Felix Randal. “Tears touched my heart”. 20. With reference to diction and repetition, discuss the reciprocal relationship that is evident in stanza 3. (3) to us/ us too - It shows us that the relationship is from both sides. They have formed a bond during the illness of Felix Randal 21. Account for the use of “far” in line 12. (2) He is far away physically from the man he was before. His illness decimated him. 22.1. Provide one word to describe the tone of line 12. (1) Nostalgic
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22.2. Give a reason for your choice in 22.1. (2) He is thinking back on the past. 23. Explain what is implied about Felix Randal in “powerful amidst peers” (line 13). (2) He was respected by his friends. He had a powerful/strong reputation. 24. Discuss in detail the imagery used in line 14. (3) Alliteration – great grey. Alliteration and onomatopia – bright battering. It is emphasising the spiritual might. Imitation of forge sounds. 25. Account for the speaker’s use of apostrophe (not the punctuation mark) in lines 10-14. (4) Definition of apostrophe: the speaker addresses someone or something directly that isn’t in the poem. Can also be an abstract concept such as love. Even though Felix Randal has passed away he is being addressed directly. 26. The poet has chosen a sonnet to specifically address his experience with a dying man.
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Discuss in detail how this is achieved explicitly through the use of structure in the poem. (4) The octave discusses his illness and spiritual journey during the illness. The background of what leads to his death. The sestet is about their relationship that has become closer as Felix Randal’s deterioration becomes more apparent. It is more of a reflection and the sense of loss and sorrow of the speaker is made clear. 27. The speaker alludes to a return to the “prime” of life after death. Comment on the validity of this statement, keeping in mind the religious connotations used throughout the poem. (4) It is a reference to his soul not his body. He was once the strongest man in the village, this will fade into insignificance next to his spiritual glory that awaits him. This makes worldly strength inferior. 28. With emphasis on the tone/mood, comment on the speaker’s role in the poem.
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Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. (4) The speaker meditates/thinks about mortal beauty and what purpose it serves in contrast to spiritual greatness. Man is a fallen creature and physical perfection serves no purpose. Spiritual prowess is transient. 30. ESSAY: With regards to the use of stanzas, rhyme and sound devices, comment on the effectiveness of the structure of poem. Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. (10) 31. ESSAY: With regards to the use of imagery, diction and structure, discuss the theme of mortality and the role of religion, especially with regard to the integral function of a priest who is the ministering to the sick and dying . Provide evidence from the text to support your answer. (10) TOTAL: 100 MARKS
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