Stage 2 English Studies 2011

What stylistic features and language techniques used by Shakespeare did you find particularly effective in shaping your understanding of the ideas in King Lear?

The ideas in King Lear were effectively conveyed through imagery and setting Knowledge and Understanding construction. The issues resonate in any age: the enduringly struggle between good and References to imagery evil, power and responsibility and man’s relationship with nature and the gods. It raises and setting respond questions forced out of the sufferings of human beings. Is mankind cruel or kind? How explicitly to the essay question and author’s do we assess human justice? In Lear’s words, Is man no more than this? Through use of stylistic features setting construction and compelling imagery Shakespeare conveys his ideas of and language authority and natural order, and forces the reader to consider the nature of suffering techniques. and the human condition.

Shakespeare suggests it is Lear’s failure to make good use of his authority that leads to chaos. In the opening scene, King Lear’s entry is impressive, suggesting his authority. Analysis The formal court setting reflects the power and order in his kingdom, and yet there is Demonstrates perceptive analysis of an impending sense of doom, as signified by Lear’s wish to express our darker the ways authors use purpose. When Lear rashly divides his kingdom and gives away his authority to the language techniques to evil and manipulative Goneril and Regan, he delivers not only himself and his family influence readers (e.g. the use of the formal into chaos, but all of Britain. The stable, hierarchical order Lear initially represents court setting and the disintegrates and disorder engulfs the reader. Lear finds his frame of nature has been transition to the heath). wrenched from the fixed place. This image conveys the seriousness of Lear’s crimes against the natural order. The transition in setting from the castle to the heath signifies a loss of authority.

The failure of authority in the face of chaos recurs in Lear’s wanderings on the heath in the storm. Contrasted with the sense of solidity and protection of the castle, the storm Application echoes Lear’s inner turmoil. It is a turbulent and natural reflection of Lear’s internal Detailed and confusion. The powerful imagery of the cataracts and hurricanes that smites flat the appropriate quotations thick rotundity of the world creates a sense of the awesome supremacy of nature. The from the text are incorporated fluently setting of the play in a pre-Christian era is significant as tempests and thunder were into the discussion. seen as demonstrations of divine anger. Lear admits he is a poor, infirm, despised old man and comes to recognise that he, like the rest of humankind, is insignificant in the world. This use of imagery and setting conveys the idea that man is helpless against the natural world.

Knowledge and For Lear, the storm is a climactic test, That things might change and cease. He calls Understanding on the gods to inflict revenge on his two pernicious daughters. In great irony, the Recognition of irony audience is aware that, while his daughters are at the centre of Lear’s obsession with and contrast reinforces understanding of a guilt, they are safe inside the castle. If anyone is the victim of the gods’ wrath, it is range of ways authors Lear who is at the mercy of the sulfurous and thought – executing fires. Contrasting use language the scenes of imagery filled emotion on the heath with the calm, controlled scenes in techniques to communicate complex Gloucester’s castle, Shakespeare conveys his ideas of authority as opposed to chaos. ideas.

of 3 Stage 2 English Studies student response for use in 2011 04df9f28315af9cb5e0b0cce5214458b.doc (October 2010) © SACE Board of South Australia 2010 The suffering in King Lear is violent and is conveyed through the animal imagery, particularly that associated with Goneril and Regan. Lear tells Regan that her sister has Analysis tied sharp-toothed unkindness around his heart. His daughters are A plague – sore, or Demonstrates embossed carbuncle / in my corrupted blood. Goneril is sharp toothed like a vulture perceptive analysis of with a wolfish visage. The two sisters are portrayed as cruel predators, who want to see the use of imagery which is supported by their father bleed. This inhumanity is reconfirmed when Gloucester and Cordelia fluently embedded describe how a wild beast would have been given shelter in the storm but not Lear, evidence from the who was fain / to hovel there with swine and rogues forlorn.This image is effective in text. shaping an understanding of the nature of suffering in King Lear.

The question evoked in the play is; is the world indifferent, even hostile towards mankind? Through Lear’s assertion that When we are born we cry that we are come into this great stage of fools, Shakespeare suggests that it is man’s fate to suffer. This notion is reconfirmed by the character of Gloucester, who laments As flies to wanton Knowledge and Understanding boys are we to the gods / They kill us for their sport. In this image, Shakespeare Detailed knowledge conveys that it is foolish for humans to assume the natural world works in parallel with and exploration of the morally convenient notions of justice. Using heart – rending imagery, Gloucester complex ideas, values and beliefs in the text appeals to the mighty gods, renouncing his life. The audience is uncomfortably aware (e.g. the world’s of his suffering when he admits his snuff and loathed part of nature / Should burn indifference, fate, and itself out. By Act V, divine justice has hung in the balance with issues such as justice). Goneril’s malice, Edmund’s death and the horrendous act committed against Gloucester, but crumples with Lear’s ultimate question Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life? And thou no breath at all? Despite the pagan setting, justification of God’s way with man is scrutinised by so many characters, that it surfaces as one of the key ideas of the play.

The setting in King Lear reflects Shakespeare’s ideas on the nature of suffering. The audience begins to associate indoor settings with power, corruption and violence. The terrible act of Gloucester’s blinding, Edmund’s betrayal of both his father and brother and Lear’s reduction to a man whose life’s as cheap as beasts’ all occur indoors. In contrast, outdoor settings reflect the uncovering of truth, self–realization and healing. Application Lear regains control of his mind in the countryside near Dover and, in the storm on the Demonstrates heath, is able to consider the wretched condition of the poor. Through setting appropriate use of an construction, Shakespeare shapes the audience’s ideas about the nature of suffering. analytical essay form (e.g. including a clear, logical introduction In King Lear, the author uses wonderful imagery and settings to convey his ideas of and summarising authority as opposed to chaos and push the reader, as Lear is pushed, to consider the conclusion) and formal register to nature of suffering and the human condition. The range of settings intensifies the convey complex implications of one man’s folly. Through compelling imagery, Shakespeare creates meaning. these settings and encourages the reader to accept the idea that ours is a cruel and unjust world.

Word count 999 Additional Comments

 Demonstrates fluent and precise writing with appropriate use of form and register throughout the entire essay. (Communication)

 Detailed and appropriate quotations with textual references are embedded fluently into the discussion. (Application)

 This piece demonstrates a level of high achievement and would contribute towards a folio at an ‘A’ grade level if supported by other pieces that contribute to the range required at this grade.

of 3 Stage 2 English Studies student response for use in 2011 04df9f28315af9cb5e0b0cce5214458b.doc (October 2010) © SACE Board of South Australia 2010 Performance Standards for Stage 2 English Studies

Knowledge and Analysis Application Communication Understanding

A Knowledge and understanding of a Analysis of complex Use of a wide range of language skills and Fluent and precise wide range of ways in which authors connections between personal techniques to create sophisticated and writing and speaking, use stylistic features and language experiences, ideas, values, coherent texts that address the meaning and using appropriate style techniques to communicate complex and beliefs, and those explored intention of the task. and structure for a range and familiar ideas, and to influence in familiar and unfamiliar texts. of mainly unfamiliar the reader’s response. In comparative exercises, a perceptive audiences and contexts. In comparative exercises, a recognition of connections between texts, Detailed knowledge and perceptive analysis of through responses that integrate discussion of Appropriate use of form understanding of the ideas, values, connections between texts, texts and move easily between them. and register to convey and beliefs in familiar and unfamiliar based on analysis and mostly complex meaning texts. synthesis of similarities and/or Detailed and appropriate use of evidence from in a range of unfamiliar differences. texts to support responses, with textual contexts. Knowledge and understanding of the references incorporated fluently in discussion. ways in which creators and readers Perceptive analysis of a range of familiar and unfamiliar texts use a of ways in which authors use Skills in using the textual, structural, and range of textual conventions to make language techniques to conventional features of text types for a range meaning. influence opinions and of familiar and unfamiliar contexts, audiences, decisions in familiar and and purposes. unfamiliar texts.

B Knowledge and understanding of the Analysis of some complex Use of a range of language skills and Mostly fluent and precise ways in which authors use stylistic connections between personal techniques to create clear and coherent texts writing and speaking, features and language techniques to experiences, ideas, values, that address the meaning and intention of the using appropriate style communicate complex and familiar and beliefs, and those explored task. and structure for a range ideas, and to influence the reader’s in familiar, and some of mostly familiar response. unfamiliar, texts. In comparative exercises, recognition of audiences and contexts. connections between texts, through responses Knowledge and understanding of In comparative exercises, a that compare and contrast texts in an Appropriate use of form some ideas, values, and beliefs in clear analysis of connections integrated way. and register to convey familiar, and some unfamiliar, texts. between texts, based on complex and simple analysis of similarities and/or Appropriate use of evidence from texts to meaning in a range of Knowledge and understanding of the differences. support responses, with textual references familiar and unfamiliar ways in which creators and readers incorporated in discussion. contexts. of mainly familiar texts use some Analysis of a range of ways in textual conventions to make which authors use language Skills in using some of the textual, structural, meaning. techniques to influence and conventional features of text types for a opinions and decisions in range of mainly familiar, and some unfamiliar, familiar, and some unfamiliar, contexts, audiences, and purposes. texts.

C Knowledge and understanding of a Analysis of simple connections Use of language skills and techniques to create Generally fluent and narrow range of ways in which between personal experiences, texts that address the meaning and intention of functional writing and authors use stylistic features and ideas, values, and beliefs, and the task. speaking, using language techniques to communicate those explored in familiar texts. appropriate style and mainly familiar ideas, and to influence In comparative exercises, recognition of some structure for familiar the reader’s response. In comparative exercises, connections between texts, through responses audiences and contexts. analysis of connections that compare and contrast texts, usually in a Knowledge and understanding of between texts, based on some sequential rather than an integrated way. Appropriate use of form some ideas, values, and beliefs in understanding of similarities and register to convey mainly familiar texts. and/or differences. Competent use of evidence from texts to simple meaning in a support responses, with some use of textual narrow range of familiar Knowledge and understanding of Descriptive analysis of a references in discussion. and unfamiliar contexts. some of the ways in which creators number of ways in which and readers of a range of familiar authors use language Skills in using some of the textual, structural, texts use textual conventions to make techniques to influence and conventional features of some text types simple or factual meaning. opinions and decisions in for familiar contexts, audiences, and purposes. familiar texts.

D Knowledge and restricted Reference to simple Use of some language skills and techniques to Achievement of a level understanding of some simple connections between create texts that partly address the meaning of fluency in writing and stylistic features and language uncomplicated personal and intention of the task. speaking, in a mainly techniques used by authors to experiences, ideas, values, appropriate style. communicate mainly familiar ideas, and beliefs, and those explored In comparative exercises, some awareness of and to influence the reader’s in familiar texts. connections between texts, through partial Occasionally appropriate response. responses that mainly deal with texts use of form and/or In comparative exercises, separately. register to convey simple Knowledge and understanding of answers that make partial meaning in familiar some familiar ideas, values, and comparisons and contrasts. Some use of evidence from texts to support a contexts. beliefs in familiar texts. response, with use of a narrow range of textual Reference to some ways in references. Knowledge and understanding of a which authors use a narrow restricted number of ways in which range of language techniques Skills in using some of the textual, structural, or creators and readers of a narrow to influence opinions and conventional features of a text type for a range of familiar texts use some decisions in familiar texts. familiar context, audience, or purpose. textual conventions to make simple or factual meaning.

of 3 Stage 2 English Studies student response for use in 2011 04df9f28315af9cb5e0b0cce5214458b.doc (October 2010) © SACE Board of South Australia 2010 Knowledge and Analysis Application Communication Understanding

E Knowledge and understanding of a Recognition of a simple Attempted use of a restricted range of Emerging development restricted range of simple stylistic connection between a language skills and/or techniques to create a of fluency in an features and language techniques straightforward personal, text or texts that attempt to address the occasionally appropriate used by authors to communicate experience, idea, value, or meaning or intention of the task. style. familiar ideas, and to influence the belief, and that explored in a reader’s response. highly familiar text. In comparative exercises, identification of Occasionally appropriate limited connections between texts, through use of form and register Identification of an idea, a value, or a In comparative exercises, fragmented responses that deal with texts to convey literal meaning belief in familiar texts. answers that make a simple separately. in highly familiar comparison or contrast. contexts. Knowledge and understanding of the Restricted use of evidence from texts to ways in which a creator or reader of a Reference to the way in which support a simple response, with limited textual highly familiar text uses textual an author uses language reference. conventions to make factual techniques to influence meaning. opinions and decisions in a Skills in using the textual, structural, or highly familiar text. conventional features of a text type for a highly familiar context, audience, or purpose.

of 3 Stage 2 English Studies student response for use in 2011 04df9f28315af9cb5e0b0cce5214458b.doc (October 2010) © SACE Board of South Australia 2010