2008-2009 F.4 ELIT

1. 2008-2009 F.4 ELIT Final Exam Answers

2. SECTION A: DRAMA • ‘The world in a comedy is turned upside down.’ Discuss this statement with reference to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. • Define the statement: things turning upside down means that everything is overturned. Rules are broken and hierarchy is transgressed. • Yes, it is turned upside down. • Athens is ruled by the law and everything is rigid. The hierarchy is also strictly observed i.e. social class (e.g. women have to listen to men, working class has to listen to the ruling class)

3. However, the nighttime wood is the opposite of Athens. Rules are broken and classes are overturned. • Women, who should be wooed, now chase after the men e.g. Helena, Hermia and Titania. • Bottom, who is a mechanical, is way below Titania in terms of hierarchy. However, Titania falls madly in love with Bottom. • A lot of comedy comes from this overturning of the norms. And that is why this happens a lot in comedies.

4. 2. Comment on the importance of ‘Love-in-idleness’ in the play. Discuss the origin of love-in-idleness: • It was white, but after being wounded by Cupid’s misfired arrow, it turns purple; • It is to be applied to someone’s eyelids, after which this person will fall in love with the first living creature that s/he sees upon waking up. The importance of the flower: 1) The origin and the colour of the flower: • The flower was ‘hit’ and ‘wounded’ by the arrow, so it shows that love is intricately linked to violence. E.g. Cupid’s arrow, Theseus’ defeat of Hippolyta in order to have her in marriage…

5. 2) The juice is applied to someone’s eyelids: • Shows the idea of ‘Love at first sight’ and ‘love is blind’. The juice is a physical manifestation of the above ideas. E.g. Reasons are not given why the lovers prefer one to another. • This also shows the fickleness of love. People can change all of a sudden in love. 3) The flower is a plot device to propel the plot. Without the love juice, the story would be a lot less complicated and there would not be the climax. 4) Due to Puck’s mistake and the power of the juice, a lot of improbable scenarios are created. This add to the fun in the comedy.

6. 3. Discuss the various ‘journeys’ in the play. 1) The actual, physical journeys in the play i.e. the characters’ journeys into and out of the Wood for various reasons e.g. • The elopement of Lysander and Hermia; • Helena chasing after Demetrius; • The mechanicals’ rehearsal

7. 2) The metaphorical journey of the characters e.g. the journey of enlightenment and self-discovery. The characters have learnt more about themselves and what they want by going into the Wood, which is like their unconscious self. After knowing more, they can leave the Wood and go back to Athens, where they are going to lead a better life than before.

8. 3. The journey of love (The course of true love never did run smooth). Just like all romantic comedies, there are obstacles for the true lovers, who have to overcome all odds to be together, like the four Athenian lovers in the play. 4. The journey across classes/ groups. The hierarchy is well-established in Athens, but transgression is made possible in the Wood (Ref. Q1). Like Bottom, he can ‘move up’ the ladder and be with Titania.

9. 5. The theatrical, illusionary journey of the audience (both all of us who watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream and those in the Athenian royalty who watch Pyramus and Thisbe)

10. Question 4 You are Chris Wong, the director of the upcoming stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Pat Chan, your casting agent, has sent a letter describing to you the difficulties involved in casting the character of Bottom. Write a letter of reply to your casting agent in order to tell her more about the character. You may also suggest to her one or two candidates and explain why they are suitable. Write the letter of reply.

11. Since it is a letter, you need to write in the format of a letter. • However, it can be an informal one (if we are close friends with your casting agent) or formal one (if you two are only business associates) • Then you have to follow the format accordingly • e.g. Dear Mr. Chan + Yours sincerely • Dear Pat + Regards/ Best wishes…

12. Basically, you have to describe Bottom’s personality and behaviours e.g. • His arrogance (He thinks he can act all the roles; he doesn’t think anything’s wrong with Titania falling in love with him), • His ignorance (Lack of theatrical knowledge, malapropism) • Jokes surrounding him (Wearing an a**head…; his performance in the play-within-the-play…)

13. After that, you have to suggest some candidates for the role. It is best if the candidates are real actors. • However, since they are actors, they can ACT arrogant and ignorant. You DON’T have to find someone who is really dumb! • If you want to have a high mark in the exam, you need to sound REAL!

14. SECTION B: POETRYSECTION B (a) 5. With reference to The Pond and My Blue Heaven, answer the following questions. • Comment on the use of colours in the two poems. (8 marks)

15. ii) Discuss the tone of the two speakers. (8 marks)

16. iii) Explain the poetic techniques in stanza seven of Poem A. (6 marks) • Alliteration of /۸/ and /w/ - shows the strength required for the fish to push themselves under the water; • Enjambement – mimicking the birds ‘dropped’ and emphasizing the death of the fish; • Personification – The birds are ‘incurious’, meaning they are indifferent with no emotion. They should not feel guilty or upset because it is just a way of life in nature.

17. SECTION B (b) UNSEEN POETRY • Comment on the tone of the speaker. (5 marks) The robin is ‘happy’ at the beginning, but then it turns ‘unhappy’ when there is not food in winter. Finally there is ‘no grief’ because the bird is frozen to death. The feelings of the robin are very simple and the words used for feelings are also very simple. We can see that the robin is very innocent and simple.

18. ii. Discuss the diction and syntax (sentence structure) of the poem. (4 marks) There are a lot of simple, monosyllabic words. The syntax is also very simple. This also shows that the bird has a simple mind.

19. iii. Comment on the sounds in stanza two. (2 marks) There is the assonance (repetition) of ‘ink’, the vowels are short (e.g. brink, look, drink…) and the words are mostly monosyllabic (brink, drink, prink…)  All these show the simplicity and vitality of the robin.