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Question 6 ‘Claudius is both a capable ruler and a deeply flawed man.’ In the light of this statement, explore Shakespeare’s presentation of Claudius in Hamlet. In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors. (Total for Question 6 = 25 marks) Hamlet Candidates may refer to the following in their answers: the complexity of Claudius’s characterisation as both a politically astute ruler and morally corrupt murderer; his duality as king and man in response to the terms of the task specific scenes or moments such as Claudius’s first speech to the court (Act 1 Scene 2) presenting statesmanship; his aside (“O, my offence is rank”) revealing guilt; his manipulation of Laertes ; and his schemes against Hamlet culminating in his downfall ways in which Claudius’s capability is established through rhetoric, diplomacy, and control of public image , while his flaws emerge through religious imagery, confession, and hypocrisy the contrast between Claudius’s politi...

SECTION A – Text One (Elizabeth Scott) Answer ALL questions in this section. You should spend 1 hour on this section. Read Text One in the Source Booklet, adapted from Why Are Hobbies Important for Stress Relief? 1 In lines 6–14, the writer mentions research findings about the physical benefits of hobbies. Identify one of them. ................................................................................................................................................................. (Total for Question 1 = 1 mark) 2 In the section ‘Taking a Break’, the writer makes points about why hobbies are useful. State one of them. ................................................................................................................................................................. (Total for Question 2 = 1 mark) 6 Explain how the writer presents her ideas about the benefits of hobbies. You should support your answer with close reference to the passage, including brief quotat...