R3 and LFR Quotes

Question 1

R3 Characterisation quotes

Answer 1

1. “How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands of this most grievous guilty murder done!” - Biblical allusion to Pontius Pilate, a Roman judge responsible for condemning Jesus to die at the cross though he had no evidence to prove he had committed any crime. Pontius’s guilt in committing murder corresponds with the guilt experienced by the first murderer from having to murder Clarence. This theme of morality constructed for other characters is used to highlight Richard’s own wrongdoings and lack of humanity.
2. R3 starts with opening soliloquy rather than narration which was uncommon of Shakespeare texts. - This emphasises Richard’s ambition. Ambition was looked down upon in Shakespeare’s context since it was believed that people should remain in the place assigned to them by God through the Great Chain of Being.
3. “From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept a hell-hound that doth hunt us all to death: That dog, that had his teeth before his eyes… That foul defacer of God’s handiwork” - Metaphor of Richard as a dog to show his animalistic inhuman nature. This further shows his lack of feelings and emotions and “Teeth before his eyes” shows how Richard will bare his teeth, or rather, commit wrongdoings through violence without hesitation.

Question 2

LFR Characterisation quotes

Answer 2

• 1. “I love myself… Alas, I hate myself for hateful deeds” – dramatic close-up shots to evoke emotion. Shows a humane side of Richard and thus allows the audience to sympathise with him. He therefore better depicts a modern-day leader here, not a perfect king with a high level of integrity like in Elizabethan times but also not a complete villain. Richard is shown as having some level of humanity and integrity
     
     2. “a man who cannot find love”, “I have set my life upon a cast and shall stand the hazard of the die”. Downplays Richards sins by blaming them on his psychological issues. Pacino characterises Richard as psychologically wounded rather than simply mentally corrupt. In LFR Richards death is a metaphor of the democratic process, he betrays his people and they are therefore the initiators of hi downfall.
     3. “There’s a lot of suspicion in this room… all of us in one spot and it’s like somebody says just wait here, I’ll be back or you know wait in this room“ – Intertextuality with the godfather: references the scene where his character Michael orders a number of hits to be executed while he is at a baptism. This references the scene where Richard acts as if he is a religious and holy man to trick the mayor. Thus, we see how here, Richard is characterised as still lacking integrity but driven by ambition for power not an inherent evil within him due to his physiognamy.

Question 3

R3 purpose quotes

Answer 3

1. “I, that am rudely stamped…cheated of feature by dissembling nature, deformed, unfinished, sent before my time” – metaphoric language, biblical allusion to refer to god as creator. Deformities are sign of the devil. Destined to be evil.
2. “God and good angels fight on the Richmond’s side, whereas Richard falls in the height of all his pride!”. Used to juxtapose Richard and Richmond’s character. Richmond works in god’s name as was expected of Kings in the great chain of being.
3. “The boar had razed his helm” - A messenger recites Stanley’s dream to Hasting’s. The boar is a recurring symbol used to represent Richard. It is representative of his cruel, violent, aggressive and dictating leadership style.

Question 4

LFR purpose quotes

Answer 4

1. Opening soliloquy is “[about] a sick king and everybody manoeuvring around.” – Shows that Richard isn’t the only person willing to use manipulation and deceit to accomplish his goals. Shows how ambition is a common aspect of modern-day leaders and not looked down upon like in Elizabethan society.
2. “everytime there’s an election in this country, whether for mayor, whether it’s for president or city council, it’s always the fact people are tired of the way it’s been and just want a change”
3. Numerous intercuts throughout the docudrama are used to switch between actors, academics as well as regular people who were simply passing by. – Used by Pacino to show how readers build a text’s meaning not the author. Richard’s characterisation is therefore influenced by the range of different opinions which is what resulted in his more complex character. His character thus represents the democratic leadership through which it was born.

Question 5

Great expectations social class quotes

Answer 5

1. “I had made the monster… and had clothed him with a blue coat, canary waistcoat, white cravat” - Pip describes his newly hired servant as a monster who he has disguised as a gentleman. This is, however, an ironic statement since Pip himself is trying to make up for his self-perceived downfalls by also making himself appear as a gentleman. Dickens, thus, shows how, by attaining higher social status, Pip has ultimately changed little about himself other than his outward appearance. His conceit in believing that such a facade will bring his goals to fruition reveals to the reader the unfulfilling nature of attaining higher social status and wealth and furthermore outlines how it can instead serve as a distraction from that which is truly valuable.
2. “He says no varnish can hide the grain of the wood and that the more varnish you put on, the more the grain will express itself” - Herbert describes how his father knew that Compeyson was not a virtuous person or a true gentleman. Varnish is a metaphor for social class and wealth. By being showy with his money, Compeyson’s true character was all the more obvious. Emphasises how social class is not an accurate indicator of moral integrity and that it can instead bring out the worst in people as it had done to Pip.
3. “Pip is that hearty welcome” - Joe states this as Pip and himself are told by Jaggers of Pip’s opportunity to become a gentleman. Understanding how it will result in the loss of Joe’s apprentice, Jaggers offers monetary compensation to which Joe retaliates. He states that Pip’s friendship is far more important to him than any monetary gain he provides. Thus Joe’s value for friendship is emphasised through his hesitation to send Pip off due to his uncertainty of the value of social class.

Question 6

Great expectations Justice system quotes

Answer 6

1. “A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones…” - Dicken’s characterisation of Magwitch during his first meeting with Pip, alludes to the injustices of the law system. The use of cumulative listing and polysyndeton emphasises the extent to which convicts, who were vulnerable individuals, were manipulated and persecuted. Thus, immediately emphasises the unforgiving nature of the justice system.
2. Pip referring to a prisoner ship near his village - “the black Hulk…like a wicked Noah’s ark.” - The personification of “black hulk” as cruel and ominous. Biblical allusion to “Noah’s Ark” suggests that prisoners were treated as animals.
3. “The sun was striking in the great windows of the court, through the glittering drops of rain… and made a broad shafted light between the 2 and 30 and the judge linking both together.” - Symbolism positions convicts and the judge together suggesting that they are as morally corrupt as each other. Natural imagery suggests that the treatment of criminals went against natural order.

Question 7

Great expectations gender inequality quotes.

Answer 7

1. “The bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress” - The wedding dress is symbolic of Havisham’s perversion from the ideal woman in the Victorian era and the simile of “withered like the dress” displays her inability to perform her role as a woman due to her being unable to marry or bear a child.
2. “her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine” - Mrs Havisham stopped all clocks in her house after the disaster of her wedding. This is symbolic of her lack of purpose in life after losing the only active man in her life and failing at her womanly responsibilities. In society’s eyes, her life was over and Havisham viewed it similarly. Therefore, by preventing Estella from opening her heart towards men, Havisham truly believed that she was protecting her from a similar fate.
3. “I am what you designed me to be. I am your blade.” - Estella responds with annoyance when Miss Havisham states that she shows her no love. Estella says that it is Miss Havisham who caused her to be the way she is, a tool for revenge. The metaphor of Estella as a blade further emphasises her role as a tool and thus further brings attention to the limited roles of women in a patriarchal Victorian society. Had Estella grown into the ideal image of a woman in the Victorian era she would have lived a life dedicating herself to the men in her lives but in contrast, the life she lives now is one where she dedicates herself to the destruction of men’s hearts. We see how either way, the lives of women were solely dependent on men and that nothing existed for them past this. It is due to gender inequalities that Estella and Havisham ended up the way they did.

Question 8

Great Expectations Critic Quotes

Answer 8

Social class - Hagan Jr. states “Joe and Biddy who have no “great expectations” at all and whose acceptance of a humble lot in life furnishes the sharpest possible contrast to Pip’s selfishness.”
Justice system - Jerome Mackier states that “A dangerous travesty of the rags to riches story” (Talk about contrast between cinderella and magwitchs story)
Gender roles - Codrin Liviu Cuțitaru states “Miss Havisham used Pip to educate Estella to hate men, to avoid becoming their victim in life.”