Essay Example and
Feedback: “The Three
Fates” by Rosemary
Dobson - A Grade Essay
Note: This is an essay completed by an IGCSE student, though in non-timed conditions. It received a
borderline B/A grade overall (borderline L7), although some of the ideas and interpretations demonstrate
a higher level and the issues with it are mostly structural. If the structure was sorted out, it would easily
receive an A grade.
THE QUESTION
Discuss Dobson’s presentation of fate in “The Three Fates”.
THE ESSAY
Dobson uses imagery, symbolism and structure in the “The Three Fates” to build a distinctive
presentation of fate. She presents fate as omnipotent and omniscient through her descriptions of the
man’s experiences, uses imagery to present the idea that fate possesses unnatural powers, and uses
structure to address the concept that a tension exists between fate and free will.
Dobson presents fate as possessing omnipotent qualities in the poem, and emphasises the idea that
fate has complete control over humans; the man in the poem is unable to change or rewrite the past,
and is forced to relive his life over and over again. The visual image of him “writing poems from the
end backward” demonstrates this idea of him being completely out of control - it shows that he cannot
experience anything new, and is forced to “rewrite” (or relive) the same story over and over again;
the fact that he is forced to write his poems backward symbolises his inability to relive his life with
normality, which also highlights fate’s ability to control him. This idea is further demonstrated through
the simile: “he came up like a cork” - a cork popping out of a wine bottle is not in control and is not
orchestrating the action; it is being pushed out of the bottle by air, as the man is being “pushed” out of
Copyright © 2021 Scrbbly
Feedback: “The Three
Fates” by Rosemary
Dobson - A Grade Essay
Note: This is an essay completed by an IGCSE student, though in non-timed conditions. It received a
borderline B/A grade overall (borderline L7), although some of the ideas and interpretations demonstrate
a higher level and the issues with it are mostly structural. If the structure was sorted out, it would easily
receive an A grade.
THE QUESTION
Discuss Dobson’s presentation of fate in “The Three Fates”.
THE ESSAY
Dobson uses imagery, symbolism and structure in the “The Three Fates” to build a distinctive
presentation of fate. She presents fate as omnipotent and omniscient through her descriptions of the
man’s experiences, uses imagery to present the idea that fate possesses unnatural powers, and uses
structure to address the concept that a tension exists between fate and free will.
Dobson presents fate as possessing omnipotent qualities in the poem, and emphasises the idea that
fate has complete control over humans; the man in the poem is unable to change or rewrite the past,
and is forced to relive his life over and over again. The visual image of him “writing poems from the
end backward” demonstrates this idea of him being completely out of control - it shows that he cannot
experience anything new, and is forced to “rewrite” (or relive) the same story over and over again;
the fact that he is forced to write his poems backward symbolises his inability to relive his life with
normality, which also highlights fate’s ability to control him. This idea is further demonstrated through
the simile: “he came up like a cork” - a cork popping out of a wine bottle is not in control and is not
orchestrating the action; it is being pushed out of the bottle by air, as the man is being “pushed” out of
Copyright © 2021 Scrbbly
