A cruel bully A fine leader of men Which do you think is the more accurate description of Stanhope? Support your ideas with details from Sherriff's writing.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2010). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. There is ample evidence for either proposition.
2. There are moments, particularly in regard to Raleigh and perhaps Hibbert, where Stanhope's ingrained habits of command tip into something profoundly cruel and bullying.
3. However, since much of the play is about the terrible pressures of command in war, there will probably be a majority who will at least qualify such a judgement.
4. There are a number of moments when he shows quite clearly why he is in command.
5. As so often in this kind of question a candidate should engage precisely with the task's parameters to gain adequate reward.
6. Character sketches, however detailed, should not receive even adequate reward.
7. Answers which range over the possibilities may declare themselves as worthy of high reward but we should not require such balance for this kind of reward.
8. Strong argument for either might make it into this area.