AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE 8702/1 PAPER
1 SHAKESPEARE FULL REVISION PACK
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ What is the importance of making comments about references in
essays? Answer: Interesting comments about references can
enhance the quality of the essay and earn more marks.
◉ What overarching message should students consider when
analyzing Shakespeare's choices? Answer: Consider what
overarching message the choices help to convey.
◉ What is the relationship between Shakespeare's prose and
character status? Answer: Prose is often used for low-status
characters, reflecting their social position.
◉ What should you focus on instead of words when analyzing
Shakespeare's work? Answer: Focus on ideas or images.
◉ How should you approach analyzing Shakespeare's language?
Answer: Use a whole-text approach and consider his choices
regarding form, structure, characterisation, and stagecraft.
,◉ What is the consequence of only focusing on Shakespeare's
language in your analysis? Answer: It limits the marks you can
receive.
◉ What should you avoid doing in your analysis of Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Avoid retelling the story; narrative and descriptive
answers receive the lowest marks.
◉ What should you use the extract for in your analysis? Answer: Use
it as a springboard to explore ideas and themes in the rest of the
play.
◉ What is a key method for analyzing Shakespeare's structure?
Answer: Comment on how the structure changes throughout the
play.
◉ What should you consider about Shakespeare's choice of form?
Answer: Consider how he conforms to or subverts the form of
tragedy, comedy, or history.
◉ How should you analyze character development in Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Examine how characters are presented differently at
various points and why.
,◉ What should you remember about characters in Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Characters are constructs with specific functions that
reflect on humanity and society.
◉ How should you frame your essay when analyzing Shakespeare?
Answer: Always keep Shakespeare in mind and discuss his
deliberate choices.
◉ What phrases can you use to explain your ideas further in your
analysis? Answer: Use phrases like 'so' and 'because'.
◉ What is an example of a sophisticated analysis statement about
Lady Macbeth? Answer: Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as
losing her resolve in Act V, Scene I, because he is commenting on the
fatal consequences of committing a mortal sin like regicide.
◉ What is a strategy for connecting your analysis to Shakespeare's
overall intention? Answer: Zoom out to big ideas and link your
analysis to your thesis.
◉ How can you present sophisticated ideas in your writing? Answer:
Use modal language such as 'could', 'may', or 'perhaps'.
◉ How many marks are available for context in the Shakespeare
question? Answer: There are a maximum of six marks available.
, ◉ Why is understanding context important in analyzing
Shakespeare's plays? Answer: It can boost your marks in AO1 and
enhance your response's sophistication.
◉ What should you keep in mind regarding memorizing historical
information about Shakespearean England? Answer: It's not
necessary to memorize all historical details; focus on the general
sense of behaviors and attitudes of the time.
◉ What was the predominant religion in Elizabethan and Jacobean
England? Answer: Christianity
◉ What did the majority of people in Elizabethan England believe
about the Bible? Answer: They believed in the literal word of the
Bible, including concepts of God, Heaven, Hell, the Devil, and
demons.
◉ How did characters in Shakespeare's plays view the authority of
God and the Church? Answer: They were wary of defying God and
the Church's teachings and understood the grave consequences of
committing sins.
1 SHAKESPEARE FULL REVISION PACK
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ What is the importance of making comments about references in
essays? Answer: Interesting comments about references can
enhance the quality of the essay and earn more marks.
◉ What overarching message should students consider when
analyzing Shakespeare's choices? Answer: Consider what
overarching message the choices help to convey.
◉ What is the relationship between Shakespeare's prose and
character status? Answer: Prose is often used for low-status
characters, reflecting their social position.
◉ What should you focus on instead of words when analyzing
Shakespeare's work? Answer: Focus on ideas or images.
◉ How should you approach analyzing Shakespeare's language?
Answer: Use a whole-text approach and consider his choices
regarding form, structure, characterisation, and stagecraft.
,◉ What is the consequence of only focusing on Shakespeare's
language in your analysis? Answer: It limits the marks you can
receive.
◉ What should you avoid doing in your analysis of Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Avoid retelling the story; narrative and descriptive
answers receive the lowest marks.
◉ What should you use the extract for in your analysis? Answer: Use
it as a springboard to explore ideas and themes in the rest of the
play.
◉ What is a key method for analyzing Shakespeare's structure?
Answer: Comment on how the structure changes throughout the
play.
◉ What should you consider about Shakespeare's choice of form?
Answer: Consider how he conforms to or subverts the form of
tragedy, comedy, or history.
◉ How should you analyze character development in Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Examine how characters are presented differently at
various points and why.
,◉ What should you remember about characters in Shakespeare's
plays? Answer: Characters are constructs with specific functions that
reflect on humanity and society.
◉ How should you frame your essay when analyzing Shakespeare?
Answer: Always keep Shakespeare in mind and discuss his
deliberate choices.
◉ What phrases can you use to explain your ideas further in your
analysis? Answer: Use phrases like 'so' and 'because'.
◉ What is an example of a sophisticated analysis statement about
Lady Macbeth? Answer: Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as
losing her resolve in Act V, Scene I, because he is commenting on the
fatal consequences of committing a mortal sin like regicide.
◉ What is a strategy for connecting your analysis to Shakespeare's
overall intention? Answer: Zoom out to big ideas and link your
analysis to your thesis.
◉ How can you present sophisticated ideas in your writing? Answer:
Use modal language such as 'could', 'may', or 'perhaps'.
◉ How many marks are available for context in the Shakespeare
question? Answer: There are a maximum of six marks available.
, ◉ Why is understanding context important in analyzing
Shakespeare's plays? Answer: It can boost your marks in AO1 and
enhance your response's sophistication.
◉ What should you keep in mind regarding memorizing historical
information about Shakespearean England? Answer: It's not
necessary to memorize all historical details; focus on the general
sense of behaviors and attitudes of the time.
◉ What was the predominant religion in Elizabethan and Jacobean
England? Answer: Christianity
◉ What did the majority of people in Elizabethan England believe
about the Bible? Answer: They believed in the literal word of the
Bible, including concepts of God, Heaven, Hell, the Devil, and
demons.
◉ How did characters in Shakespeare's plays view the authority of
God and the Church? Answer: They were wary of defying God and
the Church's teachings and understood the grave consequences of
committing sins.
