Macbeth: The Theme of Betrayal
Themes and ideas form the foundation of most exam questions - even when a question seems character-based, there will almost always be a theme attached to it.
Macbeth - How to Analyse ‘Form’
Drama is a living, breathing form of writing. It’s meant to be performed, not read in silence like a book. If you’re aiming for top grades, you must treat drama and plays as if they are supposed to be acted out, in front of an audience – consider the way in which an actor might interpret a character or the way in which the stage directions enhance the drama of the play. Literature essays always require you to use form, structure and language analysis – not just language. When you analyse a play as if it is being performed, you are engaging with its form.
Is Othello a Jacobean Revenge Tragedy?
Shakespeare’s Othello is one of the most powerful tragedies in the English literary canon. But what kind of tragedy is it? Students often encounter categories like Jacobean revenge tragedy, classical tragedy, or domestic tragedy, and Othello intriguingly draws from all three. So, is Othello a Jacobean revenge tragedy — or something more complex?
Othello: Tragic Conventions
If you’re revising Tragedy in Othello, this page is for you! It’s a quick-fire look at some of the most important tragic elements and conventions that relate to the play - including plot, character and theme.
Tragic Terminology for Othello
Understanding Othello’s genre is so important for being able analyse the text in detail - as well as looking at this list below, make sure you understand the way ‘Tragedy’ was perceived in the Jacobean era, including what audiences expected to see if they went to watch a tragedy being performed, and also what common themes and concerns tragedies were allowed to explore.
Power and Conflict Questions for The Emigrée
Here are some practice questions for Rumens’ political poem The Emigrée, tailored towards AQA GCSE Literature exams.
Power and Conflict Questions for Exposure
Here are some practice questions for Wilfred Owen’s start and harrowing poem Exposure, tailored towards AQA GCSE Literature exams.
Power and Conflict Questions for Remains
Here are some practice questions for Simon Armitage’s poem Remains, tailored towards AQA GCSE Literature exams.
iGCSE Questions for The Tyger
A list of practice questions for Blake’s poem ‘The Tyger’, tailored towards Edexcel iGCSE Literature exams.
iGCSE Questions for La Belle Dame Sans Merci
A list of practice questions for Keats’ poem ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’’, tailored towards Edexcel iGCSE Literature exams
iGCSE Questions for Funeral Blues
A couple of practice questions for the iconic poem Funeral Blues by WH Auden, tailored towards Edexcel iGCSE Literature exams.
Macbeth - the 2022 AQA GCSE Question
Here’s the official June 2022 AQA GCSE English Literature essay question for Shakespeare’s Macbeth!
Macbeth - the June 2023 AQA GCSE Question
Here’s the official AQA GCSE Literature question for Macbeth from June 2023.
Macbeth and Violence - Example Grade 7 GCSE Essay
This GCSE essay on ‘Macbeth and Violence’ was completed by a student in response to an AQA Literature question, but it can be used as an example of Grade 7 writing for any GCSE or iGCSE exam.
The 2023 Edexcel A Level Questions for ‘Othello’
These questions are from the 2023 Past Paper for Edexcel A Level Literature - for this question, you have to write a 35 mark essay that includes context and critical ideas in the right way.
Watch a Traditional Version of ‘Othello’
This is a link to Ian McKellen and Willard White’s brilliant 1990 version of the play - it’s so well acted that I’d really recommend this one as one of the main versions to watch!
A Modern Day Adaptation of ‘Othello’
Here’s a link to the film ‘Othello’, directed by Geoffrey Sax and written by Andrew Davis - a modern adaptation of the play that sets the play in the world of police detectives. It doesn’t use traditional Shakespearean language, but it’s a good fun way of getting used to the story and the way in which tension builds between the characters. Enjoy!
5 Famous Speeches for AQA Language Paper 2 Practice
As you read these speeches, you should also start to develop your own thoughts and opinions on the topics they explore. This will help you with your own writing and analysis on Language paper 2.
5 Great Short Stories to Read for AQA Language Paper 1
As you read these stories, you should also start to develop your own thoughts and opinions on the topics they explore. This will help you with your own writing and analysis on Language Paper 1.
6 Articles to Read for GCSE Language Paper 2
One of the best things you can do for Language Paper 2 is get a lot of exposure to different non fiction texts by reading different examples. We’ve deliberately chosen a range of examples at different levels - if you’re reading a more difficult one and find it hard, feel free to look up words as you go, or research a summary of the main ideas in the article.