Titus Andronicus

This teaching guide for higher ability students is designed as a self-contained unit which can be used to produce the AQA A GCSE Shakespeare coursework.

• The unit uses one of the lesser-known and less critically-acclaimed Shakespeare plays in order to encourage a high-quality and truly original response.
• The AQA A Shakespeare coursework is what is termed as a ‘cross-over’ piece; therefore, if you are using it for assessment for both English and English Literature GCSEs (the most common approach), you need to be able to...

Romeo & Juliet

This teaching guide for high-ability students is designed as a self-contained unit which can be used to produce the AQA A GCSE Shakespeare coursework.

The AQA A Shakespeare coursework is what is termed as a ‘cross-over’ piece; therefore, if you are using it for assessment for both English and English Literature GCSEs (the most common approach), you need to be able to address the assessment objectives for both.

Let us remind ourselves of these:

English

Candidates are required to demonstrate their ability to:

(i) read,...

• Throughout this guide, a past exam-style question based on the play Macbeth has been used to illustrate ideas, but these have been written in a way that will allow you easily to transfer the idea to any other exam text, whether another ‘Gothic’ text or Pastoral.

• To achieve a high grade in your exam answer, one major precondition exists:
  • That you know your text well.

If that condition has been met, through classroom and personal study along with research via the Internet or other study guides, then this guide should help you achieve the...

1. Introduction
2. Section A: Shakespeare
3. Section B: Drama and Poetry
4. Exemplars
5. Conclusion

Introduction

I think it is important to acknowledge at the outset that this is not an especially easy examination for which to prepare students. In my experience, no matter how much work you do with them on your chosen texts, even the most diligent and able of your pupils are going to enter the exam room with somewhat of a sense of unease; indeed, I’ve found that the more hard-work the pupil puts in, the more ideas...

Alfred Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade

Overview and Context

Written following the disastrous 1854 Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War, this poem can be read as both jingoistic and as highlighting the horrors of war. Whilst Tennyson was Poet Laureate at the time and might have been expected to produce patriotic poetry, there is a...

Wilfred Owen’s Futility

Overview and Context

Futility is one of the 5 poems that WW1 poet Owen had published during his lifetime. Composed most likely in Ripon – though perhaps in Scarborough – this lyric is set against the First World War, a kind of macrocosm when placed against the feud in Verona in Romeo and Juliet. It explores the...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43

Overview and Context

Browning wrote a 44 sonnet series about her love for her fiancé Robert Browning which was never intended for publication. It was entitled Sonnets from the Portuguese with the title stemming from the epithet ‘my little Portugee’ Browning used for her. Sonnet 43 is a Petrarchan sonnet...

Andrew Marvel’s To His Coy Mistress

Overview and Context

The poem might be viewed as a literary exercise in logic as much as a ‘love’ poem’. Marvell’s speaker uses a tripartite structure to follow his argument to its conclusion, effectively forming a ‘syllogism’.

Love and Conflict

In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare explores several themes but perhaps the twin themes of love and conflict were uppermost in his mind when he conceived and wrote the play. At GCSE, the play is often used as part of a controlled assessment task in which students explore the presentation of one of these themes and compare it with...

Act 5

Act 5 scene 1

Brutus and Cassius make a military mistake.
Cassius regrets letting Antony live.
Octavius and Antony compete for control.

The final Act concerns the final conflict between the two sides and is compressed into 5 fairly short scenes.  Again Shakespeare compresses time for dramatic purposes.  There were actually 2 battles at Philippi and they were about 3 weeks apart.  Shakespeare merges these into one continuous battle and brings Antony and Octavius face to face with...

Act 4

Act 4 scene 1

Antony and Octavius plan their revenge.

This scene contrasts with the previous one in that the result of Antony’s victory over Brutus at the funeral is shown as political – the deliberate, cold-bloodied drawing up of a list of conspirators who must die.  According to Plutarch the list ran to 300 names. 

Antony’s opening line is flat and unemotional in contrast to the grisly subject.  Octavius and Lepidus then try to bargain for the lives of various...

Act 3

Act 3 scene 1

Caesar reaches the senate but is surrounded by the conspirators.
Caesar is stabbed by all the conspirators, finally by Brutus.
Antony meets the murderers and is given permission to speak at the funeral of Caesar.

This is the pivotal scene of the play.  The scenes in both previous Acts have been building to this moment and it provides the motives for the actions in the rest of the play.

Caesar is surrounded by the conspirators – Artemidorus and the soothsayer...

Act 2

Act 2 scene 1

Brutus considers the murder of Caesar.
Brutus reads one of the false letters and is visited by Cassius.
The decision is taken not to harm Antony or any of Caesar’s other followers.

The storm from the previous scene is continuing and Brutus refers to the darkness in the opening speech.  Darkness is symbolic in this scene – it represents the darkness and confusion in Brutus’ mind.  The conspirators arrive in darkness later in the scene which adds to the feeling...

This guide has been written to help teachers in their reading, preparation and teaching of the play. Julius Caesar can be taught as a part of several exam board English Literature units:

• AQA GCSE English Literature 4710 | Unit 4: Approaching Shakespeare & the English Literary Heritage
• AQA GCSE English 4700 | Unit 3 Understanding and producing creative texts
• OCR GCSE English Literature | 2.1 Unit A661: Literary Heritage Linked Texts
• OCR GCSE English | Unit A641 Reading literary texts
• Edexcel GCSE English Literature | Unit 3: Shakespeare and...

1. Introduction
2. Section A: Shakespeare
3. Section B: Drama and Poetry
4. Exemplars
5. Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide will have given you a starting point on how to prepare your students for this very difficult examination.

I cannot stress enough the importance of a focus upon the assessment objectives. If the pupils are aware constantly of how they are going to be assessed, they have the best chance of achieving a good mark.

With a few weeks to go before study leave, our lessons become exclusively about...

1. Introduction
2. Section A: Shakespeare
3. Section B: Drama and Poetry
4. Exemplars
5. Conclusion

There’s a plethora of information out there about the individual texts that you may choose to study, so I don’t intend to spend too long here on the content of what you can teach.

However, there are some teaching ideas and strategies below that you may find useful when ensuring that you are meeting the demands of the examination.

AO3 and AO4 Critics and Contexts

All four of the assessment objectives are,...

1. Introduction
2. Section A: Shakespeare
3. Section B: Drama and Poetry
4. Exemplars
5. Conclusion

The examination board believes you should be familiar with the technical terms below. Please make sure you do not find yourself in an examination not knowing how to use any of these . . .

A

ALLITERATION, ALLEGORY, ALLUSION, ANAPHORA, ANTITHESIS, APOSTROPHE, ASSONANCE

B

BALLAD, BATHOS, BLANK VERSE

C

CAESURA, CHIASMUS, COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE, CONCEIT, CONNOTATION, COUPLET

D

DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE, DISSONANCE

E

ELEGY,...

1. Introduction
2. Section A: Shakespeare
3. Section B: Drama and Poetry
4. Exemplars
5. Conclusion

What does a good response to the Shakespeare question look like?

Here are two examples of introductions, with annotations, of work I have received from students this year. Obviously, these extracts are addressing Othello – but hopefully you can see how the particular approach I have outlined above works.

‘If the play were never to leave Venice, there would be no tragedy’. How far and to what extent do you find...

The Duke, who left Vienna in secret and who has always shied away from the limelight, returns very much in public and in the open to bring judgement and justice – hence the trumpets, symbolic perhaps of the Last Judgement? This act is one very long scene and must obviously be studied in some depth by A level students. In contrast to the revelation of the Duke’s fallibility in Act 4, here he does take on something of the role of divine ruler.

He appears at first to disbelieve totally Isabella’s charge against Angelo, sharing with...

In a Shakespearian comedy, the audience would probably now expect the rest of the play to be the outworkings of the Duke’s plan followed by a happy ending usually involving at least one wedding (AO4). The events of Act 4 show this is not going to be the case in Measure for Measure.

The first part of the Duke’s idea goes to plan. Mariana agrees to co-operate and Isabella successfully pretends to Angelo that she will meet him (and sleep with him). However, time is running out for Claudio who is supposed to be executed by eight the...

A problematic section of the play in some ways where the themes are much closer to tragedy than comedy.

Scene 1

Contrast between Isabella’s expectations about her brother’s attitudes and the reality of prison and the fear of death!

Duke as Friar presents Claudio with the traditional Christian ‘consolation’ about death (a literature genre of the Renaissance AO4) which Claudio initially accepts with fortitude. However, Isabella’s hint that there could be a way of escape prompts Claudio’s vivid and emotional expression of his...

Scene 1

Escalus’ view – he appeals to Angelo to consider the possibility of his own weaknesses, a possibility Angelo will not recognise, lines 29-31

‘When I that censure him do so offend
Let mine own judgement pattern out my death
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.’

In the following section, Escalus encounters Elbow, Froth and Pompey in his role as magistrate. Note how the two parts of scene 2 are parallel; Angelo’s attitude to Claudio in his judgement and condemnation of him and Escalus’ treatment of and...

Why teach ‘Measure for Measure’?

Measure for Measure is certainly not the easiest of Shakespeare’s dramas nor is it probably one of the most popular choices when teachers are thinking about AS and A2 level specifications; however, the degree of challenge involved in teaching it is easily matched by the degree of satisfaction in teaching it when you have got to grips with this intriguing play. Students really do enjoy reading this play!

Currently, the play is a choice for teaching on several AS specifications and as a choice for...

Hamlet: tragic hero?

Hamlet is usually regarded as the finest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of the greatest tragedies ever written; however, it is frequently defined as ‘tragedy’ with little or no reference to tragic tropes, either Greek, Renaissance or later theories of tragedy, or with insufficient consideration of other useful theoretical approaches.

The aim of this teaching guide is to trace Shakespeare’s development of his eponymous hero through the play looking at aspects of language, form and structure as well as genre,...

Hamlet: tragic hero?

Hamlet is usually regarded as the finest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of the greatest tragedies ever written; however, it is frequently defined as ‘tragedy’ with little or no reference to tragic tropes, either Greek, Renaissance or later theories of tragedy, or with insufficient consideration of other useful theoretical approaches.

The aim of this teaching guide is to trace Shakespeare’s development of his eponymous hero through the play looking at aspects of language, form and structure as well as genre,...

Hamlet: tragic hero?

Hamlet is usually regarded as the finest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of the greatest tragedies ever written; however, it is frequently defined as ‘tragedy’ with little or no reference to tragic tropes, either Greek, Renaissance or later theories of tragedy, or with insufficient consideration of other useful theoretical approaches.

The aim of this teaching guide is to trace Shakespeare’s development of his eponymous hero through the play looking at aspects of language, form and structure as well as genre,...

Hamlet: tragic hero?

Hamlet is usually regarded as the finest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of the greatest tragedies ever written; however, it is frequently defined as ‘tragedy’ with little or no reference to tragic tropes, either Greek, Renaissance or later theories of tragedy, or with insufficient consideration of other useful theoretical approaches.

The aim of this teaching guide is to trace Shakespeare’s development of his eponymous hero through the play looking at aspects of language, form and structure as well as genre,...

Hamlet: tragic hero?

Hamlet is usually regarded as the finest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, and one of the greatest tragedies ever written; however, it is frequently defined as ‘tragedy’ with little or no reference to tragic tropes, either Greek, Renaissance or later theories of tragedy, or with insufficient consideration of other useful theoretical approaches.

The aim of this teaching guide is to trace Shakespeare’s development of his eponymous hero through the play looking at aspects of language, form and structure as well as genre,...

Associated Resources

• A Student’s Guide to ’Much Ado About Nothing’ by Mandy Lloyd
• Much Ado Guide.doc

‘Much Ado about Nothing’ in context: ‘Comedy’ vs. ‘Tragedy’

Much Ado About Nothing is technically considered to be a Shakespearean ‘comedy’ of the classical kind; indeed, it’s even frequently taught at KS3 owing to its frequent comic tone. The witty and entertaining exchanges between the main protagonists Beatrice and Benedick have been the subject of much literary criticism and are often considered to be the most...

Click on the link below to download the resource.

Hamlet Scheme of Work LITB2.doc

Associated Resources

• A Guide to Much Ado About Nothing by Steph Jackson
• Much Ado About Nothing - Student’s Guide.doc

This brief study guide focuses on the themes, language and issues of the play relevant to the current A-Level Literature specification AO2 requirement of form, structure and language: ‘demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways in which structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts’.

The guide also explores some areas of the historical context of the play which will assist you with...

Associated Resources

A Guide to Teaching Othello

Click on the link below to download this resource.

Othello Guide Part 2 EnglishEdu.doc

Othello Guide Part 2 EnglishEdu.docx

Associated Resources

How to improve grades when writing for Othello

This EnglishEdu guide on Shakespeare’s popular A Level play, Othello, aims to supplement rather than replace other readily available Internet and printed material for the teaching of the play.

The guide explores the issues, themes and characters in the play that are particularly relevant to the current (2010) A Level Literature specifications. To add to the usefulness, and with an eye to the central AO requirement of close textual analysis of form, structure and...

Teacher’s Note

This first part of this EnglishEdu guide is aimed at students who are studying any Shakespeare play – but they can easily and profitably be adapted to suit any play.

The second part of the guide is an analysis and commentary of Act 3 Sc. 1 of Shakespeare’s play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, with accompanying notes that are based upon ideas discussed in the guide’s first section.

• The notes accompanying Act 3 Scene 1 of the play are designed to work towards helping students who are planning their Controlled Assessment essay,...

Click on the links below to access a series of excellent podcasts entitled ‘What is Tragedy?’ by Oliver Taplin (Emeritus Professor) and Joshua Billings, (a graduate student in the Oxford Classics Faculty).

Source: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/

‘Tragedy has been around for over 2500 years, from its earliest manifestations in the huge open-air gathering-places of Athens and other Greek city-states, to the theatres of Renaissance England, Spain and France, right through to the twentieth century with its cinematic tragedies, and the disturbing works...

Click on the links below to access a series of excellent podcasts entitled ‘Approaching Shakespeare’ by Emma Smith (Lecturer in English at Oxford University).

Source: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/

‘Each lecture in this series focuses on a single play by Shakespeare, and employs a range of different approaches to try to understand a central critical question about it.

Rather than providing overarching readings or interpretations, the series aims to show the variety of different ways we might understand Shakespeare, the kinds of evidence that...

This is an interactive assignment on Shakespeare and you have been asked by a production company to help them complete a short film on the famous playwright.

Watch the video.

Discuss it with your classmates.

• What messages are coming across in this short film?
• What does the title suggest “The Bard and The Barred”? Who is The Bard and who might be The Barred?
• What do you think about the comments of the girls?
• How do you respond to the man’s comment at the end?
• The film was shot in two locations. Where are they? Why are they important...

Comparative Analysis

Complete the following grid in as much detail as possible. Try to include different interpretations. If you’re not sure have a guess – but make sure you can back up your ideas from the text. Make sure that as well as finding the techniques, you comment on their effects/significance.

Download

Anne Hathaway Sonnet 130 Comparison Grid.doc

a and any are as be belied black breasts breath but by cheeks compare coral damasked delight dun eyes false far from go goddess grant ground grow hairs hath have head hear heaven her i if in is know like lips love mistress more music my never no nothing on perfumes pleasing rare red reeks roses saw see seen she snow some sound speak such sun than that the then there think to treads walks well when white why wires with yet

Download

Sonnet 130 Collapsed.doc

Poetic Techniques used in Anne Hathaway and Sonnet 130

Write examples of the poetic technique on the left from the two poems.

There may be just one example or several. Include as many as you can.

Leave the space blank if there are no examples of the technique in the poem.

Download

Poetic Techniques Anne Hathaway and Sonnet 130

Compare how attitudes to loved ones are presented in one poem from the Pre-1914 Poetry Bank and one poem by Carol Ann Duffy.

Chosen poems

‘Anne Hathaway’ (AH) – Duffy
‘Sonnet 130’ (Sonnet) – Pre-1914

Your sample introductions are a big improvement on the introductions you were writing earlier in the term, so well done.

However, you now need to consider how to improve them further. These are the things to avoid:

• Don’t tell me what you’re going to do – just do it
• Don’t spend ages building up to a point – just make...

Sonnet 130
William Shakespeare

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; 1
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white, 5
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound; 10
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress when she walks...

Macbeth

This teaching guide is designed as a self-contained unit for students of medium to high ability. It can be used to produce the AQA A GCSE Shakespeare coursework and has been designed for assessment via the EN2/Lit Oral Response Option (although it could easily also be adapted to provide a written response).

The AQA A Shakespeare coursework is what is termed as a ‘cross-over’ piece; therefore, if you are using it for assessment for both English and English Literature GCSEs (the most common approach), the student will need to be...

• Judgment against murderers on earth – the punishment.
• Image of the poisoned chalice being brought back to the lips of the perpetrator.
• Macbeth being a loyal subject of the king.
• Macbeth being the host who should protect the king.
• Duncan being a good and honourable king.
• The horror and pity caused by his death.
• Macbeth’s image of the horse as his ‘vaulting ambition’.

Macbeth Table.doc

Macbeth Soliloquy Act 1 Scene 7 Card Sort.doc

Macbeth Plot Cards.doc

Shakespeare Coursework Group Presentations on ‘Macbeth’

Question:

In your scene, how does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth’s character in order to show the changing relationship between her and Macbeth?

Make sure you:

• Discuss your analysis of the kind of language Lady Macbeth is given to use by Shakespeare.
• Discuss the effects this is likely to have on both Shakespeare’s and a modern audience.
• Link your chosen scene to other scenes and explain how Lady M’s character and her relationship with her husband changes
• Discuss how...

Macbeth Coursework Assessment.ppt

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s Relationship in Act 1 Scene 7

• In your script, you have four extracts from Act 1 Scene 7 of Macbeth. You will be acting these out in class in order to show your understanding of how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship develops and changes from Act 1 Scene 5.

Remember, in Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth has received a letter from Macbeth telling of the predictions of the Three Witches, and we see her reaction to the good news. She greets Macbeth with excitement, and tells him how he should progress with the...

Macbeth.ppt