Part A: What The Question Is Asking (OCR A Level English Literature)

What The Question Is Asking

The examination requires you to write about a Shakespeare play from a set list of six texts. They are:

• Coriolanus

• Hamlet 

• Measure for Measure

• Richard III

• The Tempest 

• Twelfth Night

In part (a) you will be asked to comment on an extract from your chosen Shakespeare play while in part (b) you will be asked to respond to an essay question based on the same text. This is a closed-book examination, meaning you will not have access to a copy of the text in the exam. 

The guide below will enable you to approach part (a): the critical appreciation of an extract from your chosen Shakespeare play with confidence. This is divided into:

• Overview

• Breaking down the question

• Top tips

Overview

Component 1 requires you to answer three questions in 2 hours 30 minutes. You are required to answer one question in Section 1 and one in Section 2. All questions in Section 1 have two parts, (a) and (b), and you need to answer both parts of the question on the text you have studied. You should spend about 1 hour 15 minutes to plan, write and check your response for Section 1 and also for Section 2. Each section is worth 30 marks.

In part (a) you are required to analyse an extract from the play in close detail, exploring Shakespeare’s use of language and dramatic effects. This means you need to analyse the ways in which Shakespeare shapes meanings, including the function and effects of structure, form and language.

You will be given an extract between 45 and 65 lines in length, and you are expected to:

• Engage in a close reading and analysis of the extract:

  • This includes considering the ways in which Shakespeare has shaped meanings

• Write an articulate, informed, personal and creative response to the play, using associated concepts and terminology:

  • Coherent and accurate written expression is required

• Include some discussion of dramatic, as well as literary, effects in this section of the paper:

  • Examiners are always impressed when students make an attempt to recognise that the text they have been studying is a script which comes alive in performance 

• Consider dramatic effects as much as linguistic techniques

The suggested timings for part (a) are:

Breaking down the question

For this question, you will always be asked to focus on a ‘context’ extract from your chosen play and explore Shakespeare’s use of language and its dramatic effects. Regardless of the topic, the most common mistake students make in exams is not thoroughly understanding the question. By paying close attention to the question and understanding it thoroughly, you can significantly enhance your exam performance.

Below is an example of this task from the Shakespeare section:

Top tips

• You are more likely to perform well on the paper if you keep in mind the dominant assessment objective for each part:

  • For part (a) this is AO2: linguistic analysis

  • The assessment objective weightings indicate the knowledge and understanding that you should use to drive forward and support your response

• You should aim to move beyond formulaic approaches to essay structure (‘PEE’, etc.) in order to liberate your expression of ideas:

  • It will enable you to explore complеx idеas and arguments without being confined by a prеdеtеrminеd structure

• You should try to respond flexibly and imaginatively to the demands of the questions set:

  • Ensure you are answering the question, rather than what you think is being asked

• Always try to offer a personal response to the question posed, rather than simply repeating pre-prepared material

• You should aim to place the passage in the context of the rest of the text, considering its location to preceding and proceeding action in the play:

  • Though always ensure your response revolves around your analysis of the extract on the exam paper

• Technical literary terminology should be used with care in your response and it is not necessary for a strong performance:

  • Technical terms ‘used for the sake of it’ and without any connection to the wider purpose of a developing argument are best avoided

• Remember, you are required to respond not only to linguistic techniques in the extract but also explicit and implicit dramatic methods:

  • Considering the style and the structure of the extract is crucial for your analysis

• You should take care when writing about the effects of punctuation in Shakespeare context passages:

  • They might in fact be features of modern textual editing 

• Ensure you understand the differences between the terms ‘poetry’, ‘prose’, ‘verse’ and ‘blank verse’ in your Shakespeare response

• These are not interchangeable concepts and an inability to distinguish between such key terms will place you at a disadvantage

• Avoid lengthy narrations about the plot:

  • This is not analysis and will severely limit your marks

• The examiners want to read a well-developed and consistently detailed analysis of the language, form and structure of the passage:

  • You should also display effective use of quotations and references to the play which are blended into your discussion

• ‘Think more; write less!’ is a good maxim to follow:

  • Use your time to ‘think, read, plan and check’ your work 

  • You are not expected to write as much as you possibly can in the time available

• Write with reasonable care and accuracy:

  • Time spent reading, planning and checking is always well spent

  • The accuracy and legibility of your answer can make a substantial difference