(i)GCSE English Literature revision is difficult. How you approach your revision can be the key to success
Over the last couple of weeks we have received many enquiries from parents asking us how students should approach (i)GCSE English Literature revision.
Unlike Maths or Science, there is not a simple “right” answer; the literature texts are open to interpretation. So in the first of a new series, this blog will focus on how students should revise for plays.
Remember it’s a play!
Seems obvious but remember the text you are studying is meant to be performed. Imagine how the words on the page are brought to life on a stage when acted out. Imagine the gestures and movements on stage. How do the witches in Macbeth move or how is a storm presented when on stage? You will be unable to fully understand the play if you just read it as a “normal prose” text.
Ideas, themes and issues
Think about what the playwright wants the audience to think about. For example, what happens when rivals are at war with each other or when families quarrel between or within themselves. Conflict is a common theme particularly in Shakespeare. Identifying these conflicts will help you identify the themes and ideas that bind the whole play together. Other common themes include love, appearance and reality, stability turning to confusion, three layered meanings (individual vs social vs natural), death, family conflict, ambition and jealousy.
Character and motivation
Make notes on characters, plots and subplots. Think about what a character is like (evil? jealous? innocent?), what they do (kill? fall in love?) and why they behave in this way (are they taking revenge for a previous betrayal or is it because of jealousy?). Also, think about which characters you like and dislike and whether your sympathies change throughout the play.
Language
Focus on the different ways that ideas in the play are expressed and how language is used to create an effect. For example, think about how powerful words and phrases are used “A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!” (The Tempest). How language is used provides us with the tools to interpret the subtle undertones and themes of the play.
Organise your notes
Structure your revision notes around themes, characters, plots, subplots and language.
When reading literature, remember that……
Stay tuned for our next blog post on how to revise for i(GCSE) English Literature: novels
For information on one-to-one tutoring (including online tutoring) or for more information on our (i)GCSE English Revision Booster courses during the Easter holidays, please contact us.