A*/FULL MARKS A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE OTHELLO ESSAY - EXTRACT-BASED

AQA A-Level
English Literature A
Paper 1: Love Through The Ages
Section A: Shakespeare
Text: Othello

This is an A*/full mark (25/25) essay for A-level English literature.
As it explores examples from the wider play, as well as the given extract, the essay is useful for wider revision/topic knowledge as well as being an exemplar essay/written response.

Question: ‘In the literature of love, the happiness of lovers is threatened by forces external to their relationship’. In the light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents the destruction of Othello and Desdemona’s relationship in this extract and elsewhere in the play.

(The given extract that this essay engages with is included at the start of the document for ease of reference).

This essay:

• Sets out a debate in its thesis derived from the given question/interpretation (AO5). This essay explores and considers the ‘external’ threat of the antagonist of Iago in regard to the demise of the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. However, it ultimately argues throughout its response (AO1/AO5) that the happiness of lovers is actually threatened by forces within their relationship – in this case, Othello’s inner insecurities.
• It analyses a wide variety of literary techniques and authorial methods (including: similes, modal verbs, apostrophe, imagery, tone, foreshadowing, metaphor, allusion, the verse form etc.) from both the given extract as well as elsewhere within the wider play (AO2).
• It incorporates relevant contextual links that are influential in regards to the question and debate of this essay/question, including: the tragic context, race and reputation (AO3).
• It explores connections across literary texts, focusing on the destructive interference of malicious third parties and it considers ideas about the play as a tragedy (AO4).