Richard II

A fully-adaptable PowerPoint of Shakespeare’s Richard II for A level English Literature B, Paper 1A Literary genres, Aspects of Tragedy, Part C

These are my notes used with a mid/high A level class. Each scene of Richard II has an individual slide covering the following:
structural points, language choices, thematic points. The first two points are significant in making sure students cover ‘the ways in which…’ Shakespeare explores themes. There is also reference to the dramatic tragedy genre as appropriate with thoughts and comments on peripeteia, anagnorisis and catharsis on some slides

At the beginning of the PowerPoint there are two additional slides: 1) contextual ideas that students should research prior to reading in order to understand kingship 2) an outline of some dramatic methods within the play to continue to explore the significance of ‘the ways in which…’ the play is constructed / crafted.

The PowerPoint might be used in the following ways: as a starting point for you as a teacher new to the play; as a starting point for pupils to read through prior to their own group reading; as a basis for initial ‘teacher-talk’ followed by class discussion (a group could take an area each to build upon - structure, language, theme); as support for independent study of a scene outside of class time; as a starting point for revision.

The PowerPoint is fully-adaptable for you to add your own ideas or insert additional slides as needed. Ideas are not definitive, but rather act as a thorough spring-board for further discussion and exploration of Shakespeare’s method and themes.

An introduction to Tragedy as a dramatic genre can be found at my shop here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/dramatic-tragedy-genre-an-introduction-12019491

I hope you find this useful.

Best wishes,
Englbee x