Full set of revision notes for English Literature A-Level, created with the requirements of the AQA specification in mind. These notes have been compiled over my time at sixth form, and helped me consistently achieve A*, A and B+ grades. I have been careful to include all the assessment objectives. Such as A01 and A02, as personal interpretations will be built upon, ensuring your response is well-argued and convincing. As well as this, these notes will provide a foundation for the use of relevant terminology and coherent, accurate written expression. The use of A03 is essential to a successful essay response, as it shows a depth of understanding and has the ability to strengthen your interpretation. I have selected elements of context that will be applicable to any exam question you are faced with, for example ‘Gertrude Stein said WW1 had produced a lost generation. Fitzgerald had already captured this sense of exhaustion and pointlessness when he wrote ‘This side of paradise’ in 1920’. A04, the need to explore connections across literary texts, can be covered via the structure of the Love Through the Ages Paper through the comparison of the text to poetry. Despite this, in order to show a depth of knowledge and throughly researched answer I have included references to other literature, an example being, ‘Tom Buchannan’s racism highlights a deep flaw in America’s self-image. The practice of slaveholding is incisively criticised by Mark Twain in ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ in 1884’ A05 is also taken into account with a variety of different interpretations that can be used alongside your own independent analysis to show wider awarness. I have included traditional standpoints such as a Freudian reading as well as specialist critics, such as Lois Tyson, a feminist critic, ( Lois Tyson in ‘What’s love got to do with it?’, a psychoanalytic reading of Gatsby claims it is a drama of dysfunctional love).

Full set of revision notes for the play ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, created under the learning objectives of the AQA exam board. I created this resource as my own source of revision, and was able to achieve consistent A*, A and B+ grades throughout year 12 and year 13. Includes details regarding all notable characters, with following sections covering in depth; key themes, genre, setting, structure, language, imagery, context, critic’s views, contemporary approaches and key connections between other texts. Will provide material to strengthen your A01 skills, with creative, original interpretation and conceptualisation of the text which has the potential to become a well argued and convincing essay response. A02 skills are also central to the notes, for example I have detailed the techniques and methods Shakespeare uses to present Othello’s strengths and weaknesses, including his eventual downfall. This will provide a firm foundation for you to build upon your own interpretations on how meanings are created across the text. I have found that A03 is integral to a strong essay response, so I have weaved important aspects throughout the entirity of the notes, including references to contemporary sources such as the publications of William Davies in 1614, and John Knox in 1558 which will undoubtably add to the strength of your response. Alongside specific snippets of knowledge more widespread, overreaching elements of context are also covered, such as the fact that ‘Christian traditions of the Renaissance suggested that Africans were descendants of Noah’s son, Ham, who was cursed by his father’, which will broaden your ability to successfully fulfill A03 with confidence. A04 is covered in sufficient depth to ensure the exploration of connections across literary texts is as simple as possible. To ensure clarity, I have selected examples easy to add to any Othello essay you may be faced with. For example, ‘In Hamlet, the tragic heroine Ophelia goes mad when her lover Hamlet rejects her. Ophelia drowns having fallen out of a willow tree. This shows that love and madness are often linked together in Renaissance drama’. Obviously this element is valuable to illustrate parallels between Desdemona and Othello’s relationship and those presented in other Shakespearian tragedies. A05 (the ability to explore literary texts informed by different interpretations), is also woven throughout the resource. I have included examples of modern day, critics such as Marilyn French and Karen Newman as well as references to certain productions. I’ve referred multiple times to Oliver Parker’s 1995 adaption, an example being, ‘The visual imagery of Oliver Parker’s 1995 film explicitly links Iago to the Devil, he covers his hands in soot when he speaks of the ‘divinity of hell’ and is often seen against a dark background’. These insights will prove essential to a strong, well-researched and balanced argument.

Full set of revision notes (1438 words). A concise overview but covers all characters, context, critical comments, intertextuality and quotations that I found to be necessary, particularly for the 45 minute answer time alongside 2 other poems in exam conditions. Created with the AQA specification in mind, so covers A01, A02, A03, A04 and A05 skills. I used these notes throughout my year 13 studies and was able to consistently reach A*, A and B+ grades. In terms of references to page numbers etc. I used: David Haig, My Boy Jack. Nick Hern Books, 2012 edition