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For Section A, you will be required to answer a thematic based question on a Shakespeare play. You should demonstrate your understanding of the whole play studied; however, you may be selective in your coverage of the chosen text.
For Section A, you will be required to answer a thematic based question on a Shakespeare play. You should demonstrate your understanding of the whole play studied; however, you may be selective in your coverage of the chosen text.
WJEC will provide generic tasks stating the focus for your assessment. Your teacher will then adjust the task to best suit the class' circumstances.
WJEC will provide generic tasks stating the focus for your assessment. Your teacher will then adjust the task to best suit the class' circumstances.
Below are some examples of the thematic strands that may be used for studying the Shakespeare play.
Below are some examples of the thematic strands that may be used for studying the Shakespeare play.
- Love and relationships
- Family and parent/child relationships
- Youth/age
- Wales and being Welsh
- Women
- Parents
- Death and Loss
- Childhood
- People
- Place
- Nature
Your teacher will choose the text you study. Below are just some of Shakespeare's plays.
Your teacher will choose the text you study. Below are just some of Shakespeare's plays.
- Romeo and Juliet
- Macbeth
- Julius Caesar
- A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Richard III
- Hamlet
- Two Gentlemen of Verona
- Twelfth Night
- As You Like It
- Taming of the Shrew
- The Merchant of Venice
- Twelfth Night
You must cover two different assessment objectives:
You must cover two different assessment objectives:
- Critical response to texts (50%)
- Language, structure and form (50%)
Your teacher will use this criteria to assess your essay:
Your teacher will use this criteria to assess your essay:
Example tasks:
Example tasks:
"Unsex me here". Explore the way femininity is presented throughout Macbeth.
"Unsex me here". Explore the way femininity is presented throughout Macbeth.
'Lady Macbeth is responsible for her own downfall.' To what extent do you agree?
'Lady Macbeth is responsible for her own downfall.' To what extent do you agree?
Examine the way Shakespeare presents parental relationships within Romeo and Juliet.
Examine the way Shakespeare presents parental relationships within Romeo and Juliet.
Authored by the Licensee
Literary terminology
Literary terminology
Write like a literary critic...
Write like a literary critic...
Example paragraph:
Example paragraph:
"Unsex me here". Explore the way gender roles are presented throughout Macbeth.
"Unsex me here". Explore the way gender roles are presented throughout Macbeth.
Undeniably, Macduff challenges the traditional stereotype of masculinity being restricted to physical traits such as strength and power. In Act 4, scene 3, Macduff is told to “dispute it like a man” upon the pivotal discovery of the murder of his family. The adroit use of the imperative verb “dispute” suggests the best approach to this tragedy is physical conflict, reflecting on how society expected men to exert their masculinity and dominance. However, Macduff challenges this command with the symbolic response “I must also feel it as a man.” The use of “feel” shows that his manhood consists of more than just aggression and violence; allowing oneself to be sensitive and process grief is also vital. This alludes to his stereotypically-feminine traits, amelioratively connoting rationality and emotional intelligence. The emphatic contrast between “dispute” and “feel”, as well as the embedment of the adverb “also”, establishes that gender stereotypes are nonsensical as everybody processes tragedy using different approaches.
Undeniably, Macduff challenges the traditional stereotype of masculinity being restricted to physical traits such as strength and power. In Act 4, scene 3, Macduff is told to “dispute it like a man” upon the pivotal discovery of the murder of his family. The adroit use of the imperative verb “dispute” suggests the best approach to this tragedy is physical conflict, reflecting on how society expected men to exert their masculinity and dominance. However, Macduff challenges this command with the symbolic response “I must also feel it as a man.” The use of “feel” shows that his manhood consists of more than just aggression and violence; allowing oneself to be sensitive and process grief is also vital. This alludes to his stereotypically-feminine traits, amelioratively connoting rationality and emotional intelligence. The emphatic contrast between “dispute” and “feel”, as well as the embedment of the adverb “also”, establishes that gender stereotypes are nonsensical as everybody processes tragedy using different approaches.
WJEC bears no responsibility for the example answers to questions taken from its past question papers which are contained in this publication.
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