A level English Literature

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Session 2 - Unit 3 Section A

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Pre-1900 Poetry

Unit 3 exam paper breakdown

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• 2 hours
• Open book (clean copy)

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Section A: Poetry pre-1900 (60 marks total)

1. Named extract/poem question (15 marks)
2. Essay question (45 marks)

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Section B: Unseen poetry comparison (60 marks)

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Question (i) – named poem/extract

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Question (i) is out of 15 marks, and you’re only assessed through AO1 and AO2. Their weightings are:

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AO1 - 5 marks

AO2 - 10 marks

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Assessment Objectives – what exactly do they mean?

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AO1 - Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression (5 marks)

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Band 5 – to get full marks:

• Sophisticated, creative and individual response to poem/extract; ideas are thoughtful and response is fully engaged and relevant;
• confident, perceptive application of literary concepts and terminology;
• effectively organised; demonstrates flair;
• high levels of technical accuracy and adopts a clear academic style and register.

Assessment Objectives – what exactly do they mean?

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AO2 - Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts (10 marks)

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Band 5 – to get full marks:

• Perceptive, sophisticated analysis and evaluation of writer’s use of language and poetic techniques to create meaning;
• confident and apt textual support;
• confident discussion of implicit meaning.

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No further AOs are assessed in the named extract/poem question!

Before we begin: The importance of correct terminology – you’re writing about poetry after all!

The full glossary of poetic terms can be found in the accompanying resources in the

e-sgol Teams folder.

How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? A step-by-step approach

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1) Read question A(i) and highlight key words/commands

2) Re-read the poem/extract you are directed to without making notes

3) Get an overview of the poem in the light of the task

4) Re-read the poem, making notes this time (tone, key words, imagery, allusions, poetic techniques etc.), based on the task, in your answer booklet

5) Review your notes in light of the key words from the question

6) Write your response focusing on the task, the poem and AO2.

How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? Step 1

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How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? Steps 2-4

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2) Re-read the poem/extract you are directed to without making notes

3) Get an overview of the poem in the light of the task

4) Re-read the poem, making notes this time (tone, key words, imagery, allusions, poetic techniques etc.), based on the task, in your answer booklet

How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? Step 5

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How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? Step 5

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How should I tackle Section A: question (i)? Step 6 – writing your response

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Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem – How to revise!

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Getting yourself ready for revision:

• Check the designated list of poems (or extracts between 14 and 20 lines long) covering a range of topics and themes – select one to look at in the first instance.
• Refer to past papers and past questions for examples of questions, and how they’re generally worded.

Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem – How to revise!

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Ideas for exploring your chosen poem/extract:

• Firstly, check the meaning of any unfamiliar or unusual words (for example, “odiferous” in Donne’s Love’s Alchemy);
• Identify the verse form – consider the power and effects of the sonnet form (for example Rossetti’s Autumn Violets; narrative verse and use of rhyming couplets (for example in Goblin Market);
• Look out for patterns in language and imagery;
• Consider the tone of language choices and the significance of punctuation (for example “For God’s sake hold your tongue, and let me love” in Donne’s The Cannonization;
• Examine the way in which the poet creates a range of tones, moods, or attitudes.

Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem – How to revise!

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Approaches – create your own questions:

• Take your selected poem/extract, and consider the different angles from which it might be approached;
• Under the heading “Analyse the way in which the poet presents…” think about the variety of different themes and ideas that could be drawn on – use these then to form your own questions. For example:
• Romantic love
• Religious devotion
• Self-reproach
• Fear
• Women
• Faith and hope
• Complex ideas
• Disappointment

Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem – How to revise!

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Exercise and Practise

• Now choose 2-3 of the themes/topics from your list of approaches, and write the first two paragraphs of a response for both.
• Take careful note of the way you shape your response differently, but relevantly from the very start.
• The more you practice this type of task, the more you’ll be able to see how carefully crafted the response needs to be – no words can be wasted on waffle!

Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem practice – do’s and don’ts

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Do

• Start your response directly and relevantly
• Look for patterns of language and imagery
• Make and support points succinctly
• Use tentative language
• Use technical terminology to demonstrate the extent of your understanding
• Take care with your expression, remember to paragraph, and remember to proof-read your response once you’ve finished.

Pre-1900 Poetry named extract/poem practice – do’s and don’ts

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Don’t

• Start at the first line of the poem/extract and work through line by line
• Write descriptively or narratively about the poem – being succinct is the key
• Write lengthy and clunky introductions (for example “this is a poem written in the 17^th century by John Donne in memory of his deceased wife, Anne.”)
• Make extended/extensive references to context
• Use very long quotations or copy out large chunks of the text
• Use technical terms descriptively and for their own sake.