Guide to AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section A: Macbeth

May 12, 2024

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AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section A: Guide on Macbeth

Overview

  • Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Marks: 64 total, with 34 for Section A (Shakespeare) including 4 for SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar)
  • Structure: Closed book examination. An extract will be provided for analysis alongside broader textual questions.

Assessment Objectives

  1. AO1: Understand and respond to texts critically and personally, using textual references, including quotations, to support interpretations.
  2. AO2: Analyze the language, form, and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
  3. AO3: Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written.
  4. AO4: Use accurate spelling and punctuation, along with a range of vocabulary and sentence structures, for clarity, purpose, and effect.

Key Strategies

AO1: Response to Text and Task

  • Engage critically with the play, using evidence from across the text, not just the provided extract.
  • Prioritize answering the question, forming a conceptualized response or a line of argument.

Example:

  • Question: Explore how Shakespeare presents the witches as powerful throughout Macbeth, including the extract.
  • Strategy: Consider all appearances of the witches and how their portrayal evolves, starting powerful and becoming illusory, correlating with the theme of appearance vs. reality.

AO2: Analysis of Language, Form, and Structure

  • Focus on relevant methods that answer the question; do not feel obligated to address each aspect unless it adds to the argument.
  • Examine Shakespeare's choice of words, the organization of the text, and how these elements contribute to effects and meanings.

AO3: Contextual Understanding

  • Understand the text's historical, cultural, and literary context.
  • The question will inherently link to context; by fully answering it, you address AO3.

AO4: Technical Accuracy

  • Dedicate time to checking work for SPaG to secure full marks in this area.

Final Tips

  • Formulate a clear thesis statement reflecting your argument or conceptualized response.
  • Incorporate analysis of the extract within the broader context of the entire play.
  • Ensure references to the text, whether direct quotations or paraphrases, are accurate and support your argument.
  • Consider the structural significance of the witches' appearances and their impact on Macbeth and the play's progression.