Welcome to Paper 3, Section A: Shakespeare!
Hello everyone! Don't worry if the name 'Shakespeare' sometimes feels intimidating. This part of the syllabus, Paper 3, Section A, is incredibly important, and we're going to break down exactly what you need to know to succeed.
We are focusing on analyzing his plays as drama—meaning we look at how the texts work on stage and how Shakespeare uses language to create powerful effects.
These notes are designed to simplify the complex stuff, so let's get started and turn that literary anxiety into analytical confidence!
Section 1: The Paper 3 Exam Structure (AO Focus)
Paper 3 is called Shakespeare and Drama. It has two sections: Section A (Shakespeare) and Section B (Other Drama). You must answer one question from Section A on your chosen Shakespeare play (e.g., Hamlet or The Taming of the Shrew).
The Two Question Types:
You will have a choice between two questions for your set text:
1. The General Essay (Question (a)): This asks a broad, thematic or character-based question about the whole play. You need to pull evidence from across all five acts.
2. The Passage-Based Essay (Question (b)): This gives you a printed extract (usually about 20–30 lines). You must analyze this passage in detail *and* discuss its significance to the play as a whole. This is a very popular option because the evidence is right there!
Understanding the Assessment Objectives (AOs)
This paper assesses all five Assessment Objectives (AO1 to AO5). Think of these AOs as the essential ingredients for a top-grade essay.
AO1: Knowledge and Context: Demonstrate deep knowledge of the text and relevant contexts (social, historical, dramatic).
Memory Aid: AO1 = Knowing your Lines and Time.
AO2: Analysis of Writer's Choices: Focus on the writer’s craft—how Shakespeare uses language, form, and structure to create meaning. This is your close reading.
(Example: Discussing how Hamlet's use of **puns** reveals his unstable mental state.)
AO3: Informed, Independent Opinion: What do you think? Do you agree with the question premise? Formulate a clear, supported argument.
(Avoid saying "Shakespeare uses metaphor." Say "Shakespeare's deliberate choice of metaphor **compels the audience to feel** sympathy for Ophelia.")
AO4: Communication: Write clearly, logically, and formally. Use appropriate literary vocabulary.
AO5: Discussion of Interpretations: Show awareness that plays can be viewed in multiple ways. Discuss how directors, actors, or critics might see a character or scene differently.
Analogy: If AO3 is your argument, AO5 is showing that you’ve considered other strong arguments too.
Key Takeaway for Section 1: To ace Paper 3, you must master both text knowledge (AO1) and detailed language analysis (AO2), while always presenting your own critical viewpoint (AO3/AO5).
Section 2: Decoding Shakespeare's Dramatic Language (AO2)
To analyze Shakespeare, you must understand the difference between *how* characters speak. This is crucial for AO2 (analyzing writer's choices).
Verse vs. Prose
Shakespeare didn't write speeches randomly; his choice of speaking style tells us a huge amount about the character and the moment.
1. Verse (or Blank Verse):
This is the standard, elevated, poetic language. It usually follows a rhythm called **Iambic Pentameter**.
It has 10 syllables per line, alternating unstressed and stressed beats (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM). It often lacks rhyme, hence "Blank" Verse.
Who uses it? High-ranking, noble, or deeply passionate characters (e.g., Hamlet, Claudius, Prospero), especially when discussing important themes like death, love, or power.
2. Prose:
This is standard, everyday writing, like how you are reading these notes—no specific rhythm or rhyme.
Who uses it? Lower-class characters (e.g., the Gravedigger in Hamlet, servants), or high-status characters when they are joking, going mad, or trying to be insulting/vulgar (e.g., Hamlet talking to Polonius, or the rapid-fire insults in The Taming of the Shrew).
Did you know? If a noble character suddenly switches from **Verse** to **Prose**, it often signals a shift: they might be losing their mind, dropping their status, or trying to manipulate someone. Pay attention to these switches!
Core Literary Techniques to Spot
Focus your analysis on identifying *why* Shakespeare used these tools:
1. Imagery: What pictures does Shakespeare paint? Focus on clusters of images, like recurring references to sickness and disease in *Hamlet* (reflecting the rotten state of Denmark), or animal/beast imagery in *The Taming of the Shrew* (reflecting Petruchio’s treatment of Katherina).
2. Soliloquy: A character speaks their thoughts aloud alone on stage. This gives the audience **privileged insight** (AO1/AO2). It allows us to understand their inner conflict and motivation (e.g., Hamlet's "To be or not to be...").
3. Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows something the characters do not. This builds tension and shapes our response to the action.
(Example: We know Claudius killed King Hamlet, but many other characters do not, making his pious behavior ironic.)
4. Metaphor and Simile: Always link these figures of speech directly back to the central theme or the character's emotional state.
Key Takeaway for Section 2: Shakespeare’s language choices are deliberate. Verse means formality or deep thought; Prose means vulgarity, madness, or informality. Use technical terms (AO2) only if you can explain their effect.
Section 3: Key Dramatic Concepts (AO1, AO3, AO5)
When analyzing a play, you need to think beyond the text and consider it as a performance (Drama).
A. The Significance of Structure
Remember the structure of a five-act play (The Shakespearean Arc):
Act I: Exposition: Introducing setting, characters, and the central conflict.
Act II: Rising Action: Conflicts intensify and momentum builds.
Act III: Climax/Turning Point: The point of no return. (In tragedy, this is often where the tragic hero seals their fate; e.g., Hamlet killing Polonius.)
Act IV: Falling Action: The unraveling and consequences of the climax.
Act V: Resolution/Catastrophe: The ending—in comedies, often marriage; in tragedies, often death.
Tip: If your passage is from Act III, you must discuss how its language and action contribute to the **climax**. If it's from Act V, relate it to the inevitable **catastrophe** (AO1/AO2).
B. Characterization and Conflict (AO3, AO5)
When discussing characters, you must offer an independent opinion (AO3) and consider varied interpretations (AO5).
1. Motivation: Why does the character act this way? Is their motivation clear or ambiguous? (e.g., Is Petruchio genuinely trying to 'tame' Katherina for love, or just for the dowry and social status?)
2. Foil Characters: Characters who contrast sharply with the protagonist to highlight specific traits. (Example: Laertes or Fortinbras act decisively, highlighting Hamlet's tendency toward inaction and philosophical delay.)
3. The Tragic Hero (in tragedies like Hamlet): A character of high status who suffers a downfall due to a fatal flaw (**hamartia**). Discuss how the audience feels about this character—pity or fear (**catharsis**).
C. Contextual Interpretation (AO1, AO5)
How did the original Elizabethan or Jacobean audience understand the play, and how do we see it today?
Gender Roles: This is huge, especially for plays like *The Taming of the Shrew*. An original audience might have accepted Katherina's submission as moral necessity. A modern audience is likely to view it critically, focusing on the abusive power dynamics. Discussing this difference shows AO5 (evaluation of interpretations).
Monarchy and Order: In Shakespeare's time, questioning the king was deeply serious (**Divine Right of Kings**). In *Hamlet*, the collapse of royal and family order resonates deeply with this context (AO1).
Key Takeaway for Section 3: Always treat the text as a script meant for performance. Link structural points (Act III climax) and contextual points (gender, power) directly to your analysis of language and meaning.
Section 4: A Step-by-Step Guide to Passage Analysis (Q(b))
The Q(b) question is a fantastic opportunity to secure high marks by demonstrating superb AO2 and AO1 skills. Here is a simple process:
The "W-W-W-I" Method for Passages
Before you write, quickly establish these four points:
W1. Where is it? Which Act and Scene? (AO1) Why does it appear here structurally? Is it the beginning of a conflict or the end of a confrontation?
W2. Who is speaking? What is their status? (AO1) What is their motivation in this moment? (AO3)
W3. What happens right after/before? How does this passage connect to the surrounding drama? (AO1/AO2)
I. Identify the Core Technique: What is the most powerful literary technique used in this specific passage? (e.g., If it's mostly in prose, why is Shakespeare making the character speak informally here?)
Step-by-Step Writing the Q(b) Essay
1. Introduction: Orient the reader. State *where* the passage occurs and *what* central theme or character issue it illuminates. Your thesis should argue how the passage's choices (AO2) contribute to the overall play (AO1).
2. Body Paragraphs (Close Analysis): Dedicate each paragraph to a specific technique or section of the passage.
Avoid this Common Mistake: Don't just quote and translate. You must quote, identify the technique, and then explain the *effect*.
Bad example: Hamlet says, "The world is an unweeded garden." This is a metaphor for Denmark.
Good example: When Hamlet describes the world as an "unweeded garden," the use of the decaying agricultural metaphor (AO2) establishes the widespread moral corruption (AO1) that permeates Elsinore. This choice reinforces his nihilistic worldview (AO3).
3. Linking Back to the Play (The "Beyond the Box" Section):
The passage only counts for half the essay. The second half of your essay must connect the passage outwards to the rest of the play.
Ask yourself: Does this passage foreshadow a later event? Does it echo imagery used elsewhere? How does the dramatic conflict here get resolved (or worsen) later on? This shows excellent AO1 and AO3.
Quick Review: Essential Shakespeare Checklist
Before the Exam, Ask Yourself:
A. Text Mastery (AO1): Can I summarize the plot of all five acts? Do I know the key contexts (social/political/historical)?
B. Analysis (AO2): Can I distinguish between **Verse** and **Prose**? Can I identify the effect of three different types of **Imagery** used by Shakespeare (e.g., light/dark, animals, disease)?
C. Critical Thinking (AO3/AO5): What is the most common interpretation of the protagonist, and what is my independent view? Can I discuss how a specific scene (like the fencing match in *Hamlet* or the wedding in *Shrew*) might be staged differently to change its meaning?
Keep these ideas at the front of your mind as you revise your set text. You've got this!