GCE EXAMINERS' REPORTS
ENGLISH LITERATURE
AS/Advanced
SUMMER 2014
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Unit
Page
LT1
1
LT2
9
LT3
12
LT4
18
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
Summer 2014
Advanced Subsidiary
LT1: Poetry and Drama
Principal Examiner:
Dr Jennifer McConnell
General Comments
As with previous years, there were some superb responses: examiners were impressed by
the depth of analysis and sophisticated handling of concepts apparent in some essays. It is
particularly heartening when teachers and candidates have clearly taken note of points
raised in the report in order to improve. However, there are still some candidates who are
not addressing the AOs effectively.
Section A: Poetry post-1900
AO1
 As has been noted in past reports, candidates will benefit from taking time to plan their
essays.
 Some candidates do not give a brief overview of the poem before writing about it. This
means comments and quotations are decontextualized and disconnected from meaning.
AO2
 A significant minority of candidates continue to embed quotations without discussing how
meaning is created. These candidates often scored highly on AO1 (concepts) but did
less well on AO2 (analysis). It is essential that candidates discuss how meaning is
created by focusing on the specific effects of techniques. It can be useful to think why a
writer has chosen a specific word or technique and to think about the connotations and
the attitudes displayed.
 As has been stated on previous reports, comments on structure are often assertive.
AO3i
 It is pleasing to see that many candidates have taken note of the advice given on
previous reports to approach links through AO2 (techniques). However, in some cases,
rather than picking out a specific technique used by both poets (e.g. moon imagery) and
discussing the effect, candidates made general links through technique: for example,
‘both poets use enjambment to show sadness’ or ‘both poets use alliteration to show
journeys’. This is not a useful approach as the links are too general.
 In some cases candidates are spending too much time on the partner text rather than on
the links between the core and partner.
AO3ii
 As in previous years, a significant minority of candidates included quotations from critics
that were not particularly helpful. If candidates choose to include critical quotations then
they need to ensure that (a) the quotations are relevant to the question and (b) they
engage with the quotations.
 There are still some cases where candidates do not include any readings at all or even
any tentative language (such as ‘perhaps’). These candidates can only be awarded zero
marks for this AO.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Notes on Questions
T.S. Eliot: Selected Poems (Core text)
(Prufrock and Other Observations, The Waste Land, The Hollow Men, Ariel Poems)
W.B. Yeats: Selected Poems (Partner text)
Q.1
What connections have you found between the ways in which Eliot and Yeats
write about identity in their poems? In your response you must include
detailed critical discussion of at least two of Eliot’s poems.
There were a number of interesting responses: popular choices included ‘Prufrock’,
‘The Waste Land’, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ and ‘The Hollow Men’ for Eliot, and ‘Wild
Swans at Coole’ and ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ for Yeats. In particular, there were some
confident discussions about Prufrock’s fragmented identity; strong answers often
linked this effectively to the fragmented structure of the poem.
Q.2
Compare the ways in which Eliot and Yeats write about journeys in their
poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at
least two of Eliot’s poems.
There were some confident and perceptive responses. Many candidates wrote on
‘Prufrock’ and there were some detailed and sensitive discussions of his literal and
metaphorical journeys. Many effectively compared ‘Journey of the Magi’ with ‘The
Magi’. A few chose to write on ‘Marina’ and this worked well: there were some really
lovely responses. ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’ and ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ were popular
choices for Yeats, although some candidates were a little shaky on the latter poem.
Philip Larkin: The Whitsun Weddings (Core text)
Dannie Abse: Welsh Retrospective (Partner text)
Q.3
Compare the ways in which Larkin and Abse create a sense of place in their
poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at
least two of Larkin’s poems.
While most candidates focused on setting and landscape, some interpreted the
question as being about how Larkin and Abse felt about their place in the world:
examiners accepted this as a valid approach. In the main, candidates wrote about
Larkin’s train journeys in ‘Here’ and ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ and many contrasted
Larkin’s detached observers with Abse’s more personal attachment to place. Some
candidates, however, were not wholly secure on ‘The Importance of Elsewhere’.
Q.4
What connections have you found between the ways in which Larkin and Abse
write about sadness in their poems? In your response you must include
detailed critical discussion of at least two of Larkin’s poems.
In a significant minority of cases, candidates ended up focusing on death rather than
sadness. While death is a valid aspect of sadness, it is essential that candidates
answer the question that has been asked. Some candidates tended to assert links to
sadness rather than focusing on the techniques the writers used to present sadness.
‘Love Songs in Age’, ‘Faith Healing’ and ‘Talking in Bed’ (often effectively contrasted
with Abse’s ‘Postcard to his Wife’) were popular choices.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Sylvia Plath: Poems Selected by Ted Hughes (Core text)
Ted Hughes: Poems Selected by Simon Armitage (Partner text)
Q.5
Compare the ways in which Plath and Hughes write about death in their
poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at
least two of Plath’s poems.
Candidates approached this question in a number of valid ways, for example
discussing the literal death of Plath’s father in ‘Daddy’ and ‘Full Fathom Five’ and of
the snake in ‘Medallion’, or exploring metaphorical death and rebirth in ‘Ariel’ and
‘Tulips’. There were some really confident and perceptive discussions. Candidates
who argued that Plath has a more personal approach to death made effective
contrasts with Hughes’ nature poems, for example ‘February 17th’ and ‘Hawk
Roosting’.
Q.6
What connections have you found between the ways in which Plath and
Hughes write about relationships in their poems? In your response you must
include detailed critical discussion of at least two of Plath’s poems.
Candidates explored a number of different relationships, for example Plath’s
relationship with her father in ‘Daddy’ (often effectively linked to ‘The Bee God’ and
‘Lovesong’) and her children in ‘You’re’ (linked by many to ‘Full Moon and Little
Frieda’), ‘Morning Song’ and ‘Nick and the Candlestick’. Candidates’ answers were
strongest when they focused on the poems rather than biography: in a significant
number of cases candidates are spending too much time on biography. While
biographical readings can be used for AO3ii (if phrased as a possible way into the
poem), often biographical readings are assertive and reductive: for example, many
asserted that Plath’s poems are evidence of her depression and desire for suicide
without analysing what was going on in the poems themselves. In some cases,
candidates forced biographical readings onto poems, for example arguing that
‘Examination at the Womb Door’ is about Hughes’ daughter being born. In a number
of cases candidates also made links through biography rather than the poems: this
limited the marks that could be awarded on AO3i.
Carol Ann Duffy: Selected Poems (Core text)
(Standing Female Nude, The Other Country, The World’s Wife)
Sheenagh Pugh: Selected Poems (Partner text)
Q.7
Compare the ways in which Duffy and Pugh write about childhood and growing
up in their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical
discussion of at least two of Duffy’s poems.
This was a very popular question and poems that worked well included ‘In Mrs
Tilcher’s Class’, ‘Originally’, ‘Lizzie 6’ and ‘Girl Talking’ for Duffy and ‘Intercity
Lullaby’, ‘Paradise for the Children’ and ‘Sweet 18’ for Pugh. However, some
candidates chose to use ‘Eva and the Roofers’ which is not an appropriate poem for
childhood and growing up. It is essential that candidates choose poems carefully:
they also need to ensure that they have studied and explored a range of partner
poems in order to be able to choose relevant poems rather than trying to make the
poems they know about fit the question.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Q.8
‘Duffy gives a voice to those who are marginalised and ignored by society’. In
the light of this statement, what connections have you found between the ways
in which Duffy and Pugh write about people who have been marginalised and
ignored by society? In your response you must include detailed critical
discussion of at least two of Duffy’s poems
There were some perceptive and confident responses to this question with
candidates choosing to analyse a number of poems including ‘Shooting Stars’,
‘Education for Leisure’, ‘Lizzie, 6’, ‘Girl Talking’ and ‘Standing Female Nude’: there
were some quite sophisticated discussions of the objectification of the model.
Candidates discussed a number of ways in which the characters were marginalised
and in some cases used critical readings effectively, for example feminism and
Marxism.
Seamus Heaney: New Selected Poems (Core text)
(Death of a Naturalist, Door into the Dark, The Haw Lantern)
Owen Sheers: Skirrid Hill (Partner text)
Q.9
Compare the ways in which Heaney and Sheers write about powerful emotions
in their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical discussion
of at least two of Heaney’s poems.
The strongest responses were those where candidates outlined the emotions they
were going to discuss in their introduction and then kept focus on those emotions:
popular emotions included sadness and love (including love of the land). However, in
a significant minority of cases candidates did not focus on emotions; many wrote
about topics which aren’t emotions, for example loss of innocence or childhood; in a
significant number of cases candidates wrote about any topic and asserted links to
emotions at the end of each paragraph.
Q.10
What connections have you found between the ways in which Heaney and
Sheers write about settings and/or landscapes in their poems? In your
response you must include detailed critical discussion of at least two of
Heaney’s poems.
For the most part candidates engaged well with the ways that Heaney and Sheers
write about the land. Some explored the way the poets make links between the land
and creativity (for example in ‘The Peninsula’ and ‘Digging’) and others linked the
land to family relationships (for example in ‘Digging’ and ‘Late Spring’) or to childhood
experiences (for example ‘Blackberry Picking’ and ‘Hedge School’). Some also
effectively compared ‘Requiem for the Croppies’ with ‘Mametz Wood’: however, there
are still some candidates who are not wholly secure on when and where these
poems are set. For example, some wrote that ‘Requiem’ was set during the 1916
Easter Uprising and others seemed unaware that Mametz Wood is in France.
Eavan Boland: Selected Poems (Core text)
(New Territory, The War Horse, The Journey)
Clare Pollard: Look, Clare! Look! (Partner text)
Q.11
‘Boland has an appreciation for the ordinary in life’. In the light of this
statement, what connections have you found between the ways in which
Boland and Pollard write about the ordinary aspects of life in their poems? In
your response you must include detailed critical discussion of at least two of
Boland’s poems.
Very few responses were seen.
Q.12
Compare the ways in which Boland and Pollard use ideas about travel and
travelling in their poems. In your response you must include detailed critical
discussion of at least two of Boland’s poems.
Very few responses were seen.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Section B: Drama post-1990
NB: it is important to note that AO3ii (other readings) is not assessed here
AO1
 There are still some cases where candidates are not spending enough time on the given
extract. A good rule of thumb is to write approximately 50% of the essay on the given
extract.
 Candidates are not expected to work their way through the whole extract, or to work
through it chronologically; a more useful approach is to pick out key
quotations/techniques. For example, it can be useful to look at the very beginning and
very end of the extract.
AO2
 In the main, candidates are aware of the need to discuss the texts as drama, for example
by exploring the effects of staging, lighting, sound, costume and props etc. However,
some candidates are writing directors’ notes rather than focusing on the techniques as
presented in the text. For example: ‘Eva should be directed to look sad here and perhaps
walk away from Helga’ or ‘John should say this whilst throwing Carol’s essay down on
the table’. It is important to note that AO2 can only be awarded for discussion of
the playwright’s techniques, so it is essential that candidates focus on the techniques
as they appear the text (e.g. through dialogue and stage directions) and not on directors’
notes.
 As has been mentioned in previous reports, some candidates discuss characters as real
people rather than as fictional constructs. It can be useful to encourage candidates to
use the word ‘presents’ when discussing characters, and also to think of the function of
the character within the play (e.g. Sylvia’s paralysis as a symbol of America’s inaction
etc.).
AO4
 As stated previously, the best way to approach AO4 is through AO2. In a significant
minority of cases candidates struggled to discuss the significance of context on the play.
Responses must have a literary focus.
Notes on Questions
David Hare: Murmuring Judges
Q.13
Re-read Act 1 Scene 5 from page 25 (WOMAN: Why are you lot so cheerful?) to
page 28 ((As a parting gesture, KEITH throws the pen on the floor, and goes
out with JIMMY.)). Discuss how Hare presents the police in this extract and at
least one other part of the play.
There were a number of excellent responses which showed confident grasp of
contextual influences; however, there were others where candidates spread their
attention wider than the police, determined to get in lawyers and prison officers.
There was some excellent use of more up to date contextual material, for example
the Stephen Lawrence trial. It is important, however, that candidates make clear
when they are referring to contextual influences on Hare (e.g. the Birmingham Six
and Guildford Four) and when they are discussing the influence of more recent
contextual factors on a present-day audience.
Q.14
Re-read Act 1 Scene 6 from the beginning on page 36 to page 40 ((IRINA
shifts.)). Discuss how Hare uses the character of Irina to present social and
political issues here and at least one other part of the play.
The strongest answers focused on how Hare used Irina to put across political issues
and there were some effective links between text and context, for example attitudes
to women and race in the legal system and the problems in the prison system.
However, in some cases candidates saw the social and political issues but forgot the
emphasis on the use of Irina.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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David Mamet: Oleanna
Q.15
Re-read Act 1 from the top of page 24 (JOHN: “They might not sign” …) to the
bottom of page 27 (CAROL: I want to make sure that I have it right.). Discuss
how Mamet presents issues current in 1990s American society in this extract
and at least one other part of the play.
There were some really confident and perceptive responses. Candidates explored
how a number of social and political issues including political correctness, speech
codes, the American education system, feminism, sexual harassment and the
American Dream influenced Mamet in his creation of Carol and John and the conflict
between them. The most successful answers grounded all contextual references in
the text and ensured the answer was text-driven and not context driven. Weaker
answers found it difficult to link context effectively to the text, and some candidates
were shaky on concepts such as political correctness.
Q.16
Re-read Act 1 from the bottom of page 33 (JOHN: To go with the tenure. That’s
right.) to page 36 (CAROL: Who should I listen to … I …). Discuss how Mamet
presents ideas about knowledge in this extract and at least one other part of
the play.
The strongest answers kept focus on the concept of knowledge and many linked the
question effectively to issues in American education and to the class and gender
differences between Carol and John. Some candidates drifted from knowledge into
writing about power or miscommunication: while these are valid elements of the
question, it is essential that candidates keep focus on the question that has been
asked. Some candidates tagged on references to context, for example mentioning
that the play could be viewed as a Greek tragedy without explaining the effect or
relevance. As in previous years there is a tendency among some candidates to write
about Carol and John as if they are real people rather than fictional constructs.
Brian Friel: Dancing at Lughnasa
Q.17
Re-read Act 1 from the top of page 32 ((‘Dancing in the Dark’ softly from the
radio.)) to page 35 (MAGGIE: Now. Who’s for a fox-trot?). Discuss how Friel
uses song and dance to present aspects of 1930s society in this extract and at
least one other part of the play.
There were a number of interesting and often perceptive responses. Most candidates
were able to make some links between song and dance and 1930s issues (for
example the Dance Halls Act and Irish Catholic attitudes to illegitimacy). However, in
some cases candidates wrote about song and dance without linking it to context and
in a few isolated cases candidates missed the part about song and dance altogether.
It is essential that candidates read the question carefully to ensure they know exactly
what is being asked. Most were able to discuss effectively the way Gerry is
presented as dominant during his dance with Chris and many linked this to
patriarchal attitudes. While there were some perceptive comments on ‘Dancing in the
Dark’, ‘The Isle of Capri’ and ‘Will You Vote for De Valera’ (for example the link
between Gandhi/Britain and his goat/Ireland), in many cases candidates didn’t
discuss the songs at all, or seemed only to have a general idea of their relevance.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Q.18
Re-read Act 1 from page 17 ((FATHER JACK enters by the back door.)) to the
end of Maggie’s speech on page 20 (MAGGIE: …whoever they were …).
Explore how Friel presents men and boys in this extract and at least one other
point in the play.
Most candidates compared the freedom of the male characters with the repression of
the female characters and this was a valid (and often very effective) approach;
however, some drifted into a discussion of the presentation of women in the play and
lost focus on men and boys. The majority of candidates are aware of the patriarchal
elements of 1930s Irish Catholic society and also the contrast between Catholicism
and paganism, a discussion often linked effectively to the presentation of Father
Jack. Props and costume were often discussed fruitfully, for example the symbolism
of Boy Michael’s kites and Father Jack’s lack of clerical collar.
Tom Stoppard: Arcadia
Q.19
Re-read Act 2 Scene 7 from page 124/page 126 in new edition (Thomasina
Silence!) to page 128/page 130 in new edition (Thomasina and Septimus
dance.). Discuss how Stoppard presents ideas about order and disorder in this
extract and at least one other part of the play.
This was by far the most popular answer and almost all candidates were able to
engage to some extent with the scientific concepts of entropy, the Second Law of
Thermodynamics (sometimes erroneously attributed to Newton rather than Carnot)
and Chaos Theory. Some candidates really do have an exceptionally impressive
understanding of Stoppard’s use of these concepts. The strongest answers
combined discussion of the scientific context and Stoppard’s ideas with a strong
grasp of the dramatic techniques, for example characters from both time periods
appearing on stage at once, everyone wearing Regency costumes, the disordered
props table and the significance of the fireworks and music. While some candidates
focused their contextual links on the scientific context (and this is a valid approach), it
was pleasing to see candidates bringing in other fruitful links to context including
Regency and modern attitudes to women, the Garden of Eden and the clash
between the Enlightenment and Romanticism.
Q.20
Re-read Act 1 Scene 1 from page 9/page 11 in new edition (Chater You dare to
call me that. I demand satisfaction!) to page 12/page 15 in new edition
(Septimus This is more than I deserve, this is handsome, what do you say,
Noakes?). Discuss how Stoppard presents ideas about literature and writing in
this extract and at least one other point in the play.
Candidates who chose to answer this question seemed to really enjoy the humour of
the extract. Many linked Stoppard’s ideas about literature and writing to other themes
such as sex, science (in particular candidates noted that Chater’s inscription in The
Couch of Eros is what leads Bernard to believe Septimus could not have written the
reviews of Chater’s poems) and disorder. Some candidates were more aware than
others of the literary and theatrical influences on Stoppard, for example Byatt’s
Possession and the Comedy of Manners genre.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
7
Arthur Miller: Broken Glass
Q.21
Re-read Scene One (page 7/page 12 in new edition (HYMAN (cutting him off). I
had quite a long talk with Sylvia yesterday, I suppose she told you?) to page
10/page 16 in new edition) (HYMAN. It’s all right.). Explore how Miller presents
ideas about gender in this extract and at least one other part of the play.
There were a number of interesting responses. Some candidates chose to focus on
the presentation of men and masculinity, effectively juxtaposing Hyman’s masculinity
with Gellburg’s emasculation. The strongest responses focused on staging as well as
dialogue, for example the symbolism of Hyman’s riding clothes and his phallic cigar.
Other candidates focused more on the women, for example the men discussing
Sylvia in her absence and the presentation of Sylvia and Harriet elsewhere in the
play. Others focused on the relationships within and between genders. Some made
quite perceptive links to Freudian theory and most candidates had at least some
understanding of patriarchal attitudes to women in the 1930s.
Q.22
Re-read Scene Eight from page 55/page 65 in new edition (SYLVIA. Couldn’t
you just be here when he comes?) to page 59/page 70 in new edition (A long
pause.). Discuss how Miller uses the character of Sylvia to present social and
political issues in this extract and at least one other part of the play.
The strongest answers focused on Sylvia as a means to present issues in society
(rather than just listing social and political issues): candidates discussed how Sylvia’s
paralysis could represent America’s inaction in the 1930s, the fact that her character
is the only one paying attention to what is happening in Germany and what her
character showed about 1930s attitudes to women. The strongest answers focused
on the function of Sylvia (rather than discussing her as a real person) and grounded
all references to context in the text. Context-driven essays tended to be less
successful.
Diane Samuels: Kindertransport
Q.23
Re-read Act 1 Scene 1 from page 14 in both editions (EVA. The Ratcatcher.) to
page 17/page 18 in new edition (OFFICER. Sir! Sorry, Sir.). Discuss how
Samuels presents men and male figures in this extract and at least one other
part of the play.
Almost all candidates were able to discuss the significance of the Ratcatcher and the
effect of the same actor playing all of the male roles. The most effective answers
explored Samuels’ use of staging (for example the music) and the doubling. Many
candidates linked the Ratcatcher to Hitler and his abhorrent attitudes to Jewish
people as vermin. However, not all seemed aware of the contextual background to
the Ratcatcher story. Interestingly, some candidates discussed the effects of Eva and
Faith’s fathers never appearing on stage.
Q.24
Re-read Act 2 Scene 2 from the beginning on page 78 in both editions to page
81 in both editions (FAITH. There’s lots of empty cupboards. (Pause.). Am I
Jewish?). Explore how Samuels presents family relationships in this extract
and at least one other part of the play.
Stronger answers explored the effect of Evelyn’s past experiences with the
Kindertransport and WWII on her present day relationships. However, weaker
answers made reference to contextual factors without linking the points back to the
text or the question. Many answers focused effectively on the various examples of
mother/child relationships in the play. It was pleasing to see many candidates
focusing on the effects of dramatic techniques, for example the time shifts between
past and present.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
8
ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
SUMMER 2014
Advanced Subsidiary
LT2: Prose Study & Creative Reading
Principal Examiner:
Rhodri Jones
General Comments
This specification is now in its fifth year and good practice has clearly been embedded in
many centres. Moderators commented on some of the excellent quality of work in both
sections, especially when candidates adopted the independence offered to make some
creative, interesting and personal text choices.
Independence
The majority of centres gave candidates some independence either through the choice of
texts or tasks. The best responses were those which responded to a fitting task, clearly
taking on board advice from previous Principal Moderator’s Reports and the online CPD
material. It was obvious when candidates had chosen their own task, under the guiding
hand of their teacher, as their response was often creative and engaging. Some candidates
suffered from having been given inappropriate or unclear tasks while a number of centres
still persisted in using the same texts for both Section A and Section B. In these cases, the
same material and comments were repeated in all the centre’s essays. This led to a lack of
personal response and a reliance on taught material rather than using the skills taught in
the classroom to inform their own reading and analysis. This approach also led to
candidates not reaching their potential in Section B with all candidates responding to the
same text. When a whole centre responded by writing a dystopian story, for example, it
suited some candidates but some might have been better served by exploring their own
interests and ideas. Care needs to be taken in choosing some texts. Sebold’s ‘The Lovely
Bones’ is an accessible text for some weaker candidates but their responses were often
derivative. Teachers would also be wise to guide candidates away from ideas and issues
for which they lack the emotional maturity to deal with competently in their creative reading.
Again this year, many candidates were influenced more by film rather than writing in the
way their narratives were shaped and organised and in the content that they’d chosen. Part
of the challenge for us as English teachers is to make candidates aware of how writers use
language, form and structure in order to create particular effects. Using moving image
might be a way into that discussion, through looking at how tension is created for example,
as long as that then moves into an appreciation of the ways in which the same mood is
created in a written text.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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With a new specification in place for teaching from 2015, this might be a good opportunity
for teachers to consider changing their texts. Using the texts that can be used for the new
specification might lead to some greater independence and creativity at some centres. This
approach would also help teachers to prepare for the changes and experiment with which
texts would work well together. Even at centres where good practice is seen along with
secure assessment, it might bring some variety and refreshment into the course.
Otherwise, it might be beneficial to use a number of extracts of texts in order to teach the
skills required for sound analysis. These skills could then be used, under the teacher’s
guidance, to analyse their chosen texts.
Using AO3 and AO4
The use of AO3 and AO4 in candidates’ essays continues to be an issue which needs to
be addressed. It is difficult to fit all AOs into a 1500 word essay but one that is possible.
There was a feeling amongst moderators that both AO4 and AO3 (other readings) were
often marked generously in order to make up for deficiencies elsewhere. There were too
many examples of essays being given Band 4 or Band 5 marks for these AOs despite
barely being noted in annotation. The best use of contextual material was when it was used
in order to enhance the candidates’ reading of their texts. Too often the contextual material
was used in a separate paragraph or biographical material was used without connecting it
to the reading of the texts. The use of AO3 (other readers) was often rewarded generously
despite the way critical quotations were being used. A quotation suggesting that a novel is
“Tremendous. Inventive, big hearted and very funny” can hardly count as a critical reading
let alone a productive reading of the text, yet similar examples were rewarded generously.
Some of the other readings could also be rather tenuous and there were times when
unproductive work was awarded generously. There was also a great deal of referencing to
web-based criticism. Perhaps centres need reminding, yet again, that paper-published
works of critical opinion have usually been subjected to serious academic rigour and
include some very sound work indeed from which candidates could benefit. Web-based
criticism has its place, of course, but quality and reliability are varied. There is plenty of
good material available on the WJEC website in order to assist centres with using AO3 and
AO4 productively.
Creative
Some wonderful writing was seen in a range of different genres. Short stories were again
the most popular form chosen with an incredible range of texts being used to stimulate the
candidates. Some of the work was assessed in detail with excellent annotation picking up
on the strengths and weaknesses of a particular piece of writing. However, some teachers
were so effusive in their praise that moderators felt that little critical judgement was being
used in the assessment. Moreover, as AO1 is the only AO being assessed and as this is
coursework which can be proof-read and re-drafted, basic errors were being ignored by
some in assessment. For example, far too many candidates were insecure in their choice
of verb tense in their writing, often moving freely between past and present. Such writing
would hardly be accepted at GCSE let alone at AS Level. WJEC clearly discourages the
use of re-creative writing and this issue has been mentioned numerous times in previous
reports, the online teacher’s guide and at CPD events. Yet, some centres persist in
producing this type of material and consequently work is generously assessed. There
were also some instances of centres using drama or poetry as the stimulus text, a rubric
infringement as LT2 is a Prose Study module.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Commentaries
The most successful commentaries clearly focused on the candidate’s own writing while briefly
but closely analysing the stimulus text. Some of the assessment in this part of the Prose Study
was extremely generous however. Where candidates showed little awareness of their stimulus
text or when the analysis of it was superficial, they struggled to get beyond Band 3. Some
candidates still persist in feature-spotting without having an overview of their own writing or the
stimulus. Vague comments about narrative voice, imagery or sound effects were rewarded
generously far too often. Again, there is plenty of evidence on the WJEC website to assist
teachers and candidates. Previous reports have mentioned the need to use the candidates’
own world and emotional experiences as a good place to begin once an idea from the stimulus
has been decided. Fantasy, science-fiction, re-working of fairy tales, Gothic stories, horror and
thrillers were rarely well written or well analysed by candidates.
General
Most centres’ administrative procedures were thorough and helpful. It makes a great deal of
difference to the moderators and if you are at a centre where details have been completed
efficiently, than you for all your hard work. Some of the greatest frustrations for moderators
were:








candidates not having a cumulative word count on each page of their writing;
the final word count not being included on the coversheet;
teachers at the centre allowing candidates to exceed the word limit and not stopping
assessment once the word count had been reached;
a lack of annotation on the writing. The best practice remains using the AOs with qualifying
statements from the assessment grid to see at which band the candidate is working;
no summative comments on the work;
not giving a split mark for AO3 (one for the connections and one for other readings);
not adopting a scholarly approach and omitting a bibliography, a requirement of the
specification;
a lack of clarity about the final mark when the work had been internally moderated. The final
mark should always be written in the correct place on the coversheet.
There was much to enjoy in the moderation process and it was always a pleasure to see
candidates of all abilities engaging with their texts. Some sophisticated, intelligent and creative
work was seen but it was often just as thrilling to read work by weaker candidates who had
clearly been taught to use analytical skills well and who, as a result, had succeeded in
responding thoughtfully to what they had studied. The course’s ethos is as much about giving
candidates the skills to enjoy a lifetime of reading as much as gaining a grade at the end of
their studies. It was thrilling to see such evidence of personal enjoyment time and time again
which is testament to some of the good teaching that occurs at a number of centres.
.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
11
ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
SUMMER 2014
Advanced
LT3: Period & Genre Study
Principal Examiner:
Lesley Hancock
It was very pleasing to note so many centres making thoughtful use of the advice given in
their individual centre reports. Moderators gain a unique perspective on approaches to text
selection, task setting and assessment, both successful and unsuccessful. As English
teachers, they are keen to pass on good practice, having no motive beyond an interest in
helping all candidates achieve their full potential.
Most centres recognise the value of the moderator’s advice, but there is still a small number
of centres resistant to guidance and apparently reluctant to make any changes. In these
centres the same problems persist which sadly means their candidates are not being given
every opportunity to succeed in this demanding unit. Rather than repeating advice already
given, I would remind centres of the detailed guidance on text selection, task setting and
assessment in the Principal Moderator’s Reports and CPD materials for the last two years. I
sincerely hope teachers in centres whose moderators recommended they revisit those
materials will find the time, and that the following points, collated from this year’s centre
reports, will be helpful to all teachers involved in LT3 preparation.
Task setting
It seems clear the most successful centres are self-reflective. They review the suitability of
their text choices and teaching approaches, assessing their new cohort's abilities, and the
degree of independence they can cope with, and being willing to adapt accordingly
(department capitations allowing, of course).
Careful task setting is certainly vital in giving candidates the chance to achieve their full
potential and there are still some issues which cause concern:

Whereas preparation for exam units necessarily involves covering as many of a text's
themes and ideas as possible, some centres teach towards one topic or a single task
for LT3, which often leads to a formulaic approach, stifling creativity and independence;
at times, it’s possible to sense the candidate’s weariness. Teaching to a template is not
at all in the spirit of this unit, but some persist with this approach and the same extracts
are focused upon, in the same order with the same quotations from the text and other
readers’ views. Other centres vary the wording of the tasks slightly but it’s clear the
candidates are all answering on broadly the same theme and a lack of originality –
and engagement - results. This seems a reductive approach and can mean candidates
gain a narrow appreciation of their texts; for instance, some candidates view Jane Eyre
solely as an expose of Victorian attitudes to madness.

Most centres make use of the advice on effective wording of tasks in previous PM’s
reports but there are still distressing examples of candidates’ achievements being
hampered by unwise choices or simply a lack of clarity in the wording.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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
While it is desirable that candidates decide on the focus for their writing themselves, they
still need help with the wording of the task and should be encouraged to redraft and
refine this. The candidates tackling these tasks would have benefited from advice on
rewording and, not surprisingly, they struggled to structure clear arguments:
‘How do power and authority shape characterisation and how are those without power
subsequently presented as victims in Shakespeare’s sonnets, Emma and A Cat on a Hot
Tin Roof?’.
‘Explore the ways in which developing love is explored in Jane Eyre and the
consequences which the social spheres are able to inflict upon the characters, with ideas
illuminated by the events of the Sonnets of William Shakespeare and Anna Karenina.’

Tasks which encourage a context-led approach are unfortunately still too common,
especially in response to WWI texts, when any invitation to treat the texts as illustrations
of the horrors of war should be avoided: ‘Consider the presentation of conditions in the
trenches and the subsequent effects on the soldiers involved.’ This type of task tends to
act as a barrier to literary appreciation as the candidates find it difficult to see beyond
the emotive impact of the war itself to the writers’ technique. In fact they often write about
the war instead of the texts and the importance of making AO2 drive the response rather
than AO4 must be regularly reinforced.

Tasks have to be manageable in the word limit and a very wide-ranging focus, such as
“the presentation of women” in Rossetti’s poetry, The Handmaid’s Tale and A Doll’s
House, is quite a tall order in 3,000 words. A narrower, more precise focus can
encourage greater analytical depth, such as 'the female rebel' or 'the objectification of
women'. Tasks which require candidates to tackle social morality or class structures
also prove problematic and can lead to sweeping generalisations such as: “Victorian
women suffered from low self-esteem” or “Hardly anyone knew about homosexual
feelings in Shakespeare’s days.” Candidates can also tie themselves in knots trying to
explain the intricacies of social hierarchies in works by Austen, Forster or even
Fitzgerald, often getting it badly wrong: “Mr Elton chooses a wife with a higher social
status in Augusta Hawkins” or “Tom and Daisy are aristocrats and wouldn’t normally
meet criminals like Gatsby or workers like Nick and the Wilsons”. While knowledge of the
social and political background can enhance understanding, it’s advisable not to make
such complex issues part of the actual task: one poor candidate trying to outline
attitudes to the status of women in Regency England wrote a whole page before even
mentioning the texts.
Teaching approaches
There were some problem areas where a slight change in emphasis could improve
candidates’ performances:
Core Poetry
As mentioned in the previous reports, it is worrying to see how often the poetry text is sidelined and even treated as a second partner text to the dominant core novel. This limits
opportunities to address AO2 and makes productive connections more difficult to develop. It
seems the best model is to cover as many poems in as much detail as possible in the time
allowing, so that candidates feel confident enough to make independent selections of
three or four poems for detailed focus to further their arguments. It’s disheartening when all
the candidates from a centre are responding to ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ and ‘The Eve of
St Agnes’.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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On the other hand, there is little to be said for referring briefly to seven, eight or even
more poems, almost in passing, so that depth is sacrificed to breadth and any argument is
weakened by superficial references to the poems. Connections between the texts are often
assertive as a result and unconvincing:
‘Unlike Frank Churchill and the Fair Youth, who use their power to hurt the ones they should
love, Mr Knightley will surely “inherit heaven’s graces” as he is morally right.’
Anthologies continue to cause concern in this regard; while some centres give careful
guidance on their use, it seems in others the candidates are selecting poems without enough
support. War poetry anthologies often include poems for their historical value over literary
merit, increasing the risk that candidates will select poems to make contextual rather than
literary arguments. One candidate using a love poetry anthology had briefly referenced more
than ten poems, including extracts from The Bible and Paradise Lost, sonnets from Sidney
and Barrett Browning as well as a poem by Duffy and ‘The Highwayman’. Making productive
reference to relevant contextual influences on such diverse poems can also be very
difficult and it seems candidates focusing on one poet’s work have more chances to address
all the AOs directly.
Keeping context in its place
In the best responses, context is used to reinforce a literary appreciation rather than
dominating the response and candidates should keep the Chief Examiner’s helpful mantra
firmly in mind:
Task
Text
Context
There was a worrying tendency to view certain writers’ works solely as autobiographical,
which ultimately proved a reductive way to approach the texts. Candidates clearly need
advice on how to use biographical context and of the difference between Claire Tomalin’s
interpretation of Hardy’s poems as a biographer and their task in appreciating them as
literary works. There are texts and writers where it is clearly important to establish the idea of
a distinct narrative voice or persona, rather than completely conflating writer and
protagonist, so that the candidates sustain a literary focus and are not side-tracked into
using the texts to make speculative and assertive claims about the authors’ lives and loves.

Some candidates viewed all the female characters in Keats’ poems solely as
manifestations of Fanny Brawne: “Lamia uses her beauty as a trap for men, which is
what Keats thought all women did because his love for Fanny was unrequited”.

Armed with biographical knowledge of her unusual home life, some candidates could see
Emily Dickinson’s poems only as suicidal confessions: “Emily obviously wanted Death
to “kindly” stop for her because her life was so constricted”.

A task “exploring the presentation of the symptoms of madness” in the verse of
Dickinson and The Bell Jar had some candidates using the texts to diagnose mental
illness in the writers: “Esther, like Sylvia, is thought to be suffering from a particular form
of depression categorised by an expert as…”.

Some candidates using Shakespeare’s sonnets approached the sequence like a novel
with a plot and characters, one candidate’s task actually directing him to consider
“character development in the sonnets”. There was often so much focus on
Shakespeare’s sexual orientation that appreciation of the poems as poetry was
completely overlooked, and the narrator became “Shakespeare”, who could be linked
with characters from other texts: “One major difference between Shakespeare and Brick
is that Shakespeare accepted his homosexuality whereas Brick won’t listen to any
suggestion that he is gay”.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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With this approach, context can become more important - and interesting - to candidates
than literary appreciation and the texts are viewed as biographical puzzles with quotations
used to support assertions: “Shakespeare refers to the Dark Lady as ‘the wide world’s
common place’ which proves she was a prostitute who gave him an STD suggested by all
the disease imagery in the sonnets.”
Guidance on how to use other literary interpretations (AO3ii)
Some candidates demonstrate impressive autonomy and maturity in handling a range of
other views, confidently discussing their usefulness and integrating them smoothly into their
own arguments. On occasions, however, confident candidates can include too much
direct reference to other readings thereby squeezing the more heavily weighted AO2, and
this might be worthwhile monitoring in high achieving candidates.
In less confident candidates there is still the temptation to become over reliant on internet
resources such as Shmoop and Sparknotes and clearly some confusion over how to use
them. Some candidates included quotations from such sites, when the material was little
more than commentary rather than an alternative reading they could engage with. More
worryingly, some candidates still “lift” material from on-line resources without placing it inside
quotation marks and risk accusations of plagiarism which can have devastating
consequences for those involved. It’s vitally important that teachers are vigilant when
reading draft work and reinforce the very strict JCQ regulations governing use of other
sources.
Some centres also find it helpful to suggest or even provide worthwhile critical material to
candidates and try to steer them away from online resources, at least warning them of the
pitfalls of such sites.
Assessment
Most centres have established efficient internal moderation procedures, often including good
practice such as thorough dual marking of the essays. Sadly, there are centres where it is
clear markers have not consulted the standardising materials on the WJEC website,
updated every year with detailed commentaries, and are relying instead on their own inhouse standards.
There are some pressing issues regarding accurate assessment which all centres must be
aware of:
Analysis versus assertion (AO2)
Some markers still annotate as “analysis” what is really understanding of implied meaning,
commentary with support or, in the worst cases, mere assertion. This has been repeatedly
raised in the PMs’ reports in all four units and it’s disheartening to see high marks awarded
for AO2 when the candidate has not demonstrated the ability to explore and explain how
writers’ use of language, form and structure has conveyed their meaning.
Some candidates demonstrate a very sound overview of the text and mature grasp of
implied meaning, often accompanied by relevant quotation, neatly subsumed, but they must
still tackle the writers’ technique directly to gain high marks for AO2. Understanding
implied meaning is vitally important, but is only one strand of AO2, and analysis or critical
appreciation via close, detailed discussion of how the writer’s choices have conveyed that
meaning is needed for Bands 4 and 5.
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Still more alarming is when candidates do not include enough direct textual reference
leading to their asserting claims instead of analysing how meaning is conveyed; essays
where there is relatively sparse supporting quotation should not be gaining high marks for
AO2. This is also a consideration when the candidate is making too broad a claim from thin –
and unconvincing - evidence:
“Mr Rochester says, ‘You are dumb, Miss Eyre’. Language of this kind causes abusive
relationships, further supporting my point that it is evident that the love, support and
kindness he withholds has driven Bertha to insanity”.
Moreover, the quality of any discussion of technique must be considered, especially
when awarding marks in Band 4 and 5 for AO2. Some candidates over analyse isolated
words or make extravagant claims for minor effects, such as use of punctuation or sound
effects (the latter seems particularly tenuous when the text is a novel):
‘The short sentences symbolise Pa’s brutish nature.’
‘Barker’s use of a caesura provokes sympathy from the reader.’
‘The colons imply a sense of gravity.’
‘The structure of the sonnet in itself represents love.’
‘The use of alliteration suggests repressing all inner feelings can cause madness.’
‘Alliteration in “faery fancy” further implies the unattainable desire for power.’
‘The soft sibilance of “shovelling soil” compared with the bilabial plosive of “blackened bone”
shows the harsh reality of life in the trenches.’
At times, candidates seem to have forgotten the writer behind the text and begin to
speculate on what the characters might feel or do, treating them as if they are real people
rather than constructs. Tentative, conditional language is appropriate when showing
awareness of ambiguity based on close reading of the texts, but not as a catch-all for
sweeping assertions without adequate support:
‘Antoinette might have stayed sane if she had not married Rochester.’
‘Perhaps Charlotte is perfectly satisfied to be Mrs Collins and doesn’t envy Lizzie’s wealth
and status.’
Rewarding relevant, developed connections between the texts (AO3i)
Productive and illuminating links show clearly how the candidate’s understanding of the texts
has been enhanced by exploring parallels or contrasts, how studying one text has shed light
on the other(s). Candidates are often given high marks for drawing attention to “clear and
appropriate” similarities between the texts, but these must be developed and linked directly
to the argument to justify marks in Bands 4 and 5.
Some centres still over-reward connections which may be valid but remain assertive and
even superficial without enough development to make them fully convincing. There was a
worrying tendency to make tenuous and undeveloped claims, at times linking characters in
one text with the writer of another:
‘Like Elizabeth and Darcy, Thomas Hardy and Emma married for love.’
‘It seems that Keats may be as mad as Jed Parry in “Enduring Love”.’
‘The marriage between Porphyro and Madeline will probably end up like Daisy’s and Tom’s,
as both are based on lust rather than true love.’
‘Batemen in American Psycho is presented as death personified which can be linked to
Dickinson’s frequent personification of death in her poems’.
‘Rivers’ “tireless dilemma” in “Regeneration” can remind us of the ticking clock in “Jane
Eyre”.’
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Once again, I would strongly recommend teachers in new centres, and those whose
assessment has been described as generous or severe, to revisit the advice on good
practice given in previous Principal’s Reports. In short, I would urge primary markers to
reserve Band 5 marks for those candidates who genuinely meet the demanding criteria as
exemplified by work in the standardising materials, ie those whose writing demonstrates flair
in expressing sophisticated, individual thinking and conceptual understanding, perceptive
critical appreciation, autonomy in making illuminating connections and handling other
readings along with the ability to discuss and evaluate contextual influences with confidence.
What is always striking – and exciting - about this unit is the freedom it gives candidates to
express their appreciation of literature in genuinely independent and creative responses; all
the moderators commented on the excellence of the work deserving of Band 5 scores.
These outstanding responses aside, the majority of candidates across the ability range had
clearly worked hard to produce extended responses to challenging texts and tasks, carefully
guided by their teachers’ expertise and knowledge.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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ENGLISH LITERATURE
General Certificate of Education
SUMMER 2014
Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced
LT4: Poetry and Drama 2
Principal Examiner:
Stephen Purcell
General Remarks
While there is much to say about the contents of candidates' responses to this paper, I hope
colleagues will forgive mention of more mundane but nevertheless essential matters. There
is increasing concern amongst examiners at candidates' failure to manage their scripts
efficiently in terms of presentation and layout in the ways listed below:

On the front of all booklets there is a clear instruction (the final bullet point) to enter the
number of questions answered in the appropriate grid. This instruction is often ignored
and creates an unnecessary and distracting problem for the examiner.

Candidates are frequently ignoring the instruction to use only black ink on their scripts:
when coloured inks and highlighters have been used, examiners are obliged to write
explanatory notes on the front covers so as to avoid confusion at a later date.

Quotations from texts and the titles of poems and plays need to be marked off with
appropriate quotation marks. Titles and proper nouns should be capitalised.

All LT4 examiners write several lines of summative comments at the ends of essays.
Wherever possible, it would be sensible for candidates to leave space for these notes
directly below their work rather than allowing one answer to run on almost continuously
into the next.

Handwriting is now a very serious issue and colleagues are reminded that the
completion of a simple online form will allow them to make proper provision for
candidates whose handwriting is illegible.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Section A: Critical Reading of Poetry
Overview
One of the most gratifying aspects of this paper for examiners is to be found in the scope of
candidates' responses to the poetry questions and unseen poetry selections. Even in the
smallest centres, there is usually good evidence of independent approaches in the ways
candidates have selected their tasks and partner texts. While questions on religion, the
strengths and weaknesses of human nature and conflict proved very popular, there was still
some ambitious writing on poets' choices of form and the paradox of readers taking pleasure
in poetry which caused pain or discomfort. There was, however, a number of scripts where
this last task had been misread and candidates wrote on the presentation of pain and
discomfort in their chosen poets which is a different matter and produced some writing which
was only marginally relevant to the task.
Good work was seen on all of the unseen poems. Sassoon, Oliver and Hardy proved the
most popular and there were some excellent responses (particularly from those who had
studied Milton) to both Hardy and Oliver. I saw some impressive answers where candidates
had connected the refusal to seek unwanted knowledge in Hardy's poem with the opposite
tendency in Eve, and a small number of candidates managed to engage with the subverting
idea of "happy prisoner" at the end of Oliver's poem and how this might connect with Adam
and Eve's circumstances. It is that kind of intelligent and sensitive engagement which makes
this section of LT4 such a pleasure to assess.
Points for Consideration
AO1




Assertion of meaning seriously undermines creative engagement. This becomes very
damaging when candidates' narrow the interpretation of a poem so as to fit a predetermined argument. A common example of the fault this year can be found in the
assertion that Blake's 'London' "is a poem about industrialisation". Candidates are
strongly advised that a relevant reading of any poem is achieved through supported
analysis.
The use of terminology is vital in so far as it creates precision and economy in essays.
A listing of learned terms will not in itself contribute to the quality of an essay and,
ironically, frequently undermines clarity and relevance.
In maintaining coherence, and in addition to the logical organisation of points,
candidates should be careful to link their choices of critical views (AO3ii) and their
supporting quotations from texts (AO2) to the topic under discussion. Once again, there
was a tendency to parade textual knowledge and critical views rather than to integrate
them relevantly.
Candidates' awareness of literary concepts is a function of their ability to treat their texts
as literary constructs rather than as social, historical or any other sort of non-literary
writing. Candidates are advised to spend time considering the distinguishing features of
literary texts so as to guide the emphasis in their responses.
AO2

Detailed critical understanding can be demonstrated only through the analysis of texts
under consideration. Candidates who have written extensively about their texts are often
disappointed by low AO2 marks where they have written descriptively rather than
analytically. As well as having a detailed knowledge and understanding of the texts, a
successful A level candidate will have a clear understanding of the differences between
descriptive writing; commentary on meaning and the analysis of the ways meaning is
made. Only the last of these will help candidates to achieve the highest bands.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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It might be helpful for candidates to discuss the differences between the three examples
below:
(i) "In his poem 'London' Blake gives an account of the capital city and the lives of its
people in the late eighteenth century."
(ii) "Blake uses the voice in his poem 'London' to express horror and disgust at the
restricted lives and suffering experienced by the inhabitants of the time."
(iii) "In choosing the terms "weakness" and "woe" to describe the appearance of
Londoners, Blake creates an interesting ambiguity. On the one hand, "weakness"
and "woe" might be imposed upon the population by corrupt authority safe behind "
palace walls" or by the diseases implicit in the "harlot's curse". Alternatively, the
people's state of misery might be generated from within where the life of the mind
and imagination has been imprisoned by the self-imposed "mind-forg'd manacles"
which are everywhere apparent according to the insistent voice in stanza two."
AO3i

The key idea here is contained in the word "explored". It is insufficient for candidates to
draw attention to similarities or differences between their texts. Instead, it is essential
that connections are shown to have influenced the ways core texts are understood and
appreciated.
AO3ii


In a similar way, where candidates suggest alternative readings or use the opinions of
other readers, they must show how this has informed their reading of a text. A stark
claim that a text could be read in a different way or that a critic holds a certain opinion
does not inform a reading until it is fully integrated into the candidate's discussion.
There has been a worrying proliferation of factual comment from literary historians being
presented as illuminating critical opinion. For instance, "Critics claim that Donne is a
metaphysical poet with a special interest in personal relationships." does little to
illuminate our understanding of Donne's writing.
AO4

As has been advised so many times before, the single guiding principle here is the need
to demonstrate the significance and influence of contexts. This means that references
to relevant contexts must arise out of critical/analytical discussion of texts in light of the
set task. Contextual knowledge, however detailed, cannot, on its own, earn candidates a
reward under this AO.
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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Section B: Shakespeare and Related Drama
Overview
Tasks on each pair of texts are designed to support the widest spectrum of candidates:
some will prefer the stimulus of a critical quotation while others are more comfortable with a
direct approach to the thematic issues or structure of the plays. In both cases however,
candidates need to be cautious: over enthusiasm for the claims of the critical quotation, or a
reductive approach to the highlighted themes tend to undermine creative engagement with
the texts as candidates substitute the vigour of the debating chamber for the balanced
consideration of literary analysis. So, claims such as "The Tempest is just an extended
essay on ambition" clearly need careful qualification if they are to stand as thoughtful and
analytical remarks.
There was the usual support for King Lear and Hamlet with Measure for Measure and The
Tempest fairly close behind. Unfortunately, Richard ll for all its poetic splendour, remains a
very distant fifth in the ratings but those answers which I saw were mostly of a high quality.
Most King Lear Candidates had no difficulty in interpreting the demands of the questions but
those who responded to Hamlet (Question 9) sometimes did not read closely enough and
took the task to be a consideration of the ways in which the play as a whole inspires
sympathy. Candidates must be made familiar with conventions governing the printing of
titles, but even so, the instruction to make comparative reference to Vindice rather than The
Revenger's Tragedy as a whole should have given pause for thought.
Measure for Measure and The Tempest presented few difficulties when it came to the
interpretations of tasks but there was a marked tendency for candidates to produce narrow
answers about Angelo when it came to " disease, decay and dereliction" in Measure for
Measure and in both questions on The Tempest where consideration of ambition was often
restricted to Prospero's desire for control and Caliban's strategies for the return of his island.
Many saw the moral lessons of The Tempest to be little more than, "experimentation with
magic will eventually come to no good" - I suspect that this was carefully manufactured to fit
in snugly with Doctor Faustus. In all cases, a little more time spent thinking through material
and consideration of the scope of questions would probably have produced better essays.
Many of the points made in Section A above about approaches to the different AOs apply
with very slight adaptation to candidates' drama essays, but points for special consideration
are as follows:
AO1

Drama has a natural tendency to invite narrative essays from the unwary. Candidates
need to practise making brief, supporting references to drama texts without re-telling the
tale which undermines creative engagement. Connected to this is the uncritical approach
which suggests alternative courses of action for characters and therefore different
outcomes in the dramas which would have avoided all the problems! Inevitably in essays
of this sort, characters are treated as historical people rather than as literary constructs.
AO2

Candidates frequently write very well on language and subtext but give insufficient
attention to the ways plays are structured and the devices involved.
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AO3i

There is still work to be done on balancing responses between core and partner texts.
Extended, close analysis of the partner text sometimes reflects the candidate's
preferences but does not help to address the task productively. A few illuminating
references showing how the partner has influenced the ways the core has been
appreciated and understood is all that is required.
AO3ii

Candidates need to be careful in presenting Aristotelian theory as a critical reading of a
specific play when it is better seen as relevant literary context.
AO4

King James, it would seem, must take a good deal of the credit for Shakespeare's plays.
What with his tracts on witchcraft and good government and the celebration his
daughter's wedding he has been presented in many essays this year as the
overwhelming influence on Shakespeare's writing. Historical titbits are easy to remember
and sometimes give candidates the false impression of scholarly writing when they are
misused in literary essays and allowed to become detached essays in their own right.
Candidates are advised to be cautious and to remember the simple formula: "task -text context " which will help to keep essays on track.
As always, it has been a pleasure to examine LT4. Examiners recognise and applaud the
enormous efforts of teachers and candidates as they address this very challenging
examination.
GCE English Literature Examiners’ Report (Summer 2014)
© WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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