AQA style: love (30 marks, AO1 AO2 AO3) (Romeo and Juliet)

Revision Robin All exams Written answers

GCSE English Literature · AQA style · Paper 1 style, extract and whole text

AO1AO2AO330 marks · about 45 minutes

Starting with this conversation, explore how Shakespeare presents love in Romeo and Juliet. Write about: • how Shakespeare presents Romeo and Juliet's love in this conversation • how Shakespeare presents love in the play as a whole. [30 marks] AO1, AO2, AO3

Read the extract, then write below it.

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it; cast it off. It is my lady, O it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses, I will answer it. I am too bold, ’tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, Having some business, do entreat her eyes To twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek. JULIET. Ay me. ROMEO. She speaks. O speak again bright angel, for thou art As glorious to this night, being o’er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him When he bestrides the lazy-puffing clouds And sails upon the bosom of the air. JULIET. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet. ROMEO. [_Aside._] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? JULIET. ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O be some other name. What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for thy name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself. ROMEO. I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptis’d; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Source: William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1597). Public domain.

How this is marked

AO1 (published assessment objective): Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas; select and synthesise evidence from different texts (English Language). For Literature: read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style, developing an informed personal response, and using textual references including quotations to support and illustrate interpretations. For Geography: demonstrate knowledge of locations, places, processes, environments and different scales. For History: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the periods studied.

AO2 (published assessment objective): Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views (English). For Geography: demonstrate geographical understanding of concepts and how they are used in relation to places, environments and processes, and the interrelationships between places, environments and processes. For History: explain and analyse historical events and periods studied using second-order historical concepts.

AO3 (published assessment objective): Compare writers' ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed, across two or more texts (English Language). For Literature: show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. For Geography: apply knowledge and understanding to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues to make judgements. For History: analyse, evaluate and use sources (contemporary to the period) to make substantiated judgements.

Assessed against AO1, AO2, AO3 using Revision Robin's own level descriptors below. These are not the exam board's mark scheme. Every quotation in the feedback is checked against your answer and the extract before you see it, and a teacher's mark overrides ours.

Level 5 · 25 to 30	Convincing, critical and exploratory response to the task and the whole text. Judicious, precise references integrated into the argument; analysis of the writer's methods with subject terminology used to sharpen the point; ideas about context or the writer's purpose are woven into the argument rather than bolted on.
Level 4 · 19 to 24	Thoughtful, developed response. Apt references used to support a considered argument; examination of the writer's methods and their effects; ideas about context are relevant and linked to the task.
Level 3 · 13 to 18	Clear, explained response. Relevant references; clear explanation of some methods and effects; some relevant comment on context.
Level 2 · 7 to 12	Some explained comment. A supported point or two; some reference to the text; methods identified with simple comment on effect; context mentioned in passing or not at all.
Level 1 · 1 to 6	Simple, supported comment. Narrates or describes the text; little reference to methods or context.