Examiner’s Report

LTB5 Set Texts: Drama before 1770; Poetry before 1900

General
Examiner’s saw:
• Candidates who knew the texts well and could use specific references and quotations
to support their arguments scored highly. However, it should be kept in mind that
length is not necessarily indicative of quality. There were a number of very long
scripts with low scores, often because the answers tended to be narrative paraphrase.
• Examiners also noted that a number of potentially good answers did not engage
directly with the questions and consequently lost marks. Candidates are advised
against twisting questions to fit prepared answers as this is rarely successful. Equally,
candidates who have practised questions from previous papers should avoid re-
presenting these answers as they will not necessarily fit this year’s question!
• Candidates should also remember that the questions are designed to target the
designated assessment objectives and therefore, if they answer the question asked,
they will automatically engage with the relevant objectives.
• One final general comment concerns the terms of the questions. When questions
include reference to literary concepts, candidates are advised to consider their
definitions of these concepts very carefully. For example, question 3b on Coleridge
asked for consideration of the ‘gothic’ elements and a clear definition of the
candidate’s interpretation of this concept would have greatly improved many answers.

SECTION A: POETRY
• In this section, focus on form, structure and language is essential, as AO3 is targeted.
The different texts on the paper seem to invite varying degrees of success with
regards to this assessment objective.
• Many answers depended heavily on character study rather than analysis of language.
• The critical viewpoints expressed in some answers were also often interesting and
original, showing some thoughtful engagement with alternative interpretations.
• The terms of some of the questions were often not noted with sufficient care.
• Tennyson.s poetry was a popular choice this series. Again, though, the specific terms
of the questions were not always considered. In question 4a on symbolism, many
candidates ranged too freely over many other features of form and language. Whilst
examiners were prepared to be fairly flexible about what candidates considered to be
a symbol, it was difficult to give credit for discussion of punctuation and syntax.
• With regards to AO4, many answers effectively considered a wide range of readings
and showed a strong sense of personal response. Although biographical readings of
the texts can be valid ways of interpreting the poems, candidates should guard against
long passages of biography as a substitute for literary interpretation. There were many
examples of paragraphs detailing Coleridge’s opium addiction and an equal number
exploring Tennyson’s relationship with Hallam.