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English Literature GCSE WJEC EDUQAS

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Exam code:C720

How to Write a Romeo and Juliet Essay

Component 1 of your Eduqas GCSE English Literature exam will include two questions on the Shakespeare play that you’ve been studying.

You will have 60 minutes to complete two Romeo and Juliet questions:

  • A question based on an extract from Romeo and Juliet for 15 marks

  • A “discursive” essay question for 25 marks

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Eduqas examiners make it very clear that, while you need to learn quotations for the discursive essay question, you should not “stray beyond” the passage provided to you for the extract question. In fact, they say that students should try to explore the whole of the extract for this question, taking evidence from the beginning, middle and end of the passage.

However, even for the extract question, it is really important that you have a good knowledge of the whole play and how characters develop, so that you can make perceptive comments about how characters are presented in the extract. Understanding what a character was like prior to the extract, and how they are presented after it, will help enrich your analysis.

How do you start a Romeo and Juliet essay?

It’s always daunting when you know you have 60 minutes to write two answers. So how do you start writing? Students dread the idea of planning. Often that is because they are not sure how to make it work for them, and think it is a waste of time. But try to see it another way: with such limited time, preparation is key. 

The single most important thing you can do in order to get the highest mark on your Romeo and Juliet essay is to avoid jumping straight in before you have a firm grasp of the question. So, a plan begins with asking a simple question: what is your overall answer to the question you have been set? Once you know this, you can add some ideas about how you will support your argument with references from the play, or with evidence from the extract. For both the Eduqas extract-based question and the discursive essay, examiners award the highest marks to students who create a “coherent line of argument” and who maintain a “focus on the question” and a “critical style”. What do these phrases actually mean?

Examiner comment

What this means you should do

“Focus on the question”

  • Ensure that you understand what the question is asking before you start writing

  • Ensure your argument answers the question specifically

  • Do not simply write everything you know about the play, or what the extract is “saying”

“Coherent line of argument”

  • For the discursive essay, include a brief introduction that sets out your argument

  • Ensure your argument is consistently supported throughout your essay

  • Don’t be tempted to write a plot summary

  • Include a short conclusion that summarises your line of reasoning in your discursive essay

“Critical style”

  • Make sure you have offered your opinion on the question

  • Offer different interpretations on characterisations

  • Consider the audience response, such as judgement or sympathy 

By creating a plan before you start writing, you are ensuring that your essay covers all three of these points.

Your plan for a discursive essay could look something like this:

Diagram of an essay plan on writing about Juliet's character in Romeo and Juliet, illustrating paragraph themes, thesis statement, and incorporating topic sentences and evidence.

How do you structure a Romeo and Juliet essay?

Eduqas examiners give the highest marks to students who have managed to create a “coherent line of argument” throughout their discursive essay. One of the best ways to achieve this is to formulate your own answer to the question: this is your interpretation or argument. Once you have done this, you can plan how to structure your ideas. Consider how each paragraph will analyse a different point in your argument, and choose relevant evidence from the extract or across the play to support your ideas. To achieve a Grade 9 in the discursive essay, Eduqas recommends that students include an introduction, clearly organised paragraphs and a conclusion. 

If you look at the example plan above, you will see that the example plan includes a “thesis statement” and “topic questions”. See how to include these into your essay below:

Diagram explaining GCSE essay structure: introduction with thesis statement, body paragraphs each starting with a topic sentence linking to the thesis, and a concise conclusion.

Top tips for structuring your Romeo and Juliet discursive essay

  • Always begin with a clear thesis statement that sets out your argument:

    • Your thesis statement should be one or two sentences and should focus on the playwright

    • For a character-based question, consider what the character represents or how they convey a theme

    • You could consider genre; for example, the fact it is a tragedy

  • Include concise paragraphs in your essay:

    • Two or three paragraphs is enough for the extract question

    • Three or four paragraphs works best for the discursive essay

    • Including more paragraphs can result in a rambling essay that doesn’t always answer the question – less is more when writing a focused, coherent essay

  • Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence:

    • This is one sentence that sets out the argument of the paragraph

    • Topic sentences should always be directly related to your thesis statement

    • All the evidence (quotes or references) should prove your topic sentence

  • Finish your essay with a short conclusion:

    • The conclusion shouldn’t include any new evidence

    • As it should sum up your argument, it may help to reread your introduction

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Some schools and teachers teach students a “scaffold” for writing essay paragraphs. This usually takes the form of an acronym, like PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation).

While this is designed to help you achieve the objectives on the mark scheme, make sure it does not limit your analysis. A good idea is to use two pieces of evidence (these can be references or short quotes) in your paragraphs to better support your point. You could also comment on how the audience would respond. Eduqas examiners are looking for theatrical analysis, which means asking: “what do the audience know at this point?”, or “what are they seeing happen on stage?” Try to extend your explanation to include interpretations of the characters’ reactions, and always remember to comment on directed staging. 

To see an example of how to include these elements in your essay, see our model answer for the Eduqas Romeo and Juliet extract question, and a model answer for the Romeo and Juliet discursive essay question.

Top tips for structuring your Romeo and Juliet essay

Top-grade students:

Students who don’t do as well:

Plan their essays before writing them 

Don’t plan and write rambling, unfocused essays that find the answer by the end

Include their own line of argument in the form of a thesis statement

Write pre-learned essays that don’t answer the question, but rather answer the question they wish they’d been asked

Always focus their response on the question given, and the writer’s aims

Focus on character, rather than methods and audience

Consider different interpretations, as well as dramatic and tragic conventions

Explain or retell the plot of Romeo and Juliet, rather than analyse Shakespeare’s choices

Choose the best supporting evidence from the extract or play as a whole

Analyse irrelevant or difficult quotations because they’ve learnt them, or think they sound important

Develop and extend their analysis of language, structure and form to consider audience response and character function

Make simple comments, and don’t extend their analysis

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