Philip Allan Literature Guide (for GCSE): The Merchant of Venice

Summary:
Philip Allan Literature Guides (for GCSE) provide exam-focused analysis of popular set texts to give students the very best chance of achieving the highest grades possible.

Designed to be used throughout the course or as revision before the exam, this full colour text provides:
thorough commentary outlining the plot and structure and exploring the themes, style, characters and context of the text
exemplar A*- and C-grade answers to exam-style questions, with examiner's comments, exam and essay-writing advice
assessment objectives for each exam board, highlighting the specific skills that students need to develop
'Grade booster' boxes with tips on how to move between grades
'Pause for thought' boxes to make students consider their own opinions on the text
Key quotations memorise and use in the exams

Each guide comes with free access to a website with further revision aids, including interactive quizzes, a forum for students to share their ideas, useful web links plus additional exam-style questions and answers with examiner's comments and expert advice.

• Develop a deeper understanding of context, themes and style
• Understand how to boost your grade
• Improve exam preparation and technique
• Free online support

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Context
Plot and structure
Characterisation
Themes
Style
Tackling the assessments
Assessment objectives and skills
Sample essays
Answers

About the Author(s):
Shaun McCarthy is a professional playwright for stage and radio. His recent plays have been produced by Bristol Old Vic, Ustinov Studio Bath Theatre Royal and the Katie Read Company, and by BBC Radio 4. He teaches writing for performance at Oxford and Bristol universities. He has written many education titles, including study guides to Shakespeare and modern dramatists, creative writing programmes and literary biographies.
The series editor Jeanette Weatherall has been a Head of English and an Assistant
Headteacher in two large secondary schools in the UK and is Chair of
Examiners for A-level Literature for one of the UK's major examination
boards.