AQA GCSE English Literature key terms

A punishment in which a convicted person was sent overseas to a penal colony, often to perform forced labour.

An act or punishment undertaken for wrongdoing or sin.

Sincere regret for wrongdoing, accompanied by a desire to change.

A reversal in a tragic character's situation or fortunes, particularly when apparent success turns towards disaster.

The organised glorification of a leader through praise, images, ceremonies and claims of exceptional wisdom or goodness.

Giving a non-human thing a human action, quality or feeling.

A literary convention in which a lover idealises an unattainable beloved and expresses intense suffering, often through exaggerated comparisons and contradictions. It takes its name from the Italian poet Petrarch.

A conventional literary lover who idealises the beloved, often admiring her beauty and purity from a distance rather than knowing her through an equal relationship.

A fourteen-line poem traditionally associated with love, with an eight-line octave and a six-line sestet. Its argument usually changes direction between these sections.

Writing that represents the sound of speech through spelling, as in Nagra’s “ov” and “vee”.

The belief that someone’s character can be judged from their facial features. Lady Ingram uses this claim to give authority to her class prejudice.

A close, affectionate relationship that is not romantic or sexual.

Assuming power over life and death traditionally associated with God, especially without accepting the obligations that accompany that power.

An ordinary Roman citizen belonging to the common people rather than the patrician aristocracy. In Julius Caesar, the plebeians appear collectively as commoners and citizens.

The sequence of events in a story and the connections between them, including causes and consequences.

An officially appointed national poet whose role includes writing poetry connected with public occasions.

The repeated use of conjunctions such as ‘and’ to connect words or phrases, often creating emphasis or a sense of accumulation.

A law passed in 1834 that reorganised poor relief in England and Wales, enabling restrictions on assistance outside workhouses and strengthening reliance on harsh workhouse provision.

A reading that examines colonial power and its consequences, including how an outsider controls a place and its inhabitants.

An interpretation that examines colonial power and its effects on identity, representation and whose voice is heard.

A mental health condition that can follow a traumatic experience and may involve intrusive memories, nightmares and distress. Often abbreviated to PTSD.

A shortage of money and resources needed for essentials such as food, clothing, warmth and shelter.

The ability to direct others’ actions, make decisions or control resources.

A relationship in which one person has more control or freedom than another, for example through money, social status or access to housing.

An approach that prioritises what seems workable in the circumstances rather than an ideal or principle.

An earlier action or case used as a model or justification for a later one.

A judgement made in advance rather than through fair consideration of evidence, often based on assumptions about a social group.