Edexcel GCSE English Literature key terms

The central character of a literary work, whose experiences and actions organise much of its plot.

A description of someone who challenges women's subordination before the development of modern feminist movements.

The belief that God guides events. Silas interprets Eppie’s arrival as a blessing that rescued him from misery.

An assumed name used by a writer instead of their own name; Charlotte Brontë published as Currer Bell.

Wordplay using a word’s different meanings or words that sound alike.

The removal of supposed enemies from an organisation or society, often through imprisonment or execution.

A member of a Protestant religious movement associated with strict moral discipline and opposition to entertainments considered sinful.

The separation or restriction of people who may have an infectious disease, intended to prevent its spread.

A stanza consisting of four lines.

A stanza containing five lines.

An exact word, phrase or sentence taken from a text and used as evidence for an interpretation.

The situation surrounding a quotation: who speaks or thinks it, whom it addresses, and what has happened. These details help establish what the words mean.

The repeated word or phrase at prescribed line endings in a traditional ghazal.

A nineteenth-century charitable school providing free education for children living in extreme poverty.

A person’s position within a social hierarchy, influenced by birth, family connections and titles; it is not identical to wealth.

Writing that represents recognisable everyday life through convincing social, material and psychological detail.

The ability to consider evidence and consequences before reaching a judgment, rather than acting only on immediate feelings.

Love that is returned by the other person.

The recovery or reform of someone who has gone morally astray. The Ghost of Christmas Past uses this word to describe its purpose in helping Scrooge change.

A scene in which a concealed or mistaken identity is discovered, changing the characters’ understanding of earlier events.

A speaker’s act of recalling an earlier experience; in poetry, recollection can select and reshape details rather than simply report events.

The restoration of a friendly relationship after conflict; unlike forgiveness, it requires some willingness from both sides.

Firm commitment to morally correct behaviour. Nancy’s rectitude makes her dependable, but her certainty about what is right can become inflexible.

Moral rescue or renewal through turning away from wrongdoing.

A misleading clue that encourages an incorrect explanation. Pip’s connections with Miss Havisham encourage his mistaken belief that she finances him.

A word, phrase or line repeated at intervals in a poem.

A person outside their country who cannot or will not seek its protection because of a well-founded fear of persecution. The 1951 Refugee Convention identifies race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group and political opinion as grounds for that persecution.