Edexcel GCSE English Literature key terms

An imagined ideal society. Old Major’s vision is of animals living freely and enjoying the produce of their own labour.

Excessive satisfaction with oneself or a desire for admiration. Elizabeth recognises that Wickham’s flattering attention encouraged her to believe him.

The use of words whose intended meaning differs from their apparent meaning, often creating humour or criticism.

Language organised into lines with a patterned rhythm, sometimes also using rhyme.

The use of physical force to harm someone or damage something; in the novella, it also exposes cruelty, failures of self-control and threats to social order.

Genuine moral goodness, rather than merely the appearance of goodness or a respected social position.

A mask; Macbeth uses the plural 'vizards' to describe faces that conceal the feelings and intentions of the heart.

A strong sense of being called to a particular occupation or purpose, especially religious service.

A shift in thought or argument in a poem, particularly a sonnet.

A woman of gentle social standing; Maria serves as Olivia’s personal attendant but ranks below the knight Sir Toby.

A lack of basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter; this is the meaning embodied by the girl named Want.

Ordinary citizens responsible for patrolling streets and apprehending suspected wrongdoers before the development of a professional police force.

A system in which the state takes responsibility for supporting people’s welfare through services and financial assistance.

A tightly constructed dramatic form in which preparation, concealed information, revelations and reversals build towards a climax and resolution.

A woman employed to breastfeed another woman’s child. Juliet’s Nurse also helped bring her up.

A mystery organised around discovering who committed or caused an apparent crime.

A character who appears foolish, or performs foolishness, while revealing insight that supposedly wiser characters lack.

The ability to express an intelligent or perceptive idea in an amusing way.

An expression that draws attention to more than one possible meaning of a word or phrase.

An institution providing accommodation, work and basic support for destitute people. Under the New Poor Law system, harsh conditions were intended to discourage applications for relief.

A social group whose members generally depend on wages earned through their labour rather than ownership of businesses or inherited wealth.

Intense anger, often carrying associations of punishment or vengeance.

A frame placed across the necks of working animals. As a metaphor for marriage, it can suggest restraint, submission or being joined to another.