Eduqas GCSE English Literature key terms

Accumulating and keeping possessions or money rather than using them. Silas’s hoarding becomes a substitute for human companionship.

Language or representation that suggests romantic or sexual attraction between people of the same sex.

Moral worth or the respect attached to someone’s conduct and social standing. In Much Ado About Nothing, characters sometimes protect their public honour by behaving dishonourably towards others.

The acceptance that one’s judgement and importance have limits, together with a willingness to acknowledge faults. Darcy develops humility after Elizabeth rejects his first proposal.

An exaggerated statement used to create emphasis.

Pretending to hold moral standards that one’s own behaviour contradicts.

A line of verse with five metrical feet, each normally consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

A pattern of four metrical feet per line, each normally consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

The qualities through which someone understands themselves and is recognised by others, including their name, relationships, memories and social role.

An object of worship; figuratively, something treated as more important than anything else.

Treating someone or something as an object of worship in place of God; Jane uses this idea to describe her excessive devotion to Rochester.

The historical status attached to birth outside marriage, which could bring social stigma and restrictions on inheritance.

Descriptive or figurative language that creates a sensory impression or helps a reader imagine an experience.

A word or grammatical form used to give an instruction or command.

The extension of a country’s power over other territories and peoples, often through conquest and colonial rule.

Acting quickly on a feeling or desire without sufficiently considering the consequences.

Words spoken or chanted as part of a ritual, often associated with spells or supernatural power.

The ability to make and act on one's own decisions. In Jane Eyre, emotional and moral independence are related to, but distinct from, financial independence.

A lack of interest or concern, especially towards another person’s suffering.

Violent destruction that does not distinguish between different targets, such as soldiers and civilians.

The belief that people should primarily look after themselves rather than accept obligations to the wider community.

Allowing someone’s wishes or behaviour without providing necessary limits or correction.

The growth of mechanised production and factories that transformed work and society from the eighteenth century onwards.

An unequal distribution of resources, opportunities or power between people or groups.

Sexual unfaithfulness to a spouse or partner.

An interpretation or judgement supported by the poem’s words and methods, rather than an unsupported statement of liking or dislike.

Microscopic organisms living in water, used in the novel’s opening comparison to reduce humanity’s apparent importance.