OCR GCSE English Literature key terms

A murder committed in the name of protecting or restoring a family’s supposed honour, often targeting a woman accused of breaking social expectations.

Excessive pride or confidence that leads someone to disregard moral limits or underestimate danger.

Recognition of the limits of one’s knowledge, power and importance, rather than an assumption of superiority.

A combination of cultural influences rather than an identity belonging exclusively to one culture.

Exaggeration used for emphasis, humour or another effect.

Claiming moral standards or beliefs that one’s own behaviour contradicts.

A rhythmic unit consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

A pattern of poetic rhythm built from pairs of syllables in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable.

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

Belief in, and commitment to, principles about how life should be, such as freedom, equality and mutual care.

A person’s understanding of who they are, shaped by experiences, relationships, culture and the ways others treat them.

The worship of an idol rather than God; figuratively, excessive devotion to something. Belle presents Scrooge’s love of money as a form of idolatry.

A lack of knowledge or understanding. Dickens’s boy named Ignorance represents neglected education, while Scrooge also shows ignorance through his refusal to understand poverty.

Birth to parents who are not legally married to each other. In Shakespeare's society, this could restrict inheritance and social acceptance.

Language that evokes sensory experiences or creates pictures in the audience's imagination.

A command, often expressed through a verb such as 'Come' or 'Give'.

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

An idea suggested rather than directly stated: here, the train journey can suggest a child’s movement towards adulthood.

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

A legal document setting out the terms of an apprenticeship.

The people originating in a place before settlers or colonisers arrived.

Harm inflicted without distinguishing between different victims, such as soldiers and civilians.

The belief that individuals should primarily pursue their own interests rather than accept obligations to the wider community.

Teaching that encourages unquestioning acceptance of particular beliefs rather than independent judgement.

Excessive willingness to allow someone what they want without appropriate limits or correction.

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

An expression of contempt for someone who does not share the speaker’s religion; Christian characters use it against Jewish characters in The Merchant of Venice.