OCR GCSE English Literature key terms

An imagined realm of the dead beneath the world of the living.

A narrative account whose accuracy or interpretation the reader has reason to question, for example because of self-interest or limited understanding.

A narrator whose account readers have reasons to question, for example because personal interests or self-deception influence it.

Love that is not returned by the person loved.

A character who is discussed or affects events but does not appear on stage.

A passage that you have not studied beforehand and must interpret using the information provided and its own details.

A poem encountered without having studied it beforehand; its printed text provides the evidence for your interpretation.

Someone who takes a position of power without a rightful claim. Macduff identifies Macbeth as a usurper when he presents his head to Malcolm.

Lending money at interest; historically, the term could condemn interest-taking generally, rather than only exceptionally high rates.

An imagined ideal society. Old Major’s dream offers the animals a vision of shared plenty and freedom.

An exaggerated belief in one’s own importance or superiority.

Language that appears to say one thing but implies a different, often opposite, judgement.

Language arranged into poetic lines, which may use patterns of rhythm or rhyme.

An older resident of the Cottages who has already experienced the transition away from their childhood institution.

Someone who suffers harm or exploitation. Estella is a victim of her damaging upbringing, while also being someone who hurts others.

A strong desire to take revenge for an injury or wrong.

The use of physical force to hurt, damage or kill; in the novel, violence also exposes cruelty and the failure of moral restraint.

Language that evokes bodily sensations, often making an emotional experience feel physically immediate.

A mask; Macbeth uses the word to describe faces that conceal what is in people's hearts.

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

A turn in a poem’s argument, perspective or feeling, often associated with a sonnet.

A lack of basic necessities, including adequate food, clothing and shelter. Dickens gives this condition the form of a girl named Want.

A child placed under another person’s protection or guardianship; Adèle is Rochester’s ward.

A group carrying out night-time policing duties, such as patrolling streets and apprehending offenders.

A system in which the state helps protect people’s wellbeing through services and financial support, including healthcare and assistance during hardship.

A dramatic form with a tightly organised plot, secrets from the past and carefully timed revelations, usually ending in restored order.

A woman employed to breastfeed another woman’s baby. The Nurse’s memories of feeding and weaning Juliet establish that she performed this role.