Power

The ability to influence people, control decisions or compel others to act.

The ability to make others act as one wishes, through authority, knowledge, force or influence.

In The Tempest, power is the ability to direct other people's actions. A king possesses political authority, but Prospero's magical knowledge allows him to control movement, sleep, information and even what others believe they have seen. Shakespeare asks not only who has power, but whether possessing it makes someone a good ruler or master.

The ability to direct other people's actions or influence decisions; political power includes control over government, armies and public opinion.

Build an argument about how power is used, rather than simply listing powerful characters. Distinguish protective authority from coercion.

Integrate context into analysis of a particular moment: explain how social hierarchy or contemporary suspicion of magic makes its power relationships significant.

Connect the extract to the play's outcome. The conspirators promise freedom, but assassination leads to civil war and new concentrations of power.

The ability to direct others’ actions, make decisions or control resources.

The ability to influence events or other people. In The Tempest, power comes from political rank, magical knowledge and control over others’ labour.

In The Tempest, Shakespeare explores who can give orders, why others obey and whether having power makes someone fit to use it. Power is the ability to influence people or events; control is the exercise of that power to direct what happens. Masters and servants, punishment and reward, and freedom and imprisonment are connected parts of this theme.

The ability to direct other people’s actions, control resources or determine decisions.

In Animal Farm, power initially promises freedom: the animals overthrow Jones so that they can control their work and enjoy what they produce. Corruption begins when the pigs turn their responsibility for organising the farm into a right to take more than everyone else. By the end, the animals have removed a human master only to acquire animal masters who behave like him.

The ability to influence or control other people’s behaviour.

Definition

How each exam board covers it

AQA GCSE English Literature · 8702

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Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

OCR GCSE English Literature · J352