A revision guide to King Lear by William Shakespeare for GCSE and A-Level English Literature — including which exam boards study it and how to revise effectively.
King Lear by William Shakespeare is a shakespeare text on several UK English Literature specifications. Use the section below to find your specific exam board and level, then work through the revision focus and exam-technique guidance further down the page.
For shakespeare questions, examiners reward analytical depth over plot summary. Focus your revision on:
Examiners reward a clear thesis, embedded quotations, language analysis at word and form level, and a sustained argument that links to context. Practise comparing how a theme develops across the play rather than describing scenes.
The most efficient approach is to alternate between two activities. First, build deep familiarity with themes and characters through active recall — close the book, write down everything you remember about a theme, then check what you missed. Second, practise essay structure by drafting paragraph plans for past-paper questions. Five focused plans will teach you more than one polished essay.
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King Lear is studied on: AQA (A-Level); OCR (A-Level); WJEC (A-Level). Check your exam board's specification document for the current academic year — set texts can change between series.
Aim for 8–12 short, flexible quotations per character or major theme — enough to support a range of essay questions without overwhelming your recall. Short quotes (3–6 words) embedded mid-sentence earn more credit than long block quotes.
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