The Tempest — Revision Guide
by William Shakespeare · Shakespeare
A revision guide to The Tempest by William Shakespeare for AQA, WJEC GCSE English Literature.
Studied for
- AQA GCSE — Shakespeare
- WJEC GCSE — Shakespeare
Shakespeare
The Tempest
A revision guide to The Tempest by William Shakespeare for GCSE and A-Level English Literature — including which exam boards study it and how to revise effectively.
About the text
The Tempest 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.
Which exam boards and levels study The Tempest?
What examiners are looking for
For shakespeare questions, examiners reward analytical depth over plot summary. Focus your revision on:
- Themes (e.g. ambition, power, fate, gender, appearance vs reality)
- Character development across acts and key turning points
- Language: imagery, motifs, recurring symbols, blank verse vs prose
- Stagecraft: dramatic irony, soliloquies, asides, structure of acts
- Context: Jacobean/Elizabethan beliefs about kingship, religion, gender
Essay technique
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.
How to revise The Tempest effectively
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.
MasteryMind's adaptive quizzes cover The Tempest content alongside spaced-repetition scheduling, and the AI marker grades your written paragraphs against the official mark scheme — telling you exactly which assessment objectives you hit and missed.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Tempest on my exam?
The Tempest is studied on: AQA (GCSE); WJEC (GCSE). Check your exam board's specification document for the current academic year — set texts can change between series.
How many quotations should I memorise?
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.
Can MasteryMind mark my The Tempest essays?
Yes. Submit a typed or handwritten essay on any The Tempest question and our AI marker will grade it against the official mark scheme for your exam board, showing which assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4) you covered and where to improve. Learn more about AI marking →
More resources
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