How to Tackle the Character Question: A Study in Human Nature
As an examiner, the most common mistake I see is the “Character Sketch.” Many students simply list a character’s traits and their actions. To reach the H1 bracket, you must treat the character not as a person, but as a vessel for exploring the human condition.
The SEC has shifted focus: we no longer want to know what Macbeth or Lear did; we want to know what they reveal about us.
1. The Modern Trend: Duality and Complexity
Recent questions (like the 2025 King Lear prompt) focus on duality. We are looking for you to move beyond “heroes” and “villains.”
- The Lear Question (Victims vs. Persecutors): This was a masterclass in human nature. A H1 student argued that Lear was a “persecutor” of Cordelia but a “victim” of his own hubris. This duality suggests that humans are rarely one thing; we are shaped by our circumstances and our flaws.
- The Othello Question (The Outsider): This explored the human fear of “the other” and the fragility of an identity built on the approval of a society that doesn’t fully accept you.
- The Macbeth Question (Unstable/Tragic Identity): This looked at the psychological disintegration of a man. It wasn’t just about murder; it was about the human capacity for self-destruction through greed.
2. Character Analysis as “Human Insight”
When you are writing about a character, you must explicitly link their actions to broader human behaviours. Use these “Big Four” themes as your anchor:
| Theme | The “Human Insight” (What we learn) |
| Greed | That the pursuit of power often costs a person their “identity” (Code U). |
| Manipulation | That humans are vulnerable to those who know our “unstable” points (e.g., Lady Macbeth or Iago). |
| Power | That authority without empathy leads to a “tragic” (Code T) waste of potential. |
| Fear | That the fear of loss (of status, of love, of the throne) is the primary driver of human cruelty. |
3. The Examiner’s Checklist for Characters
A. Avoid “Character Profiling”
- Lower Grade: “Macbeth is a brave soldier who becomes a murderer because he is ambitious.”
- H1 Grade: “Macbeth serves as a chilling exploration of how ambition can overwrite a man’s moral ‘identity’, transforming a ‘valiant’ hero into a fragmented, unstable shell of a human being.”
B. Perfect Quotes as Evidence
In the digital marking system, your quotes are the “DNA” of your argument. They must be flawless. Use them to prove your insight into their mind.
- Example: Do not just say Lear is angry. Quote his desire to “shake all cares and business from our age,” revealing the human desire to escape responsibility while retaining power.
C. The “Society” Link
The 2025 Lear question mentioned “human nature and society.” Always consider how the character’s behaviour reflects the world they live in. Does the society reward their greed? Does it punish their “outsider” status? Is the world today similar or different?
4. How to Structure Your “Insight” Paragraph
- The Universal Statement: Start with a claim about humanity. “Shakespeare uses the duality of his characters to demonstrate that the line between victim and persecutor is often blurred by suffering.”
- The Character Evidence: Introduce your character and their specific “Code” (e.g., their unstable identity).
- The Textual Proof: Use a “perfect” quote that captures this moment of human truth.
- The Examiner’s Payoff: Conclude by explaining what the audience learns about themselves from watching this character’s struggle.
Final Tip: When you look at Macbeth, don’t see a 17th-century King. See a mirror. If you can explain how Macbeth’s fear and manipulation reflect modern human struggles, you have already won the H1.