Objectives

• Analyse how Gupta uses the parallel storylines of Abdul Karim and Rani to dramatise the theme of belonging and erasure across Acts One and Two.
• Identify and explain how dramatic techniques — including staging, dramatic irony, and code-switching dialogue — construct power dynamics between colonial subjects and the British establishment.
• Evaluate how Gupta's contextual choices (the Diamond Jubilee setting, the destruction of Abdul's letters) shape the audience's understanding of imperial erasure.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph that compares Gupta's presentation of two characters' experiences of empire, selecting and embedding quotations accurately.
• Assess how The Empress challenges the conventions of British heritage drama by centring colonial perspectives, connecting the play to its RSC commission context.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Two Courts, One Empire: Close Reading Power and Belonging in Acts One and Two

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Queen Victoria's court in 1897 likely shimmered with opulence, filled with grand gowns, ornate decorations, and a buzz of aristocratic chatter under lavish chandeliers. In contrast, a Victorian factory worker's lodgings were probably cramped and dimly lit, with minimal furnishings and a constant smell of coal and sweat lingering in the air. A Royal Shakespeare Company play set in 1897 would usually focus on the lives of the upper class, highlighting their struggles and triumphs, because such stories often reflect the intricate dynamics of power and privilege during that era.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the Act One scene where Abdul Karim gifts mangoes to Victoria, who responds with genuine delight, while Sir Henry Ponsonby looks on with disapproval. Annotate on the board: (1) how Gupta's stage directions position Abdul at the center while Ponsonby is kept at the margins, effectively flipping the usual court hierarchy; (2) how Victoria's line "You make me feel less alone in this great, cold palace" serves as dramatic irony — the audience is aware that the court will ultimately erase Abdul's legacy; (3) how the term "Munshi" is never interpreted for the audience, placing non-South-Asian viewers in the role of outsiders. Ask students: what single word would you use to describe what Gupta is doing to the audience here?

   Independent task

   Students receive a printed extract: the Act Two scene where Edward VII commands the destruction of Abdul's letters and keepsakes following Victoria's death. Working alone, students annotate the extract, focusing on three dramatic techniques: staging or stage directions, word choice in the dialogue, and the structural position since it's nearly the final scene of the play. They then craft a single PEEL paragraph (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) addressing the question: 'How does Gupta use the destruction of Abdul's letters in Act Two to explore the theme of imperial erasure?' The paragraph must include at least two embedded quotations from the extract and should be submitted at the end of the lesson for teacher feedback.

   Exit ticket

   On a Post-it, complete this sentence in your own words: 'Gupta places the destruction of Abdul's letters at the end of Act Two rather than the beginning because…' — your answer must refer to dramatic effect on the audience, not just plot.

2. Lesson 2: Writing the Argument: Comparing Gupta's Presentation of Colonial Subjects in The Empress

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read back the PEEL paragraph you wrote last lesson. Underline the word or phrase that you’re least happy with and write one sentence explaining what you would change and why. If you received feedback from your teacher, make sure to address the most important comment before the lesson starts.

   Teacher input

   Model the comparative structure by examining the scene in Act One where Rani arrives at the docks and the moment in Act One where Abdul is formally introduced to Victoria. Demonstrate to students how to craft a comparative topic sentence that includes both characters, both scenes, and the central theme. For instance: 'While Gupta gives Abdul a degree of visibility through his physical closeness to Victoria during the introduction scene, Rani's arrival at the docks is marked by a sense of anonymity — she is just one body among many — indicating that the violence of empire affects individuals differently based on gender and class.' Highlight how this sentence fulfills three functions: it presents an argument, it situates the discussion, and it conveys the essay's intended direction.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with crafting a full exam-style response of about 400–500 words to the following question: "How does Tanika Gupta depict the experiences of those marginalized by empire in The Empress?" In your response, you should: (1) begin with a comparative topic sentence that mentions Abdul Karim and Rani, along with the specific scenes you plan to analyze; (2) examine at least one moment from Act One—either Abdul's introduction to Victoria or Rani's arrival at the docks—while including an embedded quotation and a comment regarding dramatic technique; (3) analyze at least one moment from Act Two—either the destruction of Abdul's letters or Rani and Hari's survival—featuring an embedded quotation; (4) incorporate one sentence that links Gupta's choices to the RSC commission context or to the play's premiere in 2013. Please write in continuous prose. You will submit this at the end of the lesson.

   Exit ticket

   Without looking at your essay, write one sentence that states your overall argument about how Gupta presents marginalised experience — this sentence should be different from your opening topic sentence and should reflect what you have proved across the whole response, not just what you set out to prove.

Activities

Assessment

• Act One do-now prediction sentences — teacher scans for prior assumptions about whose stories 'count' in heritage drama, which frames the lesson's argument.
• Annotated extract from Act Two destruction scene — teacher checks whether students are identifying technique (staging, word choice, structural position) rather than retelling plot.
• PEEL paragraph from Lesson 1 independent task — teacher marks for accurate embedding of quotation and distinction between language feature and dramatic effect.
• Lesson 2 do-now revision sentence — teacher checks whether students have internalised feedback or are repeating the same analytical weakness.
• Exit ticket from Lesson 2 — teacher reads to confirm whether students can articulate an overall argument distinct from their opening claim, signalling genuine analytical movement across the essay.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.9 — Draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires defence with evidence.
• Explain the function of character (CHR-1) — Explain how Gupta's construction of Abdul Karim and Rani reveals the play's argument about imperial power.
• Explain the function of structure (STR-1) — Analyse how the parallel plotting of palace and street scenes creates meaning through juxtaposition.
• Explain the function of narration (NAR-1) — Evaluate how Gupta's choice to centre colonial subjects' perspectives challenges the conventions of British heritage drama.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including Gupta's use of staging, dramatic irony, and dialogue.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including the RSC commission and post-7/7 British identity debates.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts — applicable where students relate The Empress to other texts on the set list dealing with empire or identity.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with specific attention to Gupta's dramatic techniques.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO5 — Demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English in a range of different contexts informed by literary study.

Eduqas

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, focusing on Gupta's use of parallel structure and dramatic irony.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which The Empress was written (RSC, 2013) and received (debates on multiculturalism and representation).