How would I start to answer an unseen prose/poetry question?

Unseen prose and poetry can seem scary, but it's actually really simple to get your head around what the author of the piece is actually trying to say, as well as how you can best answer the question. First of all, you must read the piece at least twice before attempting to answer the question. This will help you become more familiar with the work you're supposed to be analysing and give you a chance to work out some of the complicated vocabulary there may be. Then, with a highlighter (if you're allowed one), pick out the key themes of the piece, just as you would a piece that you've read before. Love, hate, jealousy and death are all common, basic themes of unseen pieces. Once you've found the basics (and most importantly, the theme that's likely to be identified in the question), you can build on them using your own knowledge; if the basic theme you've identified is love, consider what kind of love - is it romantic? Maternal? Or is it more 'lustful'? Find evidence for this within the piece. Now you've got this basic plan, you're ready to answer the question in the same way you would a regular 'seen' piece.