How should I approach comparing poetry, prose and drama within one essay?

First of all, think about how each text handles the overall themes and ideas that you will be discussing, and how the texts might link with one another. From here, work out the basic argument you want to orientate your essay around, and outline the points you will make to do this. It is probably good not to get too distracted by the difference in form of the texts at this stage, simply as the focus of comparative tasks is generally to do with themes rather than certain techniques or devices.Once you have worked out roughly how the texts contribute to your argument, think about the different ways in which each text might best be used to prove your points. For example, if you are referring to a few shorter poems then using closer analysis – taking a detailed look at uses of language and structure throughout the text – might not only give you lots of very specific examples with which to back up your points and compare to elements of the other texts, but will also demonstrate your ability to construct the more focused analyses that are usually required by mark schemes. On the other hand, with the longer prose and drama texts it can be advantageous to explore broader points such as sustained developments in narrative and characterisation, complementing any more specific points of evidence you might want to include. However, as is the golden rule of writing any essay, you must always make sure you are fulfilling the exact task that you have been given – in this case, that means making sure above all that you are writing a comparison of the texts. Try to dedicate equal portions of your essay to each of the texts, and always include points of comparison between the texts as you are writing their individual analyses. If you can’t make a point about one of the texts that can be compared to another then it probably isn’t the right one to use in this essay – even if it is otherwise a brilliant point!