I was somehow lucky enough to get full marks on my A2 Lit exam; but unfortunately as much advice as any of us could give here, I feel it is very subjective and if another examiner had marked my paper I could have done a lot worse!
However, my advice would be:
- DON'T WORRY ABOUT QUOTES. I probably knew about 15 or 16 quotes when I walked into the exam - try and pick 3 or 4 'flexiquotes' from each text: a quote which contains several different things you could pick out e.g. something with alliteration AND imagery of blood etc.
- You don't need loads of historical context; it isn't difficult. You just need to be aware that the text would have been received differently e.g. The Pardoner's Tale was written hundreds of years ago, when England was a much more Christian society. I don't think you really need to know anymore than that; it is about how you interpret it, and showing the awareness.
- The same goes for different critics. I would often say 'from a feminist perspective...' or 'a marxist perspective may lead us to believe...'; again it is very lenient. You can interpret things for yourself, as long as you show there are different perspectives and you analyse them that's great. Make sure to pick out the strengths/weaknesses with different interpretations too.
- The best thing you can do is essay plans... just write down a question and plan the structure and overall argument within 5 minutes. It's quick and easy, but is also really effective; probably more effective than just writing hundreds of essays in preparation.