2025 AQA GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel Question Paper
& Mark Scheme (Merged) May 2025 [VERIFIED]
,SECTION A
Shakespeare Question Page
Macbeth 1 4–5
Romeo and Juliet 2 6
The Tempest 3 7
The Merchant of Venice 4 8
Much Ado About Nothing 5 9
Julius Caesar 6 10
SECTION B
The 19th-century novel Question Page
Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll 7 12–13
and Mr. Hyde
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol 8 14–15
Charles Dickens Great Expectations 9 16–17
Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre 10 18–19
Mary Shelley Frankenstein 11 20–21
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice 12 22–23
Arthur Conan Doyle The Sign of Four 13 24–25
Turn over for Section A
, Section A: Shakespeare
Answer one question from this section on your chosen text.
Either
0 1 Macbeth
Read the following extract from Act 1 Scene 7 of Macbeth and then answer the question
that follows.
At this point in the play, Macbeth is alone. He is thinking about the plan to murder
King Duncan.
MACBETH If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly. If th’assassination
Could trammel up the consequence and catch
With his surcease, success, that but this blow
5 Might be the be-all and the end-all – here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases,
We still have judgement here that we but
teach Bloody instructions, which being taught,
return
10 To plague th’inventor. This even-handed justice
Commends th’ingredience of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
15 Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against
20 The deep damnation of his taking-off.
And pity, like a naked newborn babe
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
25 That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself
And falls on th’other –
, 0 1 Starting with this speech, explore how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an
ambitious character.
Write about:
how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an ambitious character in this speech
how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an ambitious character in the play as
a whole.
[30 marks]
AO4 [4 marks]
Turn over for the next question
& Mark Scheme (Merged) May 2025 [VERIFIED]
,SECTION A
Shakespeare Question Page
Macbeth 1 4–5
Romeo and Juliet 2 6
The Tempest 3 7
The Merchant of Venice 4 8
Much Ado About Nothing 5 9
Julius Caesar 6 10
SECTION B
The 19th-century novel Question Page
Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll 7 12–13
and Mr. Hyde
Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol 8 14–15
Charles Dickens Great Expectations 9 16–17
Charlotte Brontë Jane Eyre 10 18–19
Mary Shelley Frankenstein 11 20–21
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice 12 22–23
Arthur Conan Doyle The Sign of Four 13 24–25
Turn over for Section A
, Section A: Shakespeare
Answer one question from this section on your chosen text.
Either
0 1 Macbeth
Read the following extract from Act 1 Scene 7 of Macbeth and then answer the question
that follows.
At this point in the play, Macbeth is alone. He is thinking about the plan to murder
King Duncan.
MACBETH If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly. If th’assassination
Could trammel up the consequence and catch
With his surcease, success, that but this blow
5 Might be the be-all and the end-all – here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come. But in these cases,
We still have judgement here that we but
teach Bloody instructions, which being taught,
return
10 To plague th’inventor. This even-handed justice
Commends th’ingredience of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
15 Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against
20 The deep damnation of his taking-off.
And pity, like a naked newborn babe
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
25 That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself
And falls on th’other –
, 0 1 Starting with this speech, explore how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an
ambitious character.
Write about:
how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an ambitious character in this speech
how far Shakespeare presents Macbeth as an ambitious character in the play as
a whole.
[30 marks]
AO4 [4 marks]
Turn over for the next question
