2025 AQA AS ENGLISH LITERATURE B Paper 1A Literary
Genres: Drama – Aspects of Tragedy Question Paper & Mark
Scheme (Merged) Thursday 15 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 1A Literary genres: Drama: Aspects of tragedy
Thursday 15 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7716/1A.
Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
You must answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Information
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore the connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4003/E2 7716/1A
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 Othello – William Shakespeare
Explore the significance of aspects of dramatic tragedy in the following passage in
relation to the play as a whole.
You should consider the following in your answer:
the presentation of Iago’s villainy
the role of Emilia
other relevant aspects of dramatic tragedy.
[25 marks]
Exeunt Othello and Desdemona
EMILIA
I am glad I have found this napkin:
This was her first remembrance from the Moor.
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Wooed me to steal it; but she so loves the token –
For he conjured her she should ever keep it –
That she reserves it evermore about her
To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out,
And give’t Iago.
What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I:
I nothing, but to please his fantasy.
Enter Iago
IAGO
How now? What do you here alone?
EMILIA
Do not you chide: I have a thing for you.
IAGO
A thing for me? It is a common thing.
EMILIA
Ha!
IAGO
To have a foolish wife.
EMILIA
O, is that all? What will you give me now
For that same handkerchief?
IAGO What handkerchief?
EMILIA
What handkerchief!
Why that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
IAGO
Hast stol’n it from her?
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
, 3
EMILIA
No, faith, she let it drop by negligence,
And to th’advantage, I, being here, took’t up.
Look, here it is.
IAGO A good wench! Give it me.
EMILIA
What will you do with’t, that you have been so earnest
To have me filch it?
IAGO (snatching it) Why, what is that to you?
EMILIA
If it be not for some purpose of import,
Give’t me again. Poor lady, she’ll run mad
When she shall lack it.
IAGO
Be not acknown on’t: I have use for it.
Go, leave me. Exit Emilia
I will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin,
And let him find it. Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
The Moor already changes with my poison.
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But, with a little act upon the blood,
Burn like the mines of sulphur.
Enter Othello
(Act 3, Scene 3)
Turn over for the next question
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
, 4
or
0 2 King Lear – William Shakespeare
Explore the significance of aspects of dramatic tragedy in the following passage in
relation to the play as a whole.
You should consider the following in your answer:
the presentation of Lear
the dramatic setting
other relevant aspects of dramatic tragedy.
[25 marks]
Enter Lear, Kent, and the Fool
KENT
Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter.
The tyranny of the open night’s too rough
For nature to endure.
Storm still
LEAR Let me alone.
KENT
Good my lord, enter here.
LEAR Wilt break my heart?
KENT
I had rather break mine own. Good my lord, enter.
LEAR
Thou think’st ’tis much that this contentious storm
Invades us to the skin; so ’tis to thee.
But where the greater malady is fixed
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou’dst shun a bear;
But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea
Thou’dst meet the bear i’the mouth. When the mind’s free
The body’s delicate; this tempest in my mind
Doth from my senses take all feeling else
Save what beats there. – Filial ingratitude!
Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand
For lifting food to’t? But I will punish home.
No, I will weep no more! In such a night
To shut me out! Pour on; I will endure.
In such a night as this! O Regan, Gonerill!
Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all!
O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that!
KENT Good my lord, enter here.
LEAR
Prithee go in thyself; seek thine own ease.
This tempest will not give me leave to ponder
On things would hurt me more; but I’ll go in.
(To the Fool) In, boy, go first. – You houseless poverty –
Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray and then I’ll sleep.
Exit the Fool
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
Genres: Drama – Aspects of Tragedy Question Paper & Mark
Scheme (Merged) Thursday 15 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 1A Literary genres: Drama: Aspects of tragedy
Thursday 15 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7716/1A.
Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
You must answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Information
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore the connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4003/E2 7716/1A
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 Othello – William Shakespeare
Explore the significance of aspects of dramatic tragedy in the following passage in
relation to the play as a whole.
You should consider the following in your answer:
the presentation of Iago’s villainy
the role of Emilia
other relevant aspects of dramatic tragedy.
[25 marks]
Exeunt Othello and Desdemona
EMILIA
I am glad I have found this napkin:
This was her first remembrance from the Moor.
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Wooed me to steal it; but she so loves the token –
For he conjured her she should ever keep it –
That she reserves it evermore about her
To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out,
And give’t Iago.
What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I:
I nothing, but to please his fantasy.
Enter Iago
IAGO
How now? What do you here alone?
EMILIA
Do not you chide: I have a thing for you.
IAGO
A thing for me? It is a common thing.
EMILIA
Ha!
IAGO
To have a foolish wife.
EMILIA
O, is that all? What will you give me now
For that same handkerchief?
IAGO What handkerchief?
EMILIA
What handkerchief!
Why that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
IAGO
Hast stol’n it from her?
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
, 3
EMILIA
No, faith, she let it drop by negligence,
And to th’advantage, I, being here, took’t up.
Look, here it is.
IAGO A good wench! Give it me.
EMILIA
What will you do with’t, that you have been so earnest
To have me filch it?
IAGO (snatching it) Why, what is that to you?
EMILIA
If it be not for some purpose of import,
Give’t me again. Poor lady, she’ll run mad
When she shall lack it.
IAGO
Be not acknown on’t: I have use for it.
Go, leave me. Exit Emilia
I will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin,
And let him find it. Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
The Moor already changes with my poison.
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But, with a little act upon the blood,
Burn like the mines of sulphur.
Enter Othello
(Act 3, Scene 3)
Turn over for the next question
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
, 4
or
0 2 King Lear – William Shakespeare
Explore the significance of aspects of dramatic tragedy in the following passage in
relation to the play as a whole.
You should consider the following in your answer:
the presentation of Lear
the dramatic setting
other relevant aspects of dramatic tragedy.
[25 marks]
Enter Lear, Kent, and the Fool
KENT
Here is the place, my lord; good my lord, enter.
The tyranny of the open night’s too rough
For nature to endure.
Storm still
LEAR Let me alone.
KENT
Good my lord, enter here.
LEAR Wilt break my heart?
KENT
I had rather break mine own. Good my lord, enter.
LEAR
Thou think’st ’tis much that this contentious storm
Invades us to the skin; so ’tis to thee.
But where the greater malady is fixed
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou’dst shun a bear;
But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea
Thou’dst meet the bear i’the mouth. When the mind’s free
The body’s delicate; this tempest in my mind
Doth from my senses take all feeling else
Save what beats there. – Filial ingratitude!
Is it not as this mouth should tear this hand
For lifting food to’t? But I will punish home.
No, I will weep no more! In such a night
To shut me out! Pour on; I will endure.
In such a night as this! O Regan, Gonerill!
Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all!
O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that!
KENT Good my lord, enter here.
LEAR
Prithee go in thyself; seek thine own ease.
This tempest will not give me leave to ponder
On things would hurt me more; but I’ll go in.
(To the Fool) In, boy, go first. – You houseless poverty –
Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray and then I’ll sleep.
Exit the Fool
IB/G/Jun25/7716/1A
