AQA A-level ENGLISH LITERATURE B Paper 1B Literary genres: Aspects of comedy

AQA A-level ENGLISH LITERATURE B Paper 1B Literary genres: Aspects of comedy Wednesday 24 May 2023 Afternoon Time allowed: 2 hours 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 7717/1B. • Answer one question from Section A, one question from Section B and one question from Section C. • You may answer on the same Shakespeare play in Sections A and B. • For Section C, you must write about two texts, at least one of which must be a pre-1900 drama text. • Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • The maximum mark for this paper is 75. • 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 connections across the texts you have studied – explore different interpretations of your texts. Section A Answer one question in this section. Either 0 1 The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the comedy of the play as a whole. Remember to include in your answer relevant analysis of Shakespeare’s dramatic methods. [25 marks] PETRUCHIO Am I not wise? KATHERINA Yes, keep you warm. PETRUCHIO Marry, so I mean, sweet Katherine, in thy bed. And therefore, setting all this chat aside, Thus in plain terms – your father hath consented That you shall be my wife; your dowry ’greed on; And will you, nill you, I will marry you. Now, Kate, I am a husband for your turn, For by this light whereby I see thy beauty, Thy beauty that doth make me like thee well, Thou must be married to no man but me. For I am he am born to tame you, Kate, And bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate Conformable as other household Kates. Enter Baptista, Gremio, and Tranio Here comes your father. Never make denial; I must and will have Katherine to my wife. BAPTISTA Now, Signor Petruchio, how speed you with my daughter? PETRUCHIO How but well, sir? How but well? It were impossible I should speed amiss. BAPTISTA Why, how now, daughter Katherine? In your dumps? KATHERINA Call you me daughter? Now I promise you You have showed a tender fatherly regard To wish me wed to one half lunatic, A madcap ruffian and a swearing Jack, That thinks with oaths to face the matter out. PETRUCHIO Father, ’tis thus – yourself and all the world That talked of her have talked amiss of her. If she be curst, it is for policy, For she’s not froward, but modest as the dove. She is not hot, but temperate as the morn. For patience she will prove a second Grissel, And Roman Lucrece for her chastity. And to conclude, we have ’greed so well together That upon Sunday is the wedding-day. KATHERINA I’ll see thee hanged on Sunday first. GREMIO Hark, Petruchio, she says she’ll see thee hanged first. TRANIO Is this your speeding? Nay then, good night our part. PETRUCHIO Be patient, gentlemen, I choose her for myself. If she and I be pleased, what’s that to you? ’Tis bargained ’twixt us twain, being alone, That she shall still be curst in company. I tell you ’tis incredible to believe How much she loves me – O, the kindest Kate! She hung about my neck, and kiss on kiss She vied so fast, protesting oath on oath, That in a twink she won me to her love. O, you are novices! ’Tis a world to see How tame, when men and women are alone, A meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew. Give me thy hand, Kate, I will unto Venice, To buy apparel ’gainst the wedding-day. Provide the feast, father, and bid the guests. I will be sure my Katherine shall be fine. BAPTISTA I know not what to say – but give me your hands. God send you joy! Petruchio, ’tis a match. GREMIO and TRANIO Amen, say we. We will be witnesses. (Act 2, Scene 1) Turn over for the next question Turn over ► or Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the comedy of the play as a whole. Remember to include in your answer relevant analysis of Shakespeare’s dramatic methods. [25 marks] Enter Sebastian SEBASTIAN I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your kinsman. But had it been the brother of my blood I must have done no less, with wit and safety. You throw a strange regard upon me; and by that I do perceive it hath offended you. Pardon me, sweet one, even for the vows We made each other but so late ago. ORSINO One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons! A natural perspective, that is and is not. SEBASTIAN Antonio! O, my dear Antonio! How have the hours racked and tortured me Since I have lost thee! ANTONIO Sebastian, are you? SEBASTIAN Fear’st thou that, Antonio? ANTONIO How have you made division of yourself? An apple cleft in two is not more twin Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian? OLIVIA Most wonderful! SEBASTIAN Do I stand there? I never had a brother; Nor can there be that deity in my nature Of here and everywhere. I had a sister Whom the blind waves and surges have devoured. Of charity, what kin are you to me? What countryman? What name? What parentage? VIOLA Of Messaline. Sebastian was my father. Such a Sebastian was my brother too. So went he suited to his watery tomb. If spirits can assume both form and suit You come to fright us. SEBASTIAN A spirit I am indeed, But am in that dimension grossly clad Which from the womb I did participate. Were you a woman, as the rest goes even, I should my tears let fall upon your cheek, And say, ‘Thrice welcome, drownèd Viola.’ VIOLA My father had a mole upon his brow. SEBASTIAN And so had mine. VIOLA And died that day when Viola from her birth Had numbered thirteen years. SEBASTIAN O, that record is lively in my soul. He finishèd indeed his mortal act That day that made my sister thirteen years. VIOLA If nothing lets to make us happy both But this my masculine usurped attire, Do not embrace me, till each circumstance Of place, time, fortune, do cohere and jump That I am Viola; which to confirm, I’ll bring you to a captain in this town Where lie my maiden weeds; by whose gentle help I was preserved to serve this noble Count. All the occurrence of my fortune since Hath been between this lady and this lord. SEBASTIAN (to Olivia) So comes it, lady, you have been mistook. But nature to her bias drew in that. You would have been contracted to a maid. Nor are you therein, by my life, deceived: You are betrothed both to a maid and man. (Act 5, Scene 1) Turn over for Section B