AQA
AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 2A Literary genres: Prose and
Poetry: Aspects of tragedy
May 2023
IB/G/Jun23/E4 7716/2A
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 John Keats selection
Explore the significance of settings to the tragic experiences in Keats’ poetry.
You must refer to The Eve of St Agnes and one other poem.
In your answer you need to analyse closely Keats’ authorial methods and include
comments on the extract below.
[25 marks]
From The Eve of St Agnes
l
St Agnes’ Eve – Ah, bitter chill it was!
The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;
The hare limped trembling through the frozen grass,
And silent was the flock in woolly fold:
Numb were the Beadsman’s fingers, while he told
His rosary, and while his frosted breath,
Like pious incense from a censer old,
Seemed taking flight for heaven, without a death,
Past the sweet Virgin’s picture, while his prayer he saith.
ll
His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man;
Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees,
And back returneth, meagre, barefoot, wan,
Along the chapel aisle by slow degrees:
The sculptured dead, on each side, seem to freeze,
Emprisoned in black, purgatorial rails;
Knights, ladies, praying in dumb orat’ries,
He passeth by; and his weak spirit fails
To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails.
lll
Northward he turneth through a little door,
And scarce three steps, ere Music’s golden tongue
Flattered to tears this agèd man and poor;
But no – already had his deathbell rung:
The joys of all his life were said and sung:
His was harsh penance on St Agnes’ Eve.
Another way he went, and soon among
Rough ashes sat he for his soul’s reprieve,
And all night kept awake, for sinners’ sake to grieve.
IB/G/Jun23/7716/2A
AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 2A Literary genres: Prose and
Poetry: Aspects of tragedy
May 2023
IB/G/Jun23/E4 7716/2A
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 John Keats selection
Explore the significance of settings to the tragic experiences in Keats’ poetry.
You must refer to The Eve of St Agnes and one other poem.
In your answer you need to analyse closely Keats’ authorial methods and include
comments on the extract below.
[25 marks]
From The Eve of St Agnes
l
St Agnes’ Eve – Ah, bitter chill it was!
The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;
The hare limped trembling through the frozen grass,
And silent was the flock in woolly fold:
Numb were the Beadsman’s fingers, while he told
His rosary, and while his frosted breath,
Like pious incense from a censer old,
Seemed taking flight for heaven, without a death,
Past the sweet Virgin’s picture, while his prayer he saith.
ll
His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man;
Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees,
And back returneth, meagre, barefoot, wan,
Along the chapel aisle by slow degrees:
The sculptured dead, on each side, seem to freeze,
Emprisoned in black, purgatorial rails;
Knights, ladies, praying in dumb orat’ries,
He passeth by; and his weak spirit fails
To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails.
lll
Northward he turneth through a little door,
And scarce three steps, ere Music’s golden tongue
Flattered to tears this agèd man and poor;
But no – already had his deathbell rung:
The joys of all his life were said and sung:
His was harsh penance on St Agnes’ Eve.
Another way he went, and soon among
Rough ashes sat he for his soul’s reprieve,
And all night kept awake, for sinners’ sake to grieve.
IB/G/Jun23/7716/2A
