GCSE English Literature 8702/1 - Paper 1 Specimen 2014 - Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Aria

AQA GCSE English Literature 8702/1 Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel specimen (2014) provides exam instructions and the required response format. Students must answer one question from Section A and one from Section B, writing in black ink and completing the answer book details. The paper outlines mark allocation, including AO4 assessment in Section A, then presents extracts and prompts for Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and The Merchant of Venice, plus a Section B focus on 19th-century novels and listed authors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Section A: Shakespeare

Macbeth

Romeo and Juliet

The Tempest

The Merchant of Venice

Section B: The 19th-century novel

SPECIMEN MATERIAL GCSE English Literature 8702/1 Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel Specimen 2014 Morning 1 hour 45 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • An AQA 16-page answer book. Instructions • Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B. • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. • Use black ink or black ballpoint pen. Do not use pencil. Information • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • The maximum mark for this paper is 64. • AO4 will be assessed in Section A. There are 4 marks available for AO4 in Section A in addition to 30 marks for answering the question. AO4 assesses the following skills: Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. • There are 30 marks for Section B. There are no questions printed on this page. SECTION A Question Page Shakespeare Macbeth Romeo and Juliet The Tempest The Merchant of Venice Much Ado About Nothing Julius Caesar SECTION B The 19th-century novel Robert Louis Stevenson Charles Dickens Charles Dickens Charlotte Brontë Mary Shelley Jane Austen Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde A Christmas Carol Great Expectations Jane Eyre Frankenstein Pride and Prejudice The Sign of Four 1 2 3 4 5 6 Question 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 Page 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Section A: Shakespeare Answer one question from this section on your chosen text. EITHER Macbeth Read the following extract from Act 1 Scene 5 of Macbeth and then answer the question that follows. At this point in the play Lady Macbeth is speaking. She has just received the news that King Duncan will be spending the night at her castle. | 0 | 1 | | --- | --- | The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, 5 And fill me from the crown to the toe topfull Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, Stop up th’access and passage to remorse That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose nor keep peace between 10 Th’effect and it. Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief. Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, 15 That my keen knife see not the wound it makes Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry ‘Hold, hold!’ Starting with this speech, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman. Write about: • how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in this speech • how Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in the play as a whole. [30 marks] AO4 [4 marks] OR Romeo and Juliet | 0 | 2 | | --- | --- | Read the following extract from Act 1 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet and then answer the question that follows. At this point in the play Lord Capulet and Paris are discussing Juliet. PARIS But now, my lord, what say you to my suit? CAPULET But saying o’er what I have said before: My child is yet a stranger in the world, She hath not seen the change of fourteen years; 5 Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride. PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made. CAPULET And too soon marred are those so early made. The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she; 10 She’s the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; And she agreed, within her scope of choice Lies my consent and fair according voice. Starting with this conversation, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet as a good father. Write about: • how Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet in this extract • how Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet in

FAQs

What are the basic instructions for answering this GCSE English Literature paper?

Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B. Write the required information on the front of the answer book and use black ink or a black ballpoint pen, not pencil.

How is AO4 assessed in Section A and what marks are available?

AO4 is assessed in Section A. There are 4 marks available for AO4 in Section A, in addition to the 30 marks available for answering the question.

Which authors and works are listed for Section B (The 19th-century novel)?

The listed options include Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Brontë, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Pride and Prejudice, and The Sign of Four.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Aria