2023 AQA AS ENGLISH LITERATURE B 7716/2B Paper 2B Literary genres: Prose and Poetry:
Aspects of comedy Question Paper & Mark scheme (Merged) June 2023 [VERIFIED]
AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 2B Literary genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of comedy
Friday 26 May 2023 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 12-page answer book
• a copy of the set text(s) you have studied. These texts must not be annotated and must not contain
additional notes or materials.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7716/2B.
• 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/Jun23/E6 7716/2B
, 2
Section A
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 The Nun’s Priest’s Tale – Geoffrey Chaucer
Explore the significance of settings to the comedy of The Nun’s Priest’s Tale.
In your answer you need to analyse closely Chaucer’s authorial methods and include
comments on the extract below.
[25 marks]
From The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
A povre widwe, somdel stape in age,
Was whilom dwellinge in a narwe cotage,
Biside a grove, stonding in a dale.
This widwe of which I telle yow my tale,
Sin thilke day that she was last a wif,
In pacience ladde a ful simple lif,
For litel was hire catel and hire rente.
By housbondrye, of swich as God hire sente,
She foond hireself, and eek hire doghtren two.
Thre large sowes hadde she and namo,
Thre kyn, and eek a sheep that highte Malle.
Ful sooty was hire bour and eek hire halle,
In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel.
Of poinaunt sauce hir neded never a deel;
No deintee morsel passed thurgh hir throte.
Hir diete was acordant to hir cote.
IB/G/Jun23/7716/2B
, 3
or
0 2 Poetry Anthology: Comedy
Explore the significance of settings to the comedy of Poetry Anthology: Comedy.
You must refer to My Rival’s House and at least one other poem.
In your answer you need to analyse closely the poets’ authorial methods and include
comments on the extract below.
[25 marks]
From My Rival’s House
My Rival’s House
is peopled with many surfaces.
Ormolu and gilt, slipper satin,
lush velvet couches,
cushions so stiff you can’t sink in.
Tables polished clear enough to see distortions in.
We take our shoes off at her door,
shuffle stocking-soled, tiptoe – the parquet
floor is beautiful and its surface must
be protected. Dust
cover, drawn shade,
won’t let the surface colour fade.
Silver sugar-tongs and silver salver,
my rival serves us tea.
She glosses over him and me.
I am all edges, a surface, a shell
and yet my rival thinks she means me well.
But what squirms beneath her surface I can tell.
Soon, my rival
capped tooth, polished nail
will fight, fight foul for her survival.
Deferential, daughterly, I sip
and thank her nicely for each bitter cup.
Turn over for the next question
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun23/7716/2B
, 4
or
0 3 Betjeman selection – John Betjeman
Explore the significance of settings to the comedy of Betjeman’s poems.
You must refer to In Westminster Abbey and at least one other poem.
In your answer you need to analyse closely Betjeman’s authorial methods and include
comments on the extract below.
[25 marks]
From In Westminster Abbey
Let me take this other glove off
As the vox humana swells,
And the beauteous fields of Eden
Bask beneath the Abbey bells.
Here, where England’s statesmen lie,
Listen to a lady’s cry.
Gracious Lord, oh bomb the Germans.
Spare their women for Thy Sake,
And if that is not too easy
We will pardon Thy Mistake.
But, gracious Lord, whate’er shall be,
Don’t let anyone bomb me.
Keep our Empire undismembered
Guide our Forces by Thy Hand,
Gallant blacks from far Jamaica,
Honduras and Togoland;
Protect them Lord in all their fights,
And, even more, protect the whites.
Think of what our Nation stands for,
Books from Boots’ and country lanes,
Free speech, free passes, class distinction,
Democracy and proper drains.
Lord, put beneath Thy special care
One-eighty-nine Cadogan Square.
IB/G/Jun23/7716/2B
