GCSEEnglish LiteratureOCRExam QuestionsShakespeareMuch Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing (OCR GCSE English Literature): Exam Questions

Exam code: J352

3 hours5 questions
1
40 marks

Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents the attitudes of male characters towards women in the play. Refer to this extract from Act 4 Scene 1 and elsewhere in the play.

In this extract, the wedding party has assembled and Hero is being questioned.

CLAUDIO 

What man was he, talked with you yesternight, 

Out at your window betwixt twelve and one? 

Now if you are a maid, answer to this. 

HERO 

I talked with no man at that hour, my lord.

DON PEDRO 

Why, then are you no maiden. Leonato, 

I am sorry you must hear: upon mine honour, 

Myself, my brother, and this grievèd count 

Did see her, hear her, at that hour last night, 

Talk with a ruffian at her chamber window, 

Who hath indeed most like a liberal villain, 

Confessed the vile encounters they have had 

A thousand times in secret. 

DON JOHN 

Fie, fie, they are 

Not to be named my lord, not to be spoke of, 

There is not chastity enough in language, 

Without offence to utter them: thus, pretty lady, 

I am sorry for thy much misgovernment. 

CLAUDIO 

Oh Hero! What a hero hadst thou been, 

If half thy outward graces had been placed 

About thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart? 

But fare thee well, most foul, most fair, farewell 

Thou pure impiety, and impious purity, 

For thee I’ll lock up all the gates of love, 

And on my eyelids shall conjecture hang, 

To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm, 

And never shall it more be gracious. 

LEONATO 

Hath no man’s dagger here a point for me? 

[Hero faints]

[40 marks]

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2
40 marks

Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents the relationship between Beatrice and Hero in the play. Refer to this extract from Act 3 Scene 1 and elsewhere in the play.

In this extract, Hero and Ursula are speaking where Beatrice can overhear them.

HERO
No, truly, Ursula, she is too disdainful.

I know her spirits are as coy and wild

As haggards of the rock.

URSULA

But are you sure

That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely?

HERO

So says the Prince and my new-trothèd lord.

URSULA

And did they bid you tell her of it, madam?

HERO

They did entreat me to acquaint her of it,

But I persuaded them, if they loved Benedick,

To wish him wrestle with affection

And never to let Beatrice know of it.

URSULA

Why did you so? Doth not the gentleman

Deserve as full as fortunate a bed

As ever Beatrice shall couch upon?

HERO

O god of love! I know he doth deserve

As much as may be yielded to a man,

But Nature never framed a woman’s heart

Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice.

Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes,

Misprizing what they look on, and her wit

Values itself so highly that to her

All matter else seems weak. She cannot love,

Nor take no shape nor project of affection,

She is so self-endeared.

[40 marks]

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3
40 marks

Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Don John as a villain in the play. Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 3 and elsewhere in the play.

In this extract, Don John speaks of his discontent with life and his position in society.

DON JOHN
I cannot hide

what I am. I must be sad when I have cause, and

smile at no man’s jests; eat when I have stomach,

and wait for no man’s leisure; sleep when I am

drowsy, and tend on no man’s business; laugh when

I am merry, and claw no man in his humor.

CONRADE

Yea, but you must not make the full show of

this till you may do it without controlment. You

have of late stood out against your brother, and he

hath ta’en you newly into his grace, where it is

impossible you should take true root but by the fair

weather that you make yourself. It is needful that

you frame the season for your own harvest.

DON JOHN

I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a

rose in his grace, and it better fits my blood to be

disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob

love from any. In this, though I cannot be said to be

a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I

am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a

muzzle and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I

have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my

mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do

my liking. In the meantime, let me be that I am, and

seek not to alter me.

[40 marks]

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4
40 marks

Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents wit and language in Much Ado About Nothing. Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 1 and elsewhere in the play.

In this extract, Beatrice and Benedick exchange their first playful insults, establishing the tone of their relationship.

BEATRICE

I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior

Benedick, nobody marks you.

BENEDICK

What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?

BEATRICE

Is it possible disdain should die while she

hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?

Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come

in her presence.

BENEDICK

Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain

I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and

I would I could find in my heart that I had not a

hard heart, for truly I love none.

BEATRICE

A dear happiness to women. They would

else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I

thank God and my cold blood I am of your humor

for that. I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow

than a man swear he loves me.

BENEDICK

God keep your Ladyship still in that mind,

so some gentleman or other shall ’scape a predestinate

scratched face.

BEATRICE

Scratching could not make it worse an

’twere such a face as yours were.

BENEDICK

Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

BEATRICE

A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.

BENEDICK

I would my horse had the speed of your

tongue and so good a continuer, but keep your

way, i’ God’s name, I have done.

BEATRICE

You always end with a jade’s trick. I know

you of old.

[40 marks]

How did you do?

5
40 marks

Explore the ways in which Shakespeare presents the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 1 and elsewhere in the play.

In this extract, Beatrice and Benedick exchange their first playful insults, establishing the tone of their relationship.

BEATRICE 

I wonder that you will still be talking, Signor Benedick, nobody marks you. 

BENEDICK 

What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living? 

BEATRICE 

Is it possible Disdain should die, while she hath such meet  food to feed it, as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to

Disdain, if you come in her presence. 

BENEDICK 

Then is Courtesy a turn-coat: but it is certain I am loved of all  ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I  had not a hard heart, for truly I love none. 

BEATRICE 

A dear happiness to women, they would else have been  troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me. 

BENEDICK 

God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate scratched face. 

BEATRICE 

Scratching could not make it worse, and ’twere such a face as 

yours were. 

BENEDICK 

Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. 

BEATRICE 

A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours. 

BENEDICK 

I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer: but keep your way a God’s name. I have done.

 BEATRICE 

You always end with a jade’s trick: I know you of old.

[40 marks]

How did you do?