Section A: Shakespeare

Answer one question from this section.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: The Merchant of Venice

1 Either (a) In what ways, and with what dramatic effects, does Shakespeare compare Portia and
Bassanio’s relationship to Nerissa and Gratiano’s?

Or (b) Comment closely on the following extract, analysing Shakespeare’s presentation of the
relationship between Jessica and Lorenzo, here and elsewhere in the play. You should pay close
attention to language, tone and action in your answer.

[Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.]

LORENZO: The moon shines bright. In such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees
And they did make no noise, in such a night
Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls
And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents
Where Cressid lay that night.

JESSICA: In such a night Did

This be fearfully o’ertrip the dew
And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself
And ran dismayed away.

LORENZO: In such a night

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love
To come again to Carthage.

JESSICA: In such a night

Medea gathered the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson.

LORENZO: In such a night

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew,
And with an unthrift love did run from
Venice As far as Belmont.

JESSICA: In such a night

Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well,
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne’er a true one.

LORENZO: In such a night

Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.
JESSICA: I would out-night you did nobody
come, But hark, I hear the footing of a
man.

[Enter Lancelet, the Clown.]

LANCELET: Sola, sola! Wo ha, ho! Sola, sola!

LORENZO: Who calls?

LANCELET: Sola! Did you see Master Lorenzo? Master

Lorenzo, sola, sola!

LORENZO: Leave holloaing, man! Here.

LANCELET: Sola! Where, where?

LORENZO: Here!

LANCELET: Tell him there’s a post come from my master

with his horn full of good news. My master
will be here ere morning, sweet soul.

[Lancelet exits.]

LORENZO: ⌜to Jessica⌝

Let’s in, and there expect their coming.
And yet no matter; why should we go in?—
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank.
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patens of bright gold.
There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still choiring to the young-eyed cherubins.
Such harmony is in immortal souls,
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.

(from Act 5, Scene 1)

 Section B: Drama

Answer one question from this section.

ATHOL FUGARD: The Train Driver and Other Plays

2 Either (a) Discuss the dramatic significance of Fugard’s use of ghosts in The Train Driver and
Have You Seen Us?.

Or (b) Comment closely on the following extract, analysing ways in which it is characteristic of
Fugard’s dramatic methods and concerns, here and more widely in the plays. You should pay
close attention to language, action and tone in your answer.

Mannetjie: Is there any Marie biscuits left, Mommy?

Veronica: [Mock surprise.] What? So now you also want to have a party?

[A half-eaten pack of biscuits comes out of the bag.] Of course you can have some
biscuits. But we must also keep some for breakfast tomorrow. Then we will go to
the shop and buy bread and things. This is home now, Mannetjie ... we've come
home ...
and we are going to have lots and lots of real parties in here ... birthday parties,
Christmas parties ... just you wait and see. Now take off your shoes and lie down
and have a nice long sleep.
We’ll unpack the suitcase tomorrow. [Mannetjie is taking off his shoes and
Veronica is retrieving a blanket from the pile of parcels when there is a knock on
the door. A sudden spasm of city-bred fear in mother and child. She stops what
she is doing and goes to her son's side. She signs to him to be silent. The knocking
comes again.]

Man’s Voice: I know you're in there. [Pause.] Open up!

[Pause.] Veronica!

Veronica: Who are you?

Man’s Voice: What's the matter with you? Don't you remem-
ber? Its me.

Veronica: Who's me?

Man’s Voice: Alfred! Open the door.

Veronica: Alfred Witbooi?

Man’s Voice: Of course. Now hurry up. Open the door.
[Laughing, Veronica hurries to the door and opens it. Alfred Witbooi enters. He is
burdened with a huge collection of kitchen utensils, pots and pans, an old zinc bath
and a bucket, all piled up precariously in his arms.]

Alfred: Come help me with these things. It feels like my arms is going to fall off. I want
to see if you are still so pretty as you were.

Veronica: And I want to see if you are still just so ugly. [Both of them find this inordinately
funny. The joy of seeing each other again erupts in a gale of laughter as Veronica
helps him unload. When it is done their laughter subsides and they stand staring
at each other.] My God! Alfred Witbooi. Yes, it's you, alright ... only uglier.

Alfred: It's almost like old times, hey. Me and you.

Veronica: So what you doing knocking on doors in the mid-dle of the night? You should be
in bed having your beauty sleep.

Alfred: And you also, Veronica Jonkers. [Another gale of laugh-ter. Mannetjie sits
silently on his bed watching them.]

Veronica: [The pile of utensils, etc., that Alfred brought in.] And all of this?

Alfred: Oupa's things.

Veronica: Oh my God! ... Yes! I remember them! [Alfred grab-bing his satchel as if to
give her something.]

Alfred: And now ... uh ... now ...

Veronica: What? [Alfred wants to tell her something …]

Alfred: ... You can make this room just like it was.

(from Coming Home)