SCOTTISH TEXT (POETRY) Practice Paper Questions
Read the poem below and then attempt the following
questions.
‘Anne Hathaway’
'Item I gyve unto my wife my second best bed ...'
(from Shakespeare's will)
The bed we loved in was a spinning world
of forests, castles, torchlight, clifftops, seas
where we would dive for pearls. My lover's words
were shooting stars which fell to earth as kisses
on these lips; my body now a softer rhyme
to his, now echo, assonance; his touch
a verb dancing in the centre of a noun.
Some nights, I dreamed he'd written me, the bed
a page beneath his writer's hands. Romance
and drama played by touch, by scent, by taste.
In the other bed, the best, our guests dozed on,
dribbling their prose. My living laughing love I hold him in the casket of my widow's head
as he held me upon that next best bed.
Questions
1.(a) The poem is about Anne Hathaway’s relationship with
Shakespeare. Explain fully what impression is given of their
relationship in lines 1-3.
(2)
(b) Show how one example of Duffy’s language highlights their
relationship.
(2)
2. How does Duffy’s use of imagery and sound emphasise the
desire between the couple in lines 3-7? (“My lover’s…centre of a
noun”)
(4)
3. How effective do you find the use of the idea of literature to
convey Hathaway’s relationship in lines 8-10?
(2)
4. With close reference to lines 12-14 explain the closing impression
we are given of the relationship. (“My living laughing love…”)
(2)
5. Duffy often deals with the idea of relationships in her poetry.
Refer briefly to the central relationship in this poem and go on to
discuss a central relationship in at least one other poem by Carol
Ann Duffy.
(8)
Scottish Set Text – Practise Paper Marking Scheme
1. A) Any two of: romantic relationship, excitement,
passion, ‘magical’/over-the-top, or any other
appropriate answer.
1. B) Quote +comment :
Suggested answers:
 “spinning world” = metaphor; suggesting
intoxicating, excitement, passion
 “world”= word choice; all encompassing, nothing
else matters
 “forests, castles…” =list; enchantment, love takes
her to new places, wild, passionate
 “where…pearls”= imagery; passion, enchantment
 “lover’s”=word choice; sexual relationship; loving
 “words were shooting stars”=metaphor; magic,
intensity, exceptional /rare
 “fell to earth as kisses” = imagery; romantic,
celestial, out of this world.
2. Quote +comment x2
Imagery – suggested answers:
“my body…rhyme” = metaphor; closeness and
togetherness
“now echo” = imagery; resonance /closeness;
becoming one entity…
“assonance” = word choice/imagery; as above
“his touch…noun” = metaphor; loving being a “verb”
emphasise their feelings are brought to life through
actions
Sound – suggested answers:
Assonance – suggests longing for one another
Rhyme scheme is more natural than strict Elizabethan
sonnet mirroring their natural relationship /closeness.
Natural with one another.
3. Comment on speaker’s feelings of completeness/ being
given life through his love + reference to one of:
“he’d written me”
“page...writer’s hands”
“Romance and drama”
“dribbling their prose”
4. Quotation+ Comment
“living laughing love” = alliteration; eternal nature;
happy memories…
“I hold him..casket of my widow’s head” = never
forgotten even after death; tenderness…
“next best bed”= marital bed being the most
important; significance of their everyday lives and the
natural love..
5. Duffy often deals with the idea of relationships in
her poetry. Refer briefly to the central relationship
in this poem and go on to discuss a central
relationship in at least one other poem by Carol Ann
Duffy. (8 marks)
Answer
 Establish commonality ( 2 marks)
 Give an example from the poem in front of you (2
marks)
 Give two examples from one or two other poems (4
marks)
I)
Commonality: many of the poems deal with
relationships.
 Havisham – the broken relationship with the lover who
jilted her at the altar
 Anne Hathaway – the love/hate relationship between
Anne and Shakespeare
 Mrs Midas – the breaking relationship between Midas
and his wife. (2 marks)
II)
An example from the text in front of you (Anne
Hathaway).
 We know the relationship is harmonious
because Anne refers to Shakespeare as her “
living, laughing love.” The use of the words
“laughing” and “love” show the positive and
happy nature of their relationship. (2 marks)
III) Two examples from other Duffy poems.
 In Havisham we know there is a love hate
relationship between Havisham and the lover
who spurned her because she calls him
“Beloved Sweetheart Bastard”. This
oxymoron shows she still loves him despite
what he did to her – “Beloved” but at the
same time she hates him for ruining her –
“Bastard”. (2 marks)
 In Mrs Midas we know the relationship
between Midas and his wife is breaking up
because she says “Separate beds. In fact, I
put a chair against my door”. The use of the
word “separate” shows they are living apart
and by putting a chair against the door we
realise Mrs Midas cannot stand to be near
her husband because she fears his gold touch
and she is hurt by his greedy actions. (2
marks)
8 marks all together