plumiThe Duchess of Malfi: Edexcel A‑Level English Literature questions
Every Edexcel A-Level English Literature exam question on The Duchess of Malfi, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
- 0 words
All 36 questions on The Duchess of Malfi, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q21 (25 marks): Explore the extent to which Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi is a play designed to terrify the audience. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual fa
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q22 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of women in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q7 (48 marks): ‘The early death of the Duchess means that Webster has to resort to crude displays of violence to engage the audience in the final act.’ In the light of this co
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q8 (48 marks): ‘Despite her marriage to Antonio, the Duchess is isolated for much of the play.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of isolat
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q21 (25 marks): Explore the extent to which Webster presents The Duchess of Malfi as a critique of contemporary society. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q22 (25 marks): Explore the presentation of Ferdinand in Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q7 (48 marks): ‘As in all revenge tragedies, it is the characters’ guilt that proves to be their biggest undoing.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic pre
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q8 (48 marks): ‘The Duchess of Malfi presents corrupted and unhappy characters whose melancholy leads to their evil actions.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s d
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore how Webster makes use of secrets and lies in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of gender roles in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q7 (48 marks): ‘Webster sees no good in the world – only loss, death and suffering.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of suffering in The
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q8 (48 marks): ‘Webster presents a world where the characters are destroyed by their desires.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of desire
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s use of imagery and symbolism in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore how Webster makes use of features of revenge tragedy in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘In the world of the Duchess, marriage was for financial or political gain only, not for love.’ In the light of this comment, explore the dramatic presentation
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘A sense of evil hangs around all of the characters in The Duchess of Malfi.’ In the light of this comment, explore the dramatic presentation of evil in The Duc
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of the relationship between the Duchess and Bosola in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextua
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore how Webster presents death in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- October 2020, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of minor characters in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- October 2020, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore how Webster makes use of setting in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘The Duchess of Malfi concerns social, political and domestic duties.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of duty in The Duch
- October 2020, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘The problem with Webster’s plays is that he is too obsessed with death.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of death in The
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of religion in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of the theme of excess in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘Justice in The Duchess of Malfi is abused by the very characters who represent and uphold it.’ In the light of this comment, explore the dramatic presentation
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘Even though it is named after a woman, The Duchess of Malfi is set in a man’s world.’ In the light of this comment, explore the presentation of women in The Du
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of family relationships in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore how Webster makes use of reputation in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘One has to understand that Ferdinand feels very threatened.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of Ferdinand in The Duchess
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘In this play, nothing is what it seems.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic use of appearance and reality in The Duchess of Malfi. In you
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q19 (25 marks): Explore Webster’s presentation of a corrupted court in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q20 (25 marks): Explore how Webster creates uncertainty in The Duchess of Malfi. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘In some ways, Bosola is the most interesting character in the play.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of Bosola in The Duc
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘The Duchess of Malfi is a play too full of horrors.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of horror in The Duchess of Malfi. I
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q5 (48 marks): ‘We sometimes forget that this play begins as a love story.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of love in The Duchess of Mal
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q6 (48 marks): ‘The play involves a brutal examination of power, both domestic and political.’ In the light of this comment, explore Webster’s dramatic presentation of power i
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © Pearson Edexcel, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? Every Edexcel A-Level English Literature paper.
Rather write your answers by hand on iPad? Plumi marks them against the same mark schemes.