# English HL Grade 12 Paper 2 NSC November Mock 2026 Memo > Grade 12 English HL Paper 2 memorandum from the NSC November Mock Exam 2026, 20 pages. Read online or download the free PDF. - Page: https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12-english-hl-2026-nsc-november-mock-exam-memorandum-paper-2-english/02d1d502-01b2-4ca8-b81d-11df91f4e766 - Updated: 2026-10-29 - Subject: English HL - Grade: Grade 12 - Language: English - Document type: Memorandum - Year: 2026 - Exam period: NSC November Mock Exam - Paper: 2 - Publisher: Hlayiso - Curriculum: CAPS - Pages: 20 Breadcrumbs: [Home](https://www.hlayiso.com/) › [Library](https://www.hlayiso.com/library) › [Grade 12](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12) › [English HL](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12/english-hl) › [English HL Grade 12 Paper 2 NSC November Mock 2026 Memo](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-12-english-hl-2026-nsc-november-mock-exam-memorandum-paper-2-english/02d1d502-01b2-4ca8-b81d-11df91f4e766) ## About this document English Hl · Grade 12 · NSC November Mock Exam · 2026 · English. Memorandum, 20 pages. Read online or download the PDF. Read it free online on the page above; download the PDF from there. ## Document text Text extracted from the PDF. Layout, diagrams and tables may not survive extraction. ### Page 1 hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 12 NSC Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 12 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE P2 MOCK EXAMINATION 2026 MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 80 These marking guidelines consist of 20 pages. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 2 English Home Language/P2 2 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines NOTE TO MARKERS • These marking guidelines are intended as a guide for markers. • The marking guidelines will be discussed with the marking panel before marking commences. • Candidates' responses must be considered on their merits. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wherever a candidate has answered more than the required number of questions, mark only the first answer/response. (The candidate may NOT answer the essay and the contextual question on the same genre.) 2. If a candidate has answered all four questions in SECTION A (prescribed poems), mark only the first two. 3. If a candidate has answered two contextual or two essay questions in SECTIONS B and C, mark the first one and ignore the second. If a candidate has answered all four questions (novel) and/or all six questions (drama), mark only the first answer in each section, provided that one contextual and one essay have been answered. 4. If a candidate gives two answers where the first is wrong and the next one correct, mark the first answer and ignore the next. 5. If answers are incorrectly numbered, mark according to the marking guidelines. 6. If a spelling error affects the meaning, mark incorrect. If it does not affect the meaning, mark correct. 7. Essay questions: If the essay is shorter than the required word count, do not penalise, because the candidate has already penalised himself/herself. If the essay is too long, assess on merit and discuss with senior markers. 8. Contextual questions: If the candidate does not use inverted commas when asked to quote, do not penalise. 9. For open-ended questions, no marks should be awarded for YES/NO or I AGREE/ DISAGREE. The reason/substantiation/motivation/justification is what should be considered. 10. No marks should be awarded for TRUE/FALSE or FACT/OPINION. The reason/ substantiation/motivation/justification is what should be marked. 11. Answers to contextual questions must be assessed holistically in the light of the discussion during the standardisation of the marking guidelines. 12. Life of Pi and The Crucible: the contextual 'extracts' in this mock are the examiner's descriptions of scenes. Credit answers that draw accurately on the candidate's knowledge of the actual text. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 3 English Home Language/P2 3 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION A: POETRY PRESCRIBED POETRY QUESTION 1: POETRY – ESSAY QUESTION 'THE MORNING SUN IS SHINING' – Olive Schreiner • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 19 for the rubric to assess this question. • The poem is structured as a contrast: the first twelve lines celebrate the abundance, energy and beauty of nature in the morning, while the last four lines reveal the speaker's private grief, which drains this beauty of meaning. • The opening image of the sun 'shining on / The green, green willow tree' creates a bright, fresh setting; the repetition of 'green' emphasises lushness and vitality. • The 'golden sunbeam' that is sent 'To dance upon my knee' is personified as playful and affectionate; nature seems to reach out to the speaker personally, which makes her inability to respond more poignant. • Sound and movement images ('fountain bubbles merrily', 'yellow locusts spring', 'happy brown birds sing') convey energy and joy; the alliteration in 'life and light' and the cheerful rhythm reinforce the exuberance of the natural world. • 'The earth is clothed with beauty' personifies the earth as dressed in finery; 'The air is filled with song' and the thorn trees that 'load the wind / With odours sweet and strong' appeal to sight, hearing and smell, creating a rich, sensuous, uniquely South African (veld) landscape. • The turn comes in lines 13–14: 'There is a hand I never touch / And a face I never see'. The simple, concrete images of 'hand' and 'face' suggest the physical absence of a loved one (through death or separation). The repetition of 'never' stresses the permanence of the loss. • The final rhetorical questions ('Now what is sunshine, what is song, / Now what is light to me?') deliberately echo the images of the earlier lines (sun, song, light) and reject them: nature's beauty is real, but it no longer brings joy because it cannot be shared. The repeated 'Now' marks the speaker's present state of grief. • Structure: the regular ballad-like quatrain pattern, alternating line lengths and rhyme (tree/ knee, spring/sing) suggest the orderly harmony of nature, against which the speaker's emotional desolation stands out. The delay of the speaker's feelings until the end creates a dramatic reversal. • Tone shifts from joyful/celebratory/exuberant to sorrowful/desolate/despairing (melancholic, wistful). Some candidates may argue that the beauty is not entirely meaningless – the speaker still perceives it vividly, which heightens her loss. • Candidates may argue that the statement is valid or partially valid. [Credit valid alternative responses.] [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 4 English Home Language/P2 4 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines QUESTION 2: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'SONNET 130' – William Shakespeare 2.1 The speaker intends to reject/mock/parody the exaggerated comparisons used in conventional (Petrarchan) love poetry. (1) Instead of comparing his mistress's eyes to the sun, he will describe her realistically/honestly. (1) [Award 2 marks for two distinct points.] (2) 2.2 'Reeks' means 'emanates'/'is breathed out' (in Elizabethan English); to a modern reader it suggests a strong, unpleasant smell. (1) The word deliberately undercuts the convention of the beloved's sweet, perfumed breath and shows that the speaker is presenting his mistress as an ordinary, imperfect human being rather than an idealised goddess. (1) (2) 2.3 2.3.1 Metaphor (1) 2.3.2 Conventional poets compared a beloved's hair to fine golden threads/ wires (a symbol of beauty and value). (1) The speaker takes the comparison literally: if hair is wire, then his mistress has coarse black wire growing on her head. The image is humorous and deliberately unflattering, exposing the absurdity of clichéd poetic comparisons. (1) [Award 2 marks for a discussion of the effectiveness of the image.] (2) 2.4 The couplet provides a twist/volta: 'And yet' signals a shift from mockery to sincere declaration. The oath 'by heaven' emphasises the speaker's earnestness. He affirms that his love is 'rare' (precious, extraordinary) – as valuable as any woman who has been 'belied' (misrepresented) by 'false compare' (exaggerated comparisons). His attitude is therefore one of genuine, mature love: he loves her as she really is, without illusion, and this honest love is presented as more real than the flattering lies of other poets. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion. Award only 1 mark for identifying the shift without discussion.] (3) [10] QUESTION 3: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'THE SHIPWRECK' – Emily Dickinson 3.1 'Glee' suggests delight/joy that the storm has ended, (1) yet the stanza goes on to reveal a tragedy: only four survived while forty drowned. The joyful exclamation is therefore at odds with the scale of the loss; the relief of the few contrasts with the grief for the many. (1) (2) 3.2 'Ring' suggests the joyful/celebratory ringing of bells for the 'scant' (few) survivors, (1) whereas 'Toll' refers to the slow, mournful ringing of a funeral bell for the 'bonnie souls' who drowned. The contrast captures the mixed emotions of the community: gratitude for the few saved and grief for the many lost. (1) (2) 3.3 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 5 English Home Language/P2 5 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 3.3.1 Personification (1) 3.3.2 Winter is given human qualities, as if it were a person rattling/forcing the door. (1) The image evokes stormy winter nights when families gather indoors and tell stories. It is effective as it suggests the lingering threat of nature/the sea, and reminds the reader that the danger that destroyed the forty is still present, which makes the story-telling more poignant. (1) (2) 3.4 The final stanza shows that the loss is too painful to put into words. When the children ask about the forty, the teller falls silent ('a silence suffuses the story'), and his 'softness' of eye suggests tears/grief. The children sense the sorrow and stop questioning. The only answer comes from 'the waves', personified as replying: the sea, which caused the deaths, holds the truth and has the final word. The silence therefore conveys the central message that death and grief are beyond human explanation, and that nature is powerful and indifferent. The quiet, reflective ending contrasts with the exclamatory opening, underlining the lasting cost of the tragedy. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion linked to the central message.] (3) [10] QUESTION 4: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'SOLITUDE' – Ella Wheeler Wilcox 4.1 People readily share in others' happiness, (1) but when a person is sad, he/she is left to face that sorrow alone; others avoid sharing in grief. (1) (2) 4.2 The earth (the world/people) has no joy/happiness of its own; (1) it can only be cheerful when it takes joy from others, because it is already burdened by its own sorrows ('trouble enough of its own'). It therefore has no capacity to absorb other people's grief. (1) (2) 4.3 4.3.1 Metaphor (1) 4.3.2 'Nectared wine' suggests sweetness, luxury and celebration, which everyone is eager to share. (1) 'Gall' is bitter; to 'drink life's gall' means to endure life's bitter suffering. The contrast effectively shows that people eagerly share in another's good fortune, but no one will share in his/her suffering, which must be endured alone. (1) (2) 4.4 The 'halls of pleasure' are spacious and crowded with a 'large and lordly train' (procession) – many people share in good times, wealth and festivity. In contrast, pain is described as 'narrow aisles' through which 'one by one we must all file on'. The image suggests that suffering, and ultimately death, is a solitary experience: no matter how many companions one has in good times, each person must face pain alone. The inclusive pronoun 'we' and the word 'must' stress that this is inevitable for all people. The tone is sombre/ resigned/philosophical: the speaker accepts that isolation in suffering is part of the human condition. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 6 English Home Language/P2 6 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion.] (3) [10] UNSEEN POETRY (COMPULSORY) QUESTION 5: CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'ADLESTROP' – Edward Thomas 5.1 'Yes' suggests that the poem is a reply to a question (as if someone has asked the speaker whether he remembers Adlestrop). (1) It creates a conversational, informal tone and introduces the poem as a recollection/memory; the speaker is reflecting on a past experience. (1) (2) 5.2 'Unwontedly' means that the express train does not normally stop at Adlestrop. (1) The unexpected stop is significant because it creates an unplanned moment of stillness that allows the speaker to notice the place; an ordinary, insignificant village becomes a lasting, almost magical memory. (1) (2) 5.3 5.3.1 Onomatopoeia (1) 5.3.2 The only sounds are small, incidental ones – the hiss of steam and someone clearing his throat. (1) Because these minor sounds are clearly audible, they highlight how quiet the deserted station is; the short, simple sentences mirror the pause and the stillness of the moment. (1) (2) 5.4 5.4.1 Wonder/awe/contemplative/reflective/peaceful/serene/nostalgic (1) 5.4.2 The single blackbird singing 'Close by' is joined, in the speaker's imagination, by 'all the birds / Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire'. The repetition in 'Farther and farther' and the word 'mistier' suggest the sound spreading outwards across the landscape. The speaker's experience expands from a brief stop at a small station (only a 'name') to a sense of connection with the whole countryside. The moment becomes timeless and transcendent. [Award 2 marks for a critical discussion.] (2) [10] TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 7 English Home Language/P2 7 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION B: NOVEL QUESTION 6: THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 20 for the rubric to assess this question. • Under Lord Henry's influence, Dorian adopts a 'new Hedonism': the belief that youth, beauty and the gratification of the senses are the only things worth pursuing. His wish that the portrait should age in his place frees him from visible consequences and allows him to pursue pleasure without restraint. • His love for Sibyl Vane is based on her beauty and art rather than her as a person. When her acting fails, he cruelly rejects her; her suicide marks the first change in the portrait (a 'touch of cruelty' around the mouth). Dorian's lack of moral responsibility begins his corruption. • Influenced by the 'poisonous' yellow book, Dorian spends years in the pursuit of exquisite sensations (perfumes, music, jewels, embroideries) and secret vice; he becomes a corrupting influence on others (Alan Campbell, Adrian Singleton, Lord Kent's son and others), whose reputations are ruined. • The portrait becomes the record of his soul: it grows hideous with every sin, while his face remains innocent. Dorian becomes obsessed with comparing the two, taking pleasure in the contrast, but also living in fear of discovery; his pleasures become joyless. • His crimes escalate: he murders Basil, who represents his conscience and the moral ideal of art, and blackmails Alan Campbell into destroying the body (Campbell later commits suicide). He frequents opium dens to forget. • James Vane's pursuit and death, and the accidental shooting at Selby, show how the past haunts Dorian. His 'good action' in sparing Hetty Merton is motivated by vanity and hypocrisy, and the portrait shows only 'the leer of the hypocrite'. • In the end, Dorian tries to destroy the portrait – the evidence of his conscience – with the knife he used to kill Basil, and in doing so kills himself. He is found withered and loathsome, while the portrait is restored to its original beauty. His self-destruction is thus the inevitable result of a life lived for beauty and pleasure without moral responsibility. • Candidates might argue that Lord Henry's corrupting influence or Basil's idolisation also contribute to Dorian's downfall, but Dorian makes his own choices. • [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 7: THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 7.1 Basil has just completed the portrait of Dorian in his studio. (1) Before this, Lord Henry has spoken to Dorian in the garden about the brevity of youth and beauty and the importance of living for pleasure, deeply influencing the young man. (1) (2) 7.2 Dorian's wish is granted: the portrait ages and bears the marks of his sins while he remains young and beautiful. (1) He literally gives his soul in exchange for Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 8 English Home Language/P2 8 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines eternal youth – a Faustian pact that leads to his moral corruption and eventual self-destruction. (1) (2) 7.3 Dorian is hurt/resentful/jealous/insecure. (1) He feels that Basil values the portrait (and his art objects) more than him, and he realises, under Lord Henry's influence, that he will lose his worth once his looks fade; he is in a state of emotional turmoil/despair. (1) (2) 7.4 Basil blames Lord Henry for corrupting Dorian with his ideas; Basil represents a moral, protective influence that values Dorian's innocence. Lord Henry, by contrast, refuses to take responsibility and claims that he has merely revealed 'the real Dorian Gray'. His cynical, detached response shows that he regards Dorian as an experiment. Dorian is caught between these two opposing influences – conscience/morality (Basil) and hedonism (Lord Henry) – and from this point on, Lord Henry's influence triumphs. [Award 3 marks for a discussion of both influences.] (3) 7.5 Dorian declares that youth is all that matters and that he will kill himself when he grows old. Ironically, he never grows old physically – the portrait ages instead. (1) Yet he does destroy himself: when he stabs the portrait in an attempt to destroy his conscience, he dies, and his body becomes old and loathsome. (1) His death is caused not by ageing but by the moral corruption that his obsession with youth has produced. (1) (3) 7.6 Basil is about to leave for Paris (on the midnight train) and has called to warn Dorian about the dreadful rumours concerning his reputation and the young men whose lives he has ruined. (1) He wants to hear Dorian deny them and says that he would have to see Dorian's soul to know the truth, so Dorian takes him upstairs to see the portrait. (1) (2) 7.7 The hideous portrait reflects the true state of his inner self/conscience; (1) every sin he has committed is recorded on the canvas, while his face remains pure. The portrait has become the visible image of his corrupted soul. (1) (2) 7.8 Basil acknowledges that both he and Dorian are guilty of idolatry. Basil 'worshipped' Dorian's beauty; his idolisation produced the portrait that made Dorian vain and led to the wish that corrupted him. Dorian 'worshipped' himself – his own beauty and youth – and became narcissistic and selfish. The religious diction ('worshipped', 'punished') suggests that elevating beauty to the status of a god is a sin that brings punishment. The novel shows that excessive admiration of beauty, divorced from morality, destroys both the admirer and the admired. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion.] (3) 7.9 The portrait seems to take on a life of its own: Dorian feels as if the hatred is 'suggested' and 'whispered' to him by the 'grinning lips' of the image. (1) This suggests that his corrupted soul (the portrait) now controls him – he is driven to murder Basil, the man who created the portrait and who represents his conscience. (1) Later, the portrait continues to torment him as it records the murder (blood on its hand) and his hypocrisy, until he tries to destroy it and dies. (1) (3) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 9 English Home Language/P2 9 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 7.10 AGREE: Dorian rejects Basil's plea to pray, saying the words mean nothing to him; immediately afterwards, he murders Basil. Thereafter, his crimes escalate: he blackmails Alan Campbell, frequents opium dens and feels no remorse for the deaths of James Vane or Campbell. His final 'good deed' (sparing Hetty) is motivated by vanity, and he destroys the portrait to rid himself of evidence rather than to repent. OR DISAGREE/PARTIALLY AGREE: Dorian does experience moments of fear and remorse, he longs to recover his lost innocence and attempts to change. However, his attempts are driven by self-interest. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses. Award 3 marks for a critical discussion based on the novel as a whole.] (3) [25] QUESTION 8: LIFE OF PI – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 20 for the rubric to assess this question. • The novel is framed as a story told to the author, who has been told that Pi's story will make him believe in God; storytelling is central to the novel's structure and meaning. • Pi reinvents himself through storytelling as a boy: he renames himself 'Pi' to escape the mockery of 'Pissing', and the story of his new name allows him to survive socially at school. • On the lifeboat, Pi survives by imposing order and routine: he keeps a diary, makes lists and gives himself tasks. Telling himself stories and keeping his mind occupied help to keep despair at bay. • Richard Parker can be read as part of the story Pi tells himself: the tiger gives him a purpose (training, feeding, taming), a companion and a reason to stay alert. Pi admits that without Richard Parker he would not have survived. • The animal story allows Pi to cope with the horrifying events (the cook's brutality, the deaths of his mother and the sailor, and his own violence). By transforming the events into a story with animals, Pi distances himself from his own savagery (the tiger) and preserves his humanity and sanity. • The algae island and other surreal episodes may be interpreted as symbolic stories reflecting his spiritual and emotional state. • In Part Three, Pi tells two versions to the Japanese officials and asks which story they prefer; they choose the story with animals. Pi links this to faith: belief in God is like choosing the better story. Storytelling is thus presented as essential to survival – physical, psychological and spiritual. • Candidates may argue that Pi's practical skills, knowledge of zoology and faith are equally important for survival. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 10 English Home Language/P2 10 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines QUESTION 9: LIFE OF PI – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 9.1 Pi's family is not religious: his father is a modern, secular/rational businessman (a zoo-keeper) who has no time for religion, and his parents did not raise him in any faith. (1) They had no idea that Pi had been practising any religion, let alone three, so the revelation takes them by surprise. (1) (2) 9.2 Each leader believes that his own religion is the only true faith. (1) They see the other religions as false/incompatible/rival faiths and are offended/jealous that Pi has also followed them; they want to claim the boy for their own religion. (1) [Accept any TWO valid reasons.] (2) 9.3 Pi is sincere/devout/spiritual/open-minded/tolerant. (1) He is not concerned with the doctrines or divisions of religion; his simple wish to love God shows his genuine faith and his wisdom beyond his years. (1) (2) 9.4 The scene is comic: the three dignified wise men behave like squabbling children, insulting one another's religions in public, while the bewildered parents look on and the father escapes by suggesting ice cream. (1) The humour is gently satirical. (1) It conveys a serious point: organised religion, through its leaders, can be divisive and intolerant, whereas the child's simple faith shows that the essence of all religion is the love of God. (1) (3) 9.5 Pi prays regularly, performing religious rituals (from all three faiths) as part of his daily routine on the lifeboat. (1) His faith gives him hope, comfort and the will to keep going when he is close to despair; he finds meaning in his suffering and believes that God is with him. (1) Although his faith is tested, he holds on to it, and it sustains him both emotionally and spiritually during 227 days at sea. (1) (3) 9.6 They work for the Maritime Department of the Japanese Ministry of Transport (1) and are investigating the sinking of the Tsimtsum, a Japanese-owned cargo ship; Pi is the only survivor. (1) (2) 9.7 (a) Pi's mother – the orang-utan (Orange Juice) (1) (b) The cook – the hyena (1) (2) 9.8 Pi points out that neither story can be proved and both explain the facts equally well. (1) By asking which story they prefer, he shows that the choice between them is a matter of preference and faith rather than of fact. (1) When the officials choose the story with animals, Pi links their choice to religion: just as they prefer the more imaginative story, so believing in God is choosing the better story over a dry, factual account of life. This is the central message of the novel. (1) (3) 9.9 The parallel suggests that Richard Parker represents Pi's own savage, animal instinct for survival. (1) In order to survive, Pi had to do terrible things (kill the cook, eat meat/raw flesh), which conflict with his gentle, vegetarian nature. (1) By projecting these actions onto a tiger, Pi distances himself from his own brutality and preserves his sense of humanity; the tiger is the part of himself that kept him alive. (1) (3) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 11 English Home Language/P2 11 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 9.10 DISAGREE: Pi's faith and his scientific mind are complementary rather than conflicting. He is a zoology and religious studies student; he admires both Mr Kumar the atheist biology teacher and Mr Kumar the Sufi. On the lifeboat, he uses his scientific knowledge (animal behaviour, survival manual, solar stills, fishing) to survive physically, and his faith to survive emotionally and spiritually. OR AGREE: Pi's two stories reflect the conflict between the rational (factual story) and the faith-based (animal story) view of life, and the officials, as rational men, initially reject the miraculous. Pi himself criticises agnostics who cannot make the leap of faith. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses. Award 3 marks for a critical discussion based on the novel as a whole.] (3) [25] TOTAL SECTION B: 25 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 12 English Home Language/P2 12 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION C: DRAMA QUESTION 10: HAMLET – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 20 for the rubric to assess this question. • Hamlet's tendency to think and delay: after the Ghost's revelation, he swears to avenge his father 'with wings as swift as meditation', yet he delays for most of the play. His soliloquies reveal self-reproach ('O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I', 'How all occasions do inform against me'). • His need for proof: he arranges the play-within-a-play ('The Mousetrap') to test the Ghost's honesty and the King's guilt. This may be seen as prudent rather than indecisive. • He spares Claudius at prayer, fearing that killing him while he is praying would send him to heaven – a rationalised delay. • When Hamlet does act, he acts rashly: he kills Polonius impulsively, which leads to Ophelia's madness and death and Laertes's revenge; he sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths. • The corruption surrounding Hamlet: Claudius has murdered his brother, seized the throne and married Gertrude; 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark'. Claudius uses spies (Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern), plots to have Hamlet killed in England and devises the poisoned sword and cup with Laertes. • Gertrude's hasty marriage disillusions Hamlet, and Ophelia's rejection (under her father's orders) adds to his isolation. The moral corruption of the court traps Hamlet in a world of deception where it is difficult to know whom to trust. • In Act 5, Hamlet accepts providence ('the readiness is all'); he finally kills Claudius, but only after he himself has been fatally wounded by the treachery of Claudius and Laertes. • Candidates may argue that both Hamlet's flaw and the corruption around him contribute to the tragedy. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 11: HAMLET – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 11.1 King Hamlet (Hamlet's father) has recently died. (1) His brother, Claudius, has become king and has married Gertrude, the dead king's widow, within two months of the funeral. (1) (2) 11.2 Claudius is now 'more than kin' – both his uncle and his stepfather (Claudius calls him 'my son'). (1) However, Hamlet feels 'less than kind': there is no natural affection/kinship between them; Hamlet does not regard Claudius as his father and dislikes him (kind = kindly/of the same nature). (1) (2) 11.3 Gertrude implies that Hamlet's grief may be exaggerated/a show. (1) Hamlet objects because his grief is genuine; he is not pretending. He resents the suggestion that his mourning is merely outward, especially as he believes that others (his mother and Claudius) are only pretending/feigning grief. (1) (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 13 English Home Language/P2 13 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 11.4 Claudius is eloquent/diplomatic/manipulative. He begins with flattery ('sweet and commendable') but then criticises Hamlet's mourning as 'unmanly', 'impious' and a sign of a weak, 'unschool'd' mind. He uses reason and religion to dismiss Hamlet's grief and to make him feel guilty, while presenting himself as a loving father. His words are hypocritical, since he murdered Hamlet's father. He wishes to keep Hamlet in Denmark, where he can watch him. [Award 3 marks for a discussion of at least TWO character traits supported by the extract.] (3) 11.5 Body language: Hamlet should turn sharply to face Gertrude, perhaps stepping towards her; he should gesture at his black clothing ('inky cloak') with contempt when he lists the outward signs of grief; he should place his hand on his heart at 'that within which passeth show'. Tone: indignant/bitter/sarcastic at 'Seems, madam!', becoming intense/earnest/ sincere as he explains that his grief is real. Motivation: Hamlet is offended by the suggestion that his grief is false, and is disgusted by his mother's hasty remarriage. [Award 1 mark for body language, 1 mark for tone and 1 mark for the motivation.] (3) 11.6 Claudius has arranged a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes and has wagered (bet) on Hamlet to win. (1) Secretly, he and Laertes have plotted to kill Hamlet: Laertes will use an unblunted (unbated), poisoned sword, and Claudius has prepared a poisoned cup of wine as a back-up. (1) (2) 11.7 At the beginning of the play, Hamlet was tormented, indecisive and preoccupied with revenge and with questions about life, death and action. (1) Now he is calm/resigned/fatalistic: he trusts in divine providence and accepts that death will come when it must ('the readiness is all'). (1) (2) 11.8 Hamlet's apology may be sincere: he regrets having hurt Laertes, whom he regards as a 'brother', and recognises that their grief is similar. (1) However, his claim is partly evasive/not entirely honest: his 'madness' was largely feigned (an 'antic disposition'), and he killed Polonius in a rash but conscious act. (1) He uses madness as an excuse to avoid full responsibility, but he does so in an attempt at reconciliation. (1) [Credit valid alternative responses. Award 3 marks for a critical comment.] (3) 11.9 Laertes claims to accept Hamlet's offer of friendship ('love') and promises not to 'wrong it'. (1) The audience knows that Laertes has already agreed to kill Hamlet with a poisoned, unbated sword. (1) His words are therefore hypocritical: he betrays the honour he claims to defend, and the audience anticipates the tragic deaths that follow. (1) (3) 11.10 Horatio is Hamlet's only true and loyal friend, whom Hamlet trusts completely. He is rational, honest and level-headed ('more an antique Roman than a Dane'), and acts as a foil to Hamlet's emotional nature. He witnesses the Ghost, helps observe Claudius during the play-within-a-play, receives Hamlet's letters and here shows concern for his safety. At the end, he wishes to die with Hamlet but Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 14 English Home Language/P2 14 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines is asked to live to tell Hamlet's story truthfully. He is the play's moral survivor and Hamlet's confidant. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion based on the play as a whole.] (3) [25] QUESTION 12: OTHELLO – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 20 for the rubric to assess this question. • Othello is a respected, noble general, but as a Moor/outsider in Venetian society, he is aware of his difference (age, race, lack of courtly refinement: 'Rude am I in my speech'); this underlying insecurity makes him vulnerable. • He doubts that Desdemona, a young, fair Venetian lady, could truly love him ('Haply, for I am black … declined into the vale of years'); Brabantio's warning ('She has deceived her father, and may thee') sows a seed of doubt. • Othello's trust in Iago ('honest Iago') and his lack of experience in matters of love and society make him quick to believe the 'proof' of the handkerchief and the overheard conversation; he demands 'ocular proof' but accepts flimsy evidence. • His jealousy grows rapidly; he loses control (epileptic fit), strikes Desdemona in public and resolves to kill her; his pride and need to preserve his honour contribute to his downfall. • Iago's cunning: he is a master manipulator who exploits everyone's weaknesses (Roderigo's desire, Cassio's weakness for drink, Desdemona's kindness, Othello's trust). He uses insinuation, false reluctance and the handkerchief to poison Othello's mind. • Iago's motives are unclear (jealousy over Cassio's promotion, suspicion that Othello has slept with Emilia); his evil seems almost motiveless, making him a formidable villain. • Ultimately, Othello recognises that he was 'one not easily jealous, but being wrought, perplexed in the extreme', which suggests that both Iago's manipulation and his own vulnerability caused the tragedy. • [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 13: OTHELLO – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 13.1 Cassio, dismissed from his position, has asked Desdemona to plead with Othello for his reinstatement. (1) As Othello and Iago approach, Cassio leaves hastily; Iago remarks 'Ha! I like not that', and begins to hint that Cassio's departure looks guilty, arousing Othello's suspicion. (1) (2) 13.2 Iago claims that a good name is more precious than money, (1) yet he is the one who destroys the good names of Cassio and Desdemona, and he literally steals Roderigo's purse/money. He is the 'thief' he describes. (1) (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 15 English Home Language/P2 15 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 13.3 Jealousy is personified as a monster with green eyes. (1) It 'mocks' the very person it feeds on: it torments and destroys the jealous person from within, just as a predator toys with its prey before devouring it. (1) (2) 13.4 Othello insists that he will not be jealous without proof and claims that Desdemona chose him freely ('she had eyes, and chose me'). (1) However, the fact that he raises his 'own weak merits' and the possibility of her 'revolt' reveals that he is already insecure about his worth (his age, race and status as an outsider). (1) Iago's insinuations have taken root; Othello's protest that he is not jealous ironically shows that doubt has begun to consume him. (1) (3) 13.5 Body language: Iago should step close to Othello, perhaps place a hand on his shoulder/arm in a gesture of concern, lower his head and look away as if reluctant to speak. Tone: confidential/concerned/sincere-sounding and solemn, while subtly insinuating. Motivation: Iago pretends to be a loyal friend warning Othello against jealousy, while deliberately planting the very idea of jealousy in his mind. [Award 1 mark for body language, 1 mark for tone and 1 mark for the motivation.] (3) 13.6 Iago has arranged for Othello to see Cassio with Desdemona's handkerchief (Othello's first gift to her), which Emilia found and gave to Iago and which Iago planted in Cassio's room. (1) Othello also overheard Cassio laughing about Bianca, believing that he was speaking of Desdemona; Iago further claims that Cassio talked of Desdemona in his sleep. (1) (2) 13.7 Othello will first put out the candle/lamp (the literal light). (1) He will then 'put out the light' of Desdemona's life by killing her; unlike the candle, her life cannot be rekindled. (1) (2) 13.8 Othello presents the murder as an act of justice rather than personal revenge: he claims that she must die to prevent her from betraying other men. (1) He sees himself as an agent of morality/divine justice ('It is the cause'), not a jealous husband. (1) This self-deception allows him to avoid confronting his own jealousy and pride; it is ironic, since Desdemona is innocent. (1) (3) 13.9 Othello still finds Desdemona beautiful and pure: her skin is 'whiter … than snow' and 'smooth as monumental alabaster'. (1) Snow and alabaster suggest purity and innocence, which conflicts with his belief in her guilt; he cannot bring himself to 'shed her blood' or 'scar' her. (1) 'Monumental alabaster' also evokes the white marble of a tomb effigy, foreshadowing her death. His love for her conflicts with his resolve to kill her. (1) (3) 13.10 VICTIM: Othello is deceived by the master manipulator Iago, who exploits his trust and insecurity. He is an outsider in Venetian society and loves Desdemona deeply; his final speech shows remorse and nobility ('one that loved not wisely but too well'). OR Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 16 English Home Language/P2 16 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines VILLAIN: Othello murders his innocent wife without giving her a fair hearing; he strikes her in public, insults her and relies on flimsy evidence. His pride and violent jealousy make him responsible for his actions. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses. Award 3 marks for a critical discussion based on the play as a whole.] (3) [25] QUESTION 14: THE CRUCIBLE – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 20 for the rubric to assess this question. • Abigail Williams accuses others to protect herself from punishment for dancing in the forest and drinking a charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor; she uses the hysteria to try to eliminate Elizabeth and win John Proctor. • The girls, led by Abigail, discover the power that accusations give them; fear of punishment and the attention they receive keep them pretending. • Thomas Putnam uses the trials to settle land disputes and grudges (e.g. against Giles Corey and George Jacobs, whose land he wants); Mrs Putnam seeks someone to blame for the deaths of her babies. • Reverend Parris is concerned with his reputation and position; he fears that the scandal of his daughter and niece will ruin him, and he later fears rebellion. • Deputy Governor Danforth and Judge Hathorne are more concerned with maintaining the authority of the court than with justice; to admit error would undermine their power. • Ordinary people accuse their neighbours out of fear: to confess and name others is the only way to avoid execution. Mary Warren turns on Proctor out of fear of Abigail. • Some characters (e.g. Reverend Hale initially, Danforth) may genuinely believe in witchcraft; Hale later realises the truth and tries to save lives. Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor represent integrity in the face of fear. • [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 15: THE CRUCIBLE – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 15.1 Elizabeth has been arrested after Abigail accused her of witchcraft (the poppet with a needle in it, which Mary Warren had given her, was used as 'evidence'). (1) Proctor wants Mary to testify that the girls' accusations are pretence in order to free Elizabeth and expose Abigail. (1) (2) 15.2 Proctor has insisted that his wife is honest and has never told a lie. (1) Danforth believes that if Elizabeth confirms the affair, Proctor's accusation against Abigail will be proved; if she denies it, Proctor will be shown to be lying. (1) (2) 15.3 Elizabeth, who never lies, tells a lie for the first time in order to protect John's good name. (1) Ironically, her lie destroys his credibility and condemns him, Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 17 English Home Language/P2 17 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines because he has already confessed; her attempt to save him causes his downfall. (1) (2) 15.4 Elizabeth is loving/loyal/selfless. (1) She has been cold and unforgiving towards John since the affair, but here she puts his reputation before her own honesty, showing that she still loves him deeply and wishes to protect him. (1) It also shows her vulnerability/humanity – she is not the cold, rigid woman she seemed to be. (1) (3) 15.5 Abigail diverts attention from the accusation against her by pretending to see Mary's spirit as a yellow bird and creating a frightening spectacle. (1) She leads the other girls in mimicking Mary's words, making Mary appear to be bewitching them. (1) She exploits the court's belief in spectral evidence and its fear of the Devil to intimidate Mary and regain control; the court is easily convinced. (1) (3) 15.6 Hale feels guilty for his part in the trials and wants to save innocent lives, since he now believes the accused are innocent. (1) Parris fears for his own safety/position: Abigail has run away with his money, there has been rebellion in Andover, he has been threatened (a dagger in his door), and the hanging of respected people such as Rebecca Nurse and Proctor might cause a riot against him. (1) (2) 15.7 Proctor refuses to name others because they are innocent, and he will not bring suffering or death on them. (1) He is willing to lie about himself, but he will not destroy the lives and reputations of others to save himself; he does not have the right to judge them. (1) (2) 15.8 Proctor's 'name' represents his integrity, honour and identity. Earlier in the play, he hides his adultery to protect his name, which allows Abigail to continue her accusations. Here, he realises that signing a false confession, to be displayed publicly, would make him a liar and betray those who died rather than lie (e.g. Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey). By tearing up the confession, he regains his integrity and self-respect and recovers his sense of his own goodness. The theme of reputation thus runs through the play. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion related to the play as a whole.] (3) 15.9 Elizabeth's refusal shows that she accepts and respects John's decision. (1) She recognises that by refusing to confess falsely, he has redeemed himself and regained his goodness, and she will not take that from him. (1) Her response shows her love, strength and integrity; it also marks the reconciliation between husband and wife. (1) (3) 15.10 AGREE: Proctor's death is a moral victory. By refusing to sign a lie, he defeats the corrupt court, regains his integrity and self-respect, and dies as a man of conscience. His stand, together with that of Rebecca Nurse, exposes the injustice of the trials and challenges the authorities. OR DISAGREE: Proctor's death is a tragic defeat: an innocent man is executed, Elizabeth is widowed and her children lose their father, and the corrupt court continues its work. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 18 English Home Language/P2 18 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses. Award 3 marks for a critical discussion based on the play as a whole.] (3) [25] TOTAL SECTION C: 25 GRAND TOTAL: 80 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 19 Copyright reserved English Home Language/P2 SECTION A: Assessment rubric for literary essay: Poetry (10 Marks) Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT 5–6 4 3 2 0–1 6 MARKS – In-depth – Shows – Fair interpretation of – Unsatisfactory – No understanding of Interpretation of topic. interpretation of topic understanding and has topic interpretation of topic the topic Depth of argument, – Range of striking interpreted topic well – Some good points in – Hardly any points in – No reference to the justification and grasp arguments; extensively – Fairly detailed support of topic support of topic poem of text. supported from poem response – Some arguments – Inadequate – Learner has not – Excellent – Sound arguments supported, but understanding of come to grips with understanding of given, but not all of evidence is not always genre and poem genre and poem genre and poem them as well motivated convincing as they could be – Basic understanding – Understanding of of genre and poem genre and poem 19 STRUCTURE AND 4 3 2 1 0–1 LANGUAGE – Coherent structure – Clear structure and – Some evidence of – Structure shows – Poorly structured 4 MARKS – Arguments logical flow of structure faulty planning – Serious language Structure, logical flow well-structured and argument – Essay lacks a – Arguments not errors and incorrect and presentation. clearly developed – Flow of argument well-structured flow of logically arranged style Language, tone and – Language, tone and can be followed logic and coherence – Language errors NSC – Marking Guidelines style used in the essay. style mature, – Language, tone and – Language errors evident impressive, correct style largely correct minor; tone and style – Inappropriate tone – Virtually error-free mostly appropriate and style grammar, spelling and punctuation NOTE: If a candidate has ignored the content completely and written a creative response instead, award a 0 mark for both Content and Structure and Language. 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