AQA GCSE English Literature: Key Quotes You Must Know for Every Text (2025), Part 4

Covering: Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, and Blood Brothers

Welcome to Part 4 of our essential GCSE English Literature guide! In this series, we’ve unpacked the most crucial quotes you need to ace your AQA exams, text by text. So far, we’ve explored Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, The Sign of the Four, and The Tempest—but today’s article takes a bold step into drama, tragedy, and politics with four more key texts on the 2025 curriculum:

• The Merchant of Venice

• Much Ado About Nothing

• Julius Caesar

• Blood Brothers

If you’re aiming for a Grade 9, this is your must-have revision companion. We break down not just the quotes—but how to analyse them and link them to themes, context, and character development. Let’s dive in.

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🎭 1. The Merchant of Venice – William Shakespeare

Themes: Prejudice, Mercy vs. Justice, Friendship, Greed, Appearance vs. Reality

💬 Key Quotes & Analysis

1. “The quality of mercy is not strained” – Portia (Act 4, Scene 1)

• Theme: Mercy vs. Justice

• Why it matters: Portia, disguised as a lawyer, pleads with Shylock to show mercy rather than demand strict justice.

• Grade 9 tip: Link this to Elizabethan values of Christian charity, contrasting with Shylock’s rigid demand for law and revenge.

2. “Hath not a Jew eyes?” – Shylock (Act 3, Scene 1)

• Theme: Prejudice, Humanity

• Why it matters: Shylock confronts Christian hypocrisy and defends his humanity.

• Contextual link: Highlights anti-Semitic attitudes of the period but also Shakespeare’s progressive questioning of such bigotry.

3. “All that glisters is not gold” – Prince of Morocco (Act 2, Scene 7)

• Theme: Appearance vs. Reality

• Exam insight: A powerful metaphor cautioning against superficial judgement. Portia’s suitors fall for outer beauty, but true worth lies deeper—just like character and virtue.

4. “I am a Jew” – Shylock

• Theme: Identity

• Interpretation: A powerful declaration in a world that has dehumanised him. Use this quote to discuss how Shylock reclaims his voice.

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🎭 2. Much Ado About Nothing – William Shakespeare

Themes: Love and Deception, Honour and Shame, Gender Roles, Social Expectations

💬 Key Quotes & Analysis

1. “I do love nothing in the world so well as you – is not that strange?” – Benedick (Act 4, Scene 1)

• Theme: Romantic Love

• Why it matters: This moment marks Benedick’s emotional maturity, confessing genuine feelings for Beatrice.

• How to use it: Track Benedick’s development from mockery to vulnerability.

2. “Kill Claudio” – Beatrice (Act 4, Scene 1)

• Theme: Justice, Honour, Gender Roles

• Top Grade Insight: Beatrice challenges the male-dominated concept of honour and calls for real action—not just talk. Compare her strength to Hero’s silence.

3. “Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps” – Hero (Act 3, Scene 1)

• Theme: Deception, Love

• Why it matters: Ironically, Hero participates in the plot to trick Beatrice into love—just as she will later fall victim to deception herself.

• Exam gold: A great quote to show dramatic irony and structural technique.

4. “Men were deceivers ever” – Balthasar (Act 2, Scene 3)

• Theme: Fickleness of Men

• Context: This line comes from a song that underscores the theme of betrayal and unfaithfulness. It subtly mocks male inconsistency, anticipating Claudio’s betrayal.

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🗡️ 3. Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare

Themes: Power, Betrayal, Fate vs. Free Will, Public vs. Private Self

💬 Key Quotes & Analysis

1. “Et tu, Brute?” – Caesar (Act 3, Scene 1)

• Theme: Betrayal

• Why it matters: Caesar’s dying words capture the ultimate betrayal by Brutus, his close friend.

• Analysis angle: This moment encapsulates the emotional and political tragedy of the play.

2. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” – Mark Antony (Act 3, Scene 2)

• Theme: Manipulation, Rhetoric

• Why it matters: Antony turns public opinion using powerful oratory.

• Exam strategy: Analyse how Shakespeare uses repetition, irony, and rhetorical questions to stir the crowd.

3. “Beware the Ides of March” – Soothsayer (Act 1, Scene 2)

• Theme: Fate vs. Free Will

• Why it matters: A prophetic warning Caesar ignores.

• Top grade link: Use to show how Caesar’s pride blinds him to destiny and danger.

4. “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves” – Cassius (Act 1, Scene 2)

• Theme: Free Will, Responsibility

• Interpretation: Cassius manipulates Brutus into believing that Caesar’s rise is their own failure—not fate.

• Context note: Reflects Renaissance humanism—challenging divine right and promoting individual agency.

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🎶 4. Blood Brothers – Willy Russell

Themes: Class Divide, Fate and Free Will, Nature vs. Nurture, Identity

💬 Key Quotes & Analysis

1. “Do you know what a dictionary is?” – Mrs Lyons (Act 1)

• Theme: Class and Education

• Why it matters: Mrs Lyons’ condescending tone highlights the educational divide between classes.

• Top tip: Shows how working-class people like Mrs Johnstone are infantilised.

2. “Why… why is a job so important?” – Linda (Act 2)

• Theme: Economic Struggle

• Link to context: The quote captures the 1980s unemployment crisis under Thatcher’s government.

• High grade approach: Tie this to masculinity and the collapse of working-class identity.

3. “Tell me it’s not true” – Mrs Johnstone (Final Scene)

• Theme: Tragedy, Denial

• Why it matters: A gut-wrenching moment that underlines the play’s tragic inevitability.

• Context: Russell uses repetition to echo the cyclical nature of poverty and violence.

4. “You’re still a kid. An’ I wish I could be…” – Mickey (Act 2)

• Theme: Loss of Innocence

• Why it matters: Mickey envies Edward’s carefree life. The quote captures the emotional toll of class and circumstance.

5. “You never put new shoes on the table” – Mrs Johnstone (Act 1)

• Theme: Superstition, Fate

• Symbolism: A seemingly innocent superstition foreshadows the tragic ending.

• Grade 9 approach: Discuss how Russell blends superstition and class fatalism.

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📝 Tips for Using These Quotes in Your Exam

1. Always link to the question

If the question is about power, focus your analysis on how characters gain or lose it through language.

2. Embed quotes naturally

Instead of saying “This quote shows…,” write:

Portia appeals to Shylock’s humanity, claiming “the quality of mercy is not strained”, suggesting that real justice lies in compassion.

3. Don’t just quote—analyse the method

Talk about Shakespeare’s use of metaphor, rhetoric, or dramatic irony. In Blood Brothers, mention how song lyrics or narrator’s voice structure the story.

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⚡ Revision Summary – Flashcards at a Glance

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🧠 Final Thoughts

This is Article 24 in our GCSE English Literature series—and the depth is only building. By now, you should have a rich bank of core quotes, themes, and analytical insights across every major text on the 2025 AQA syllabus.

What sets you apart isn’t memorisation—it’s meaningful connection. Always ask:

• What does this quote reveal about the character?

• How does it reflect the theme?

• Why did the author include it at that moment?

If you can answer those, you’re already thinking like a Grade 9 student.

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🔔 Stay Tuned for Part 5!

Next up, we’ll dive into modern drama and poetry selections—plus model answers, exam-style questions, and comparison skills that make your writing unbeatable.

📢 Bookmark this page, share with your classmates, and follow the full revision series. With the right preparation and guidance, you’ve got this.