Poetry Anthology: Power and Conflict AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 2 (2hr 15mins) Section B: 45 minute response:

15mins) Section B: 45 minute response: compare two poems

Poems, Poet, Content and Context (in bold)
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1817) London by William Blake (1794) Extract from The Prelude by William Wordsworth (1850s)
Narrator meets a traveller who tells him about a statue in the middle of The narrator describes a walk around the city of London and comments This is only an extract of the poem and is autobiographical. It is about
the desert. The statue is of an ancient and cruel ruler from a past on the despair and misery that he sees. Blake was influenced by the an over confident narrator who finds a boat and takes it out on the lake.
civilization – Pharaoh Ramesses II. The Romantic poem is about the French Revolution and wanted social and political equality. He wanted Although confident to begin with and enjoying the scenery, the narrator
temporary nature of power. Ultimately, power will fade, art cannot the people to rise up against the powerful establishments (church, sees the mountain appear on the horizon and is overwhelmed with its
immortalise power and nature will be long-lasting. Romantic poets monarchy) and emancipate (liberate/free) themselves. Blake’s poems size and power. It causes the narrator to retreat and change his view of
believed in emotion rather than reason and they tried to capture and illustrations often explored the state of the human soul. The ‘Songs nature as he now realises its power. Wordsworth was a Romantic poet
intense experiences in their work, particularly focussing on the power of Experience’ from which this poem is taken examines how innocence and this extract explores the connection between nature and human
of nature. Shelley was inspired by events of the French Revolution. is lost, and how society has been corrupted by industrialisation. emotion, and the way human identity is shaped by experience.
Tone: ironic, rebellious, proud, arrogant, angry, aggressive. Tone: angry, dark, rebellious, hopeless, futile, horrified Tone: confident > dark / fearful > reflective
My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (1842) The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1854) Exposure by Wilfred Owen (1917)
A Duke is showing a visitor a portrait of his Duchess (former wife) who is A tribute to the British cavalry (soldiers on horseback) who died during An authentic poem based on Owens’ own experience on the front line
now dead. Whilst observing the painting he tells the visitor that the the Crimean War (1853-1856). A misunderstanding meant that the men in the trenches. It was a horrendous winter and the men are subject not
Duchess was flirtatious and displeased him. As he speaks we realise that were given an incorrect order to charge into battle with swords, and to enemy attacks but to the brutality of nature. Nature is personified as
the Duke is insanely jealous and probably had the Duchess killed. We meet the Russian enemy, who were armed with guns. The cavalry were the main enemy and the men can only wait to die. It is an anti-war
learn at the end of the poem that the visitor has come to arrange the defenceless - yet still fought bravely. Biblical references create a vision poem and stresses the insignificance of man compared to nature.
Duke’s next marriage and is representing the woman he is set to marry. of hell and there are strong religious connotations. People marvelled During the Somme, over 60,000 British soldiers died in one night.
Browning was fascinated by Italian Renaissance art. at the bravery of men facing certain death as reported in The Times. Includes biblical references foretelling the end of the world.
Tone: sinister, bitter, angry, jealous, controlling, alarming, proud. Tone: energetic, tragic, haunting, admiring, patriotic, horrified. Tone: tragic, haunting, dreamy, angry, exhausted, futile, monotonous.
Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney (1966) Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes (1957) Remains by Simon Armitage (2008)
The narrator describes how a community are waiting to be hit by a The poem focuses on a single soldier’s experience of a charge towards Based on the account of a British soldier who served in Iraq, first
storm. It is obvious that they have been hit before because of the enemy lines. It describes his thoughts and actions as he tries to stay published in a series of interviews by Channel 4 called ‘The Not Dead’.
landscape of the island. The narrator starts off confident but as the alive. It is clear that the solder is not ready for the charge and could A group of soldiers shoot a man who’s running away from a bank raid.
storm hits, the power of the storm creates feelings fear and trepidation. have been sleeping. The soldier fears for his life and the patriotic ideals His death is described in graphic detail and the soldier who is telling the
Heaney grew up in a farming community in Ireland; much of his poetry that encouraged him to fight have gone. Hughes was a former RAF story can’t get the death of the man out of his head and is haunted by
uses agricultural/natural images inspired by his homeland. Alludes to serviceman and Anthropologist and his poems often look at man’s the image and the guilt. He didn’t know if the man was armed or not
the political and often violent storm between Catholics and Protestants. impact on nature as well as the similarities between man and beast. and the reader gets the impression that it was not an isolated incident.
Tone: dark, violent, anecdotal, fearful, anxious, helpless, preparedness Tone: bewildered, desperate, dreamy, terrified, disorientated. Tone: tragic, haunting, anecdotal, nonchalant, guilty.
Poppies by Jane Weir (2009) War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy (1985) Tissue by Imtiaz Dharker (2006)
A mother describes her son leaving home, seemingly to join the army. A war photographer is in his darkroom, developing pictures that he has The poem uses tissue as an extended metaphor for life. She describes
The poem is about the mother’s emotional reaction to losing her son to taken in different warzones. As the pictures develop he recalls the death how life, like tissue, is fragile. However, she also discusses some of the
the war. She fears for his safety and after he leaves her she goes to a of one man and remembers the cries of his wife. The photographer literal uses of paper that are intertwined with our lives, such as
familiar place that reminds her of him. Weir is a textile artist as well as contrasts his experiences to rural England and focuses on people who recording names in the Koran. She then goes on to discuss how we are
poet and textiles feature heavily here. She uses familiar sewing do not seem to care about war torn places. Duffy was inspired to write made from tissue (living tissue which is our skin) emphasising that life is
imagery to explain the unfamiliar experience of loss and maternal this poem by her friendship with a photojournalist. She refers to the fragile. Dharker has Pakistani origins and was raised in Glasgow. Her
heartache. The domestic ordinariness is both disarming and beautiful. ‘Napalm Girl’ photo depicting the graphic horror of the Vietnam war. poems look at issues of identify, the fragility and beauty of life.
Tone: tender, tragic, dreamy, bitter, fearful, anxious, poignant. Tone: painful, detached, angry, helpless. Tone: gentle, flowing, ethereal, admiring, respectful, resistant.
The Emigree by Carol Rumens (1993) Checking Out Me History by John Agard (2007) Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland (2013)
The speaker speaks about a city that she left as a child. The speaker has The narrator discusses his identity and emphasises how identity is Kamikaze is the unofficial name given to Japanese pilots who were sent
a purely positive view of the city. The city she recalls has since changed, closely linked to history and understanding your own history. In school on a suicide mission near the end of World War 2. The mission was
perhaps it was scene of conflict, however, she still protects the memory he was taught British history and not about his Caribbean roots for considered one of honour but this poem is about a pilot who aborted
of her city. The city may not be a real place but represents a time and which he feels resentful. He mocks some of the pointless things he was the mission. His daughter imagines that her father was reminded of his
emotion -perhaps the speaker’s childhood. This poem examines the taught and contrasts silly topics with admirable black figures. Agard childhood and the beauty of nature and life whilst on the mission.
idea of a land and a city that is permanently alien to the speaker. often examines cultures and identities through dialect and lyrical style. When he returned home he was shunned.
Tone: mournful, defiant, nostalgic, positive, pathos, threatened. Tone: defiant, angry, rebellious, cynical, colloquial, celebratory. Tone: sorrowful, pitiful, patriotic, shameful, regretful, empathetic.
The Assessment Objectives: Ensure that your answer covers all these areas
AO1  Write a response related to the key word in the question. Use AO2  Comment on the effect of the language in your evidence, AO3  What might the poet’s intentions have been when they wrote the
comparative language to explore both poems.  Use a range of evidence including individual words.  Identify any use of poetic techniques and poem?  Comment on the historical context – when was the poem
to support your response and to show the meaning of the poems. explain their effects. published and what impact might it have had then, and today?
 Poetry Anthology: Power and Conflict AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 2 (2hr 15mins) Section B: 45 minute response: compare two poems
Themes
Power of Nature: Ozymandias, The Prelude, Exposure, Storm on the Power of humans: Ozymandias, London, My Last Duchess, Tissue and Effects of conflict: The Charge of the Light Brigade, Exposure, Bayonet
Island, Tissue and Kamikaze. Checking Out Me History. Charge, Remains, Poppies, War Photographer and Kamikaze.
 Nature is a powerful force that can cause suffering and destruction. It’s  Humans often use power to benefit themselves rather than other  Conflict causes injury (both physical and psychological) and death.
often personified in poetry to describe its effects in human terms. people, and the misuse of power can lead to people being hurt and  Even people not directly involved in the fighting can be affected by
 Nature has the power to change humans and affect their decisions. killed. conflict.
 Nature is presented as an enemy – personified, merciless and  Human power is ultimately insignificant compared to nature, which is  The long lasting effects of conflict can lead to trauma, disorientation
unstoppable. vast and timeless. and an overwhelming sense of loss and despair.
Reality and brutality of conflict: The Charge of the Light Brigade, Loss and Absence: London, Exposure, Poppies, The Emigree, Kamikaze. Memory: The Prelude, My last Duchess, Remains, Poppies, War
Exposure, Bayonet Charge, Remains and War Photographer.  People experience loss when they’re separated from someone or Photographer, The Emigree and Kamikaze.
 Poems set in the heat of battle create vivid pictures of the sights, something they love.  Memories can be powerful, particularly memories of negative or
sounds and emotions. They can be horrific, disturbing and traumatic  An absence of hope can lead to negativity and despair. difficult experiences.
experiences for the poet and reader.  People without power often feel hopeless. When things are futile, it  Memories often contain specific, personal details which give them a
 Poems set after the battle are more detached from the reality. feels like there’s no point in fighting back. unique power.
Place: London, The Prelude, The Emigree and Kamikaze. Identity: My Last Duchess, The Charge of the Light Brigade, Poppies, Individual Experiences: London, The Prelude, Bayonet Charge, Remains,
 By setting a poem in a specific place – time or location, the poet Tissue, The Emigree, Kamikaze and Checking Out Me History. Poppies, War Photographer, The Emigree and Kamikaze.
attaches a greater sense of reality to an episode or event.  Belonging to a family is an important part of human identity.  Conflicts can involve thousands of people, but everyone involved has
 A place can conjure up a strong set of emotions, memories and  National identity and patriotism can have powerful effects, particularly their own experience of it.
experiences. in war.  Focusing on individual experiences allows the poet to present a place,
 Places have strong connections with our sense of who we are, where  Examining our identity – who we are – is the constant struggle for action or event from a specific, unique point of view.
we come from and where we belong. human beings. We need to feel that we belong otherwise we are nobody  Conflict can leave individuals feeling isolated and frightened.
Bravery: Exposure, Bayonet Charge, The Charge of the Light Brigade. Suffering: War Photographer, Remains and Exposure. Decay: Ozymandias and Tissue
 Bravery is a subjective idea that can be a symbol of courage and  Poets use suffering as a powerful connection with humanity. Nobody  The deterioration of material objects, memories and power over time.
patriotism or foolishness and wrongdoing. wants to experience or witness anguish or the pain of another person.  Poems that explore the effects of decay often use it to symbolise the
 Bravery or courage can be out of necessity, and sometimes it is an  Suffering often occurs when there is conflict, war, death and loss. inevitable decline of humanity as a natural process.
enforced emotion that is fuelled by fear, desperation and anguish.  Images of suffering can haunt or traumatise the observer.  Decay can be beautiful, complicated and slow.
Language for comparison (AO3) Subject Terminology and Poetic methods used by the poet to create a meaning (AO2)
When poems have similarities When poems have differences Autobiographical Internal rhyme “tears between the Rhythm Protagonist
Similarly… Although… Dramatic monologue bath and pre-lunch beers” Structure Poet
Both poems convey / address… Whereas… Cliché Language Symbolism Persona
Both poems explore / present… In contrast… Emotive Monologue Voice Chorus
The idea is also explored in… On the other hand… Euphemism -“all smiles stopped” Mood Third person Narrative
Likewise… Unlike… First person Narrative Tone Syllable
In addition… However… Half rhymes Phonetic spellings Epic poem
Also… Conversely… Iambic pentameter Rhetorical question Hyperbole
Equally… Alternatively… In media res Rhyming scheme Semantic field
Poetic techniques (AO2)
Language Structure Form
Alliteration: words that are close Imagery: language that makes us Plosives: short burst of shocking Anaphora: when the first word of Repetition: repeated words or Blank verse: poem in iambic
together starting with the same imagine a sight (visual), sound or surprising sounds: t, k, p, d, g, a stanza is the same across phrases. pentameter, but with no rhyme.
letter or sound. Assonance: the (aural), touch (tactile), smell or or b. Sibilance: the repetition of s, different stanzas. Caesura: using Stanza: a group of lines in a poem. Free verse: poetry that doesn’t
repetition of similar vowel soft taste. Irony: language that says z or sh sounds. Simile: comparing punctuation to create pauses or Volta: a turning point in a poem. rhyme. Meter: arrangement of
and long sounds. Colloquial one thing but implies the opposite two things with ‘like’ or ‘as’ Tone: stops. Contrast: opposite stressed/unstressed syllables.
Language: informal language, e.g. sarcasm. Metaphor: the mood or feeling created in a concepts/ feelings in a poem. Monologue: one person speaking
usually creates a conversational comparing one thing to another. poem. Enjambment: a sentence or for a long time. Rhyming couplet:
tone or authentic voice. Onomatopoeia: language that phrase that runs onto the next a pair of rhyming lines next to
Consonance: repetition of hard sounds like its meaning. Pathetic line. Juxtaposition: contrasting each other. Sonnet: poem of 14
and blunt consonant sounds. Fallacy: giving emotion to weather things placed side by side. lines with clear rhyme scheme.
Personification: giving human in order to create a mood within a Oxymoron: a phrase that Speaker: the narrator, or person
qualities to the nonhuman. text. contradicts itself. in the poem.