susansenglish.files.wordpress.com · Web viewThis went tragically wrong and resulted in a long drawn out five day battle, which left 4,000 men dead and 600 injured. Throughout the

Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Anthology Example Essay Booklet by Miss Strachan

This booklet is designed to give you over the top single poem examples for each poem in The

Anthology.

There are also some examples of comparison essays.

The final two pages remind you of the structure for writing a single poem and a comparison essay and

gives a chart linking the poems.

The Manhunt by Simon Armitage

Armitage wrote the poem ‘The Manhunt’ inspired by the stories of soldiers like Eddie Beddoes, who is the persona focused on in the poem, not because he understood the tragedy of warfare, but as a way of helping other people understand the pain, trauma and suffering experienced by serving military personnel. Armitage’s portrayal in ‘The Manhunt’ effectively shows a slow, painful journey of physical and emotional recovery after a life changing shooting experienced by Eddie while on a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.

The title is interesting as “The Manhunt” implies that there is a physical search happening for a man. It can be associated with danger and the destructive nature of human beings, however in the poem this is a metaphorical ‘manhunt’. It is a hunt for a man who has been damaged by events and needs to reconcile himself with his new appearance, what has happened to him and how he can now find himself and live in a life that has been immeasurably changed as a result of an unexpected and unprovoked attack. Manhunt here is about finding peace, not searching for justice (which is often associated with this word). Armitage has subverted our expectations by calling it ‘The Manhunt’ and played with the connotations of war as well. This is engaging and interesting given the context of the poem and the injuries sustained while Beddoes was a serving soldier.

Structurally, the poem is written in couplets, with an this inconsistent rhyme scheme, which could reflect the fractured nature of the recovery that Beddoes goes through with his wife Laura in the journey to finding peace with what has happened to him. Couplets also may reflect that this is a difficult journey that both Laura and Eddie have suffered. Neither would have expected a peacekeeping mission to drastically change the course of their lives and at only 19, this would have been difficult to reconcile. Immediately, the repetitive opening in the rhythmic couplet “phase, After passionate nights and intimate days” appears to be about a story with two people clinging onto each other and then what happens next, the preposition “After” the initial phase of relief, pleasure and possibly joy at being together and for Eddie still being alive, despite being physically changed, perhaps shows that this initial two lines is only the start of a much longer process. This is also reflected in the long uneven 13 stanza poem, as there appears at this stage much more to say about what happened and the lasting effects of it. Some of the stanzas appear to follow a her and him structure, with Laura’s voice starting and Eddie’s injuries following. For example, the simile “he let me trace (Laura)/the frozen river which ran through his face, (Eddie)” reinforcing that this is both of their story. “Trace” has connotations of following, searching or highlighting something and is associated with drawing and revealing an outline or image; perhaps here she is looking for answers to what has happened and trying to reveal the secrets to the pain being suffered. “Frozen river” could imply tears silently being shed, or the scar that has been left due to the bullet ripping down through his face, while being ‘frozen’ implies that it is solid and immovable , something that won’t move or needs to thaw in order to allow a release of emotions. Furthermore, personifying the scar with “ran through his face” makes it seem as if it has a life of its own and implies the suffering is quick and painful. Looking in the mirror and constantly being reminded facially of the injury must be incredibly difficult and a repetitive reminder of the fateful day in Bosnia.

Interestingly, the poem continues to follow the journey of the bullet through his body as the poem progresses and similes/metaphors are used to reflect the terrible reality of his injuries. Active verbs are used repetitively, such as, “explore” to show the interest and care that his wife has for him, as she tries to learn about what has happened and regain an intimacy with her husband. Following this “blown hinge of his lower jaw” depersonalises the devastating effect of having your jaw blown off and broken, as the metaphor makes it sound like an everyday object and not the mechanism that allows you to speak and communicate. Losing this ability is hinted at here and this could reflect the emotional suffering and inability to speak about how he felt, as well as the physical impossibility.

Another example of the body being depersonalised and made to appear fragile is “damaged, porcelain collar-bone,” which explores the bullets journey down his body to shatter another part of him. “Porcelain” is easily breakable and implies that the human body is delicate and should be handled with care and this is how he is being treated at the moment. The alliteration in “handle and hold” implies that this is something intimate and to be done with care by his wife. Comparing his shoulder to a “fractured rudder” metaphorically implies that he has lost his way and is struggling

to steer himself back on course and again this alludes to a mental pain. This out of control sense and feeling is supported by the metaphor of “parachute silk of his punctured lung” which again shows the journey of the bullet, but also the inability to control what is happening to him and also how he feels. Both these metaphors imply a lack of control, which perhaps reinforces the intense rehabilitation that Beddoes had to undertake in order to function both physically and mentally. Also, having suffered PTSD, flashbacks and nightmares as a result of the events, it could also suggest that mentally he was unable to find peace or control his emotions. This idea is further emphasised in the statement “grazed heart” which has a double meaning: the bullet literally brushed past his heart grazing it, but not causing lasting damage and the damage to his heart emotionally from all the pain and suffering he had to endure.

Progressively in the poem, Armitage has dealt with the physical pain and injuries of the bullet which ricocheted through Beddoes body and alluded to the emotional distress that this event had and the lasting damage. However, towards the end of the poem he uses another series of metaphors to show the bullet lodged inside him “foetus of metal beneath his chest” and the absolute mental terror and trauma “sweating, unexploded mine buried deep in his mind,”. First, the noun “foetus” appears innocent and relates to mothers nurturing their babies in the womb, but when related to a bullet (a foreign object) with no rightful place in the body and which the body will reject may show how terrifying it is to have no control over this tiny object and also shows the destructive nature of guns to the human body. Also, the final metaphor is no longer alluding to the mental trauma, instead spelling it out ironically using a symbol of war, to show the devastating long-lasting and painful effects of being in an unexpected war event. A ‘mine’ is something that is unpredictable, volatile and likely to go off at any moment and this reflects Beddoes own experiences of being at his own children’s birthday parties and being frightened and traumatised by balloons popping or children screaming. To us, these are normal day to day enjoyable events, to him, these are traumatic incidents to be endured and not enjoyed in order to try to recover a sense of normality.

In the documentary, the couple discuss how these events have made them stronger and more together, but how difficult this has been and this is reflected throughout the poem. At the end of the poem the repetition in “Then, and only then, did I come close.” May indicate the struggle it has been for Beddoes and his wife to come back from these tragic events, for them to come together and to be happy and more effective as a couple and able to face the future together. Armitage’s poem resonates with me, due to the effectiveness of the simple structure which reinforces a couple struggling together to come to terms with an incredibly traumatic and life changing event, but pulling through and becoming stronger as a result.

Read the example and annotate:

Link to the question Terminology Quotes Meaning – obvious and hidden Effect Context Focus Writers’ Intentions Zoom in on words/connotations

Explain what you learn from this essay?

What is missing, or is there anything else you could include?

Which poems would you link this poem to and why?

The Essay Sonnet 43 By Elizabeth Barrett Browning – Poem was in the 2017 exam

Sonnet 43 by Barrett Browning is an extraordinarily over the top and gushing expression of the love the poet felt for her husband, another famous poet Robert Barrett Browning, who she credited with saving her from a life of misery. Barrett Browning was controversial in that she was estranged from her family, as her father was a demanding figure and opposed her marriage to Browning. In the title Sonnet 43 we are introduced to the idea that this is a series of poems and not a stand-alone sonnet of love. The sonnet form reinforces the theme of love and while it is the penultimate poem in a collection of 44 entitled ‘Songs of the Portuguese’, due to the nickname Browning had for her, it is still exceptionally effusive in her praise of him.

The opening phrase “How do I love thee?” could embody how much joy and love she feels when she thinks about her husband. Using a question and then repeating the ‘love thee’ eleven times in a 14 line poem could be considered exaggerated or an attempt to flatter, however I think this is her way of showing how overwhelmingly happy she is with him. Throughout the poem, she goes on to explore continuously the ways that she can love him using triplets “to the depth and breadth and height” again exaggerating how deeply she feels for him. There appears to be nothing that can limit how broad her love is, how far-reaching her love is and how long her love for him lasts. This seems to be an exceptionally romantic notion and enforces a suggestion that this is early in the relationship, when everything about the other person you love encapsulates you and you can’t think of anything else and perhaps the fact that these were written during their courtship could support this idea.

Following the idea that there are no limits to the love that she feels, there is also a sense that time makes no difference to these feelings “by sun and candlelight” implying that the passing of time makes no difference to her thoughts on him and that considerations such as day and night are irrelevant to her. She also uses a metaphor to compare her love for him to civil rights campaigns, which may again be considered hyperbolic and over the top, but reiterates just how exceptionally lucky and freed from other constraints she feels because she has this love “freely, as men strive for Right;” The caesura reinforces this division between the love she feels and the reason that she feels it. It allows the reader to see the poem as more than a list of reasoning, but instead as a wholehearted attempt to justify and engage the reader through pausing to see how she feels and to share in the excitement of love. Interestingly, the next line uses a metaphor relating to religion which she was obsessional about studying in her earlier years “as they turn from Praise” with the allusion to a rejection of religious thought and belief perhaps in preference to love as a more fulfilling ideal. Some readers may suggest that this is her way of distancing herself from her previous zealous beliefs in Christianity; however, it could just be a comparison of something that was also at one time all-consuming for her. Later in the poem, the idea that she is rejecting religion is repeated in “with a love I seemed to lose” which is linked to her “childhood’s faith” which we know to have been a faith in religious beliefs. “Lost saints” again repeats this idea of religion significance and domination in her life as being less important now than it was to her previous self.

She alludes to herself as an incredibly passionate person and this is reflected throughout the poem in her reflections on her husband and her love for him “with the passion put to use” showing that she recognises this trait within herself, but that she is unafraid to show this to him. Again, towards the end of the poem she employs hyperbolic listing to reinforce the strength of her feelings “with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life!” showing that she is willing to attribute every feeling she has ever had to him. It is interesting that ‘Smiles’ is made into a proper noun as the end-stopping suggests that this should be lower-case, but perhaps she is emphasising that all the joy, happiness and goodness in her life are and can be found with him. Finally, she ends with a confirmation of a belief in God “and, if God choose,” which could show that although she is distanced from religious faith, she still believes enough to ask for help from God in some way. In the final line she references the idea that she wants her love to transcend death “love thee better after death.” Which could suggest she is aware that her life is mortal and as she met him when she was suffering intensely from an illness that started when she was 15, may show that she is sorrowful of time that she has missed with him and aware that her time on earth may not be very long.

Throughout the poem, Barrett Browning emphasises religion, civil rights and the transcendental nature of feelings to emphasise the love she feels for her husband. Although, at times it is exaggerated the poem seems to embody a sense that a life lived in contentment with someone who you love and worship is a life worth living. While not

everyone will agree with her sentiments, you can’t help feeling she was lucky to have loved someone as deeply as she loved her husband.






London by William Blake (presentation of humanity)

Blake presents humanity in a way that emphasises life is a depressing and difficult ordeal to be endured and not particularly enjoyed. The poem is set in London in the Victorian era, which is a time of great change both social and

in industry, the Industrial Revolution brought significant advantages to the world and to mankind, however it also brought many problems and some could suggest it promoted the worst in humanity.

A criticism of humanity appears to be made in the repetition of the word “charter’d” which is describing both the street and the Thames. First, chartered is being used to imply that the houses and streets have been mapped out purposely by man to his order, as if humanity has a right to decide the way in which London is built up. Blake gained influence for this poem through walking the streets of London and this may reflect the overcrowded feeling and the sense of voyeurism in the poems narrator. The Thames, however, is not a man-made feature rather it is the river which splits the town of London, but again it appears that mankind have had a say in the logistics of its journey through the use of charter’d. Other readers may suggest that the Thames is a symbol for all that is wrong in London society at this time in history. Dead bodies washed up to shore, hygiene problems abounded as a result of human waste running freely into the river, rat infested and absolutely appallingly smelly, the Thames in Victorian times is not the same Thames that we know today. As the first stanza progresses there is further repetition of “mark” or “marks” relating to “every face I meet” and “of weakness” and “of woe” supporting the idea that the narrative voice is omniscient and voyeuristic, watching people and making judgements based on their appearance. The word “mark” in the first example relates to an observation of, or the fact that the narrator has noticed in all humanity something disturbing and this is reiterated in the use of “weakness” and “woe” to describe the people he meets. As we know “weakness” is a negative trait when related to humans and this supports the idea that this is a depressive poem, “woe” relates to sorrow, which is again negative and related to grief and feelings of helplessness as a result of death. Here Blake has reflected in the first stanza on a futility within mankind that shows on the faces of the people that the narrator meets. There is no hope, joy or positivity to be found in the streets of London and this reflects the fact that Blake wrote this poem as part of the Songs of Experience collection which was the opposite to his Songs of Innocence collection. Here the experience being reflected is one which shows humanity at its worst.

This reflection of humanity at its worst could be continued into the second stanza where the word “every” is repeated five times, perhaps to emphasise this human condition is something all mankind will recognise, as Blake uses the determiner deliberately perhaps to emphasise all people. He reflects on growing up in the second stanza as “Infants”, “Man”, and “voice” showing that collectively he is despairing for people of all ages in this era. Politically, Blake may be making a point about freedom of speech and a lack of a voice for the common people, as he use an alliterative metaphor “mind forg’d manacles” to imply that although humanity has opinions and thoughts they have been suppressed and violently held back. Although, there appears to be blame upon the characters themselves in this quote, as the suppression is in the mind, therefore coming from the individual. So, perhaps Blake is suggesting the people themselves have to find a voice and let it be heard in order to promote any change in their society. Furthermore, the innocence and joy of childhood appears to have been robbed from small children in the “cry of fear” that Blake uses to describe the emotions of the infants. Children do cry, but using “fear” has connotations of pain, suffering and something bad happening.

Something fearful or incredibly telling of humanity lacking empathy is a theme that continues into the 3 rd stanza with “Chimney-sweeper’s cry” again the emotion of this worker is sorrow-filled as cry is a sound that implies pain and suffering. Also, this probably would have been Blake commenting on children being exploited to work. This was a prolific exploitation in the Victorian Times with children being employed to sweep chimneys due to their size they were able to squeeze up the chimneys to clean them. This was dangerous, dirty and extremely frightening work for the children and not the only exploitative occupation that children were used for in the Industrial Revolution but the nature of the work was generally difficult and dangerous and poorly paid, meaning that poverty was rife. This idea of poverty is picked up by Blake in the “black’ning Church appals;” which could be a religious comment by Blake and may be about his disillusion with the tenants that the church were supposed to uphold, but didn’t in his opinion. The adjective “black’ning” could be about the reputation of the church and the fact that he suggests that it is the church as a collective group at fault and not any individual, or it could reinforce the soot and smog that the chimneys (a predominant feature of Victorian life in large towns like London) threw out, dirtying the walls of all the buildings. Interestingly, this symbolic dirtying of the buildings is continued with a comment on the monarchy and war “hapless Solidier’s sigh/Runs in blood down Palace walls.” Describing the soldier with the adjective “hapless” implies that they

are useless and perhaps just pawns of a larger situation. Furthermore, the deathly imagery of “blood down Palace walls” could be considered incredibly contentious as the monarchy would have been off-limits for criticism and this seems to directly link the deaths of innocent soldiers with the monarchy and their own agenda. Again, humanity is not seen as a positive life force.

Finally, in the last stanza the iambic tetrameter coupled with the use of repetition throughout the poem reinforces for the reader the deliberate shaping of the poem by Blake. Everything seems to make a deliberate point about the state of a range of themes within the poem. Women don’t escape with “youthful Harlot’s curse” implying that prostitution is a problem in Blake’s depiction of London. Destitute women would turn to prostitution in the Victorian era to survive. The juxtaposition of “youthful” and “Harlot’s curse” makes it seem that this is a criticism of the society that the women is living in, as opposed to the women herself. The final line of the poem reflects humanity as a mess “blights with plagues the Marriage hearse” which has juxtaposing images linking to hope from marriage and death from the “hearse” and as this is the final word in the poem, perhaps this is Blake commenting on a society devoid of hope. Finally, the biblical allusion to “plague” reinforces disillusionment with the church and implies that there will be some sort of final judgement on people.

Throughout the poem Blake creates a tone of negativity and criticism towards the humanity itself and comments on a large range of problems which he seems to see as endemic in Victorian society. Perhaps, his poem is a warning and his experience is being used to force people to open up their eyes and see what is happening.






The Soldier by Rupert Brooke

Brooke’s poem is intensely sentimental in the way that it is written. It promotes the idea that all men should go to war and fight for their country. Written in 1914 prior to the outbreak of WW1 it doesn’t have an edgy tone to it;

instead it is a persuasive piece of propaganda, which highlights instead the glory that would be bestowed upon a soldier if he chose to fight for his country. In this respect it is convincing and would possibly have captured the imaginations of young men across the country and persuaded them that they had a duty to fight and defend England.

Interestingly, the metaphor “for ever England” is used to euphemistically suggest that death on a “foreign field” would somehow be braver, more fitting and mean that a small piece of England would be left behind. Perhaps, with the majority of WW1 being fought in the trenches in France the idea that a young person will retain their patriotism, even in the event of death may have been appealing. The idea that although their body or blood is left behind, but that they won’t be forgotten may have brought comfort to soldiers and their families. However, due to the poem being written prior to the brutal nature of war becoming apparent this tone may have been a reassuring one, others though, may have felt cheated by the lies that this poem seems to portray. Within the octave the metaphoric “rich earth a richer dust concealed;” suggests that when the bodies of the English soldiers turn to dust the soil itself will be better as a result. This also alludes to the references at funerals of “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” which would have resonated with people at this period of time, perhaps more strongly than today’s society, as society as a whole was more Christian and this biblical reference would have brought comfort to some. Listing is also used to reinforce the patriotic nature of the unknown soldiers who are being persuaded to go to war “England bore, shaped, made aware…” to reflect maybe the honour and pride that these young men should feel. The word “England” is repeated consistently throughout the poem and this enforces the idea that the sonnet is a love poem to the country: which is cleverly personified as a woman in the poem. This repetition also indicates that beyond all else fighting for your country was seen as a duty or responsibility not to be shirked or avoided. The problem in the octave appears to be the idea that men will die in the war and that this is inevitable, however the poet shrouds these deaths in imagery which suggests that death is painless and an experience which transcends the horror and suffering that the death itself will cause. Perhaps, this idealised view is like an internal monologue which corroborates in the mind to help mask the reality of the situation. Some young men didn’t believe that dyeing for your country was a just and fitting cause and became conscientious objectors, refusing to sign up or be conscripted into the army. These views were seen as abhorrent at the time and men would be imprisoned for refusing to go to war, as they were seen as shirking their duty. Clearly, Brooke’s poem ‘The Soldier’ could be seen to epitomise the commonly held belief that men should go to war and do their patriotic duty.

The Soldier is a clever title and makes the poem seem all encompassing, with “The” indicating that it could be about any young man, it could be about a loved one or relative and it could encourage women to encourage the men in their lives to fight for their country (reflected as a female – which could be used to tug at the heartstrings of the men). The idea that the poem is being used to tug on the heartstrings of the reader is reinforced with the “all evil shed away” which suggests that by fighting the evil or the enemy will be forced to stop. “Evil” has connotations of wrong-doing, terror and an insidious malice and the thought that participating in the war will stop this may have been appealing. Again, England is personified as female “Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;” with the listing of enjoyable memories from the country being used to encourage men to save the country from the ‘evil’ by signing up. The final line “under an English heaven.” Uses end-stopping to create a final feeling to the poem. ‘Heaven’ is considered an idyllic place, where the righteous go when they die and using this as the final word of the poem could imply that even if the soldier dies he will be safe and happy in heaven as a result of his actions. Although, death is being talked of from the very first line “If I should die” to the final line it is done in a romanticised way, which avoids discussion of the horror, terror and fear of war. It makes joining the army seem like an inevitable consequence of the outbreak of war and something that should or must be done to keep the people at home safe. Brooke never experienced war on the front lines himself and he died in 1915 ironically from an unrelated infection; septicaemia, because of a mosquito bite. Some readers of ‘The Soldier’ may feel this is unfair and that his poem would undoubtedly have encouraged many young men to sign up to go to war, however they may have done so anyway as a result of the threat to the country, their homes and their families.

The poem is idealistic and unashamedly promotes the idea that soldiers should go to war and does this successfully. While some readers might be angry at the falsehood the poem promotes, others found comfort in the poem and it

was read at the inception of war and at funerals of soldiers that have died in action, which shows that for some people the idea promoted that they have not died in vain is comforting.






She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

The question used is: How does Byron present the poem; She Walks in Beauty?

Lord Byron was well known in his time as a lady’s man, who had a substantial reputation with females. It is interesting that the subject of this romantic poem, which focuses on the adoration of the female object of affection

that the narrator fixates on throughout the poem. ‘She’ is the personal pronoun used throughout the poem and in the title meaning that it is an unnamed and perhaps unknown figure of affection that is being ruminated upon, however it is commonly known that Byron wrote the poem after seeing his cousin at a funeral. This can make some readers feel uneasy for two reasons: firstly, the cousin is a close female relative and looking at her in a sexualised manner and as an object of affection may seem unwise and secondly, it seems wholly inappropriate that when mourning she is being objectified and studied for her appearance. This indicates and suggests that female objectification is not a modern phenomenon and that this has been happening throughout history.

As a romantic poet Byron would have been drawn to seeing the beauty in every situation as the Romantics believed beauty had a transcendent quality. This can be seen in the use of light and dark a recurring motif in the poem, juxtaposed in “cloudless climes and starry skies” which compares her also to a heavenly being. We look to the sky and think of heaven and the associations here and in this second line of the poem it appears that the narrator is worshipping her beauty from afar. Although, it could be considered to be a love poem, some readers believe it is about the aesthetic appearances of females and a close appreciation of how this particular female looks and makes the narrator feel, the feeling isn’t necessarily love, but instead admiration and appreciation. This is reaffirmed in “best of dark and bright” which is again a contrast using light; ‘dark’ and ‘bright’ have juxtaposing connotations evil versus good, perhaps and the female seems to come out favourably as they “meet in her aspect and her eyes:” suggesting that all the goodness can be seen in her. Again, the character is referred to using light and heavenly allusions with “tender light/Which heaven to gaudy day denies” this entire stanza seems to present a conflict in the use of night and day and what they present in relation to the female. This creates a sense of mystery, alongside the unknown nature of the object of the narrator’s affections. Perhaps, Byron is consciously constructing the poem in this way as a result of confusion that he may have felt about the strength of emotions he felt at the funeral towards his cousin, while also perhaps recognising the inappropriate nature of the situation.

The poem continues in a manner of adoration into the second stanza and the reader gets a stronger impression of the appearance of the female persona. She has “raven tress(es)” and a “nameless grace”. The first is a distinct impression of her as having long dark hair and connotes birds which are a bad omen. Interestingly, depictions of females in literature often use symbols such as hair colour to imply a deeper meaning and perhaps this is part of Byron’s intention here. He may sense a danger in being associated with this female and uses this symbolism as a warning to himself. The noun “grace” however, reinforces the intangible and ethereal quality that the female appears to have. Sibilance in “serenely sweet express” gives the poem a gentle, calming tone and this is reinforced in the final line with the “dear their dwelling place”. These lines imply that not only is the female a physical beauty, but also a deep thinker and worthy of admiration for her mind as well as her beauty. As an observer these impressions are being created through a close study of the female and are assumptions as opposed to tangible facts, showing the depth of reflection that Byron as a poet has done in order to impress character traits on the female, as well as admiring her appearance.

In the final stanza, further reflection on her physical appearance and character is made and the whole poem ends with a tone of reverence, which has been apparent throughout. Listing is used to express intangible qualities that the female has “so soft, so calm, yet eloquent” which all appear to be positive and lend themselves to describing the femininity she holds. This stanza appears fairly hyperbolic, especially as these impressions have been made in a voyeuristic manner “days in goodness spent” which is speculative and reinforced with “A mind at peace with all below” implying that the very act of looking upon the female can give an insight into how she must feel. In the final line “A heart whose love is innocent!” uses end-stopping in the form of an exclamation mark to highlight the expression of utter adoration towards the female. Although, beauty is clearly valued by the unknown narrator, they also stray into discussions of character traits and qualities that they value as well. However, due to the observational nature of the poem, the female is never given a voice, making this a particularly bias presentation of the character. We know the thoughts of the narrator and an assumption of what she feels, or thinks, or wants to express through looking at her outward appearance and facial expressions. This maybe an indication of the value placed by Byron on the value of female beauty and a way of celebrating his impression of the female, although modern interpretations may see the objectification of the female as more sinister than a simple expression of desire for the lady in the poem.

The title summarises the impression in the poem that purely observing a person cannot help you know a person. “She walks in Beauty” is not a question, rather a statement, but at the end of reading the poem there are still unanswered questions for the reader: who is she? Not just the idolised version presented to us or that she is Byron’s cousin; how does she walk in beauty? Is it due to the qualities she presents to the narration or is she merely contemplating the death of a loved one; finally, is this a poem with only a surface meaning that reflects how Byron

felt in that moment regarding women? Or, is it a darker presentation of male lust and female objectification? These are questions that may be worth reflecting on more.






Living Space by Imitiaz Dharker

Living Space by Dharker has a title that on first impression suggests there is some room and a sense of freedom through the connotations of ‘space’. However, as you delve into the poem this sense of space is immediately truncated with the structure of the poem. In the first stanza, ten lines which have an uneven appearance, adds to the disjointed and unstructured feel of the poem; perhaps reflecting the chaos that the people in these ‘Living

Spaces’ have to live in. Further reflecting this chaos and lack of space is the squashed second stanza of three lines squeezed in between the final stanza of 9 lines. The disparity in stanza size and way the poem appears on the poem reinforces how little space there is in the shanty towns that she is describing in the poem. People live in these houses (if you can call them that) as they are predominantly made of cast offs and shaped out of rubbish built unevenly and defy structural engineering by remaining standing, despite their very haphazard and non-linear construction. “Space” is something you imagine being vast and wide, but here the title contradicts the poems meaning. Of course, this is the personas “Living Space” but ironically there is not actually enough of it. Interestingly, Dharker never calls these places homes or houses, an omission that I think is important, as it suggests a recognition that although people have to live here this isn’t or shouldn’t be a permanent housing solution. Perhaps, she is suggesting that these are not good enough to be called homes, despite the thousands of people who have to call these their home.

In the poem enjambment is used to emphasise the haphazard and dangerous structures that people have become used to living in “That/is the problem.” reinforces the nature of the crooked buildings. It is placed directly after “not enough straight lines” which gives the imagery of a strange juxtaposition of shapes within the area. Our experience of housing is vastly different and the idea that structures are not straight seems odd. Buildings tend to be parallel and this idea is reinforced in the starkness of the imagery in “Nothing is flat or parallel” meaning that everything is a confused mix in the buildings or spaces that have been created. She uses active verbs interestingly “thrusts” and “clutches” to personify the way the buildings cling onto different aspects of themselves in order to avoid collapse. However, this is also juxtaposed with a real sense of hope and awe in the “lean dangerously towards the miraculous” with the final adjective having an almost religious tone to it. Miracles tend to be the preserve of the gods or have heavenly connotations, but here she has used this to reinforce the impossibility and difficulty of having to live in this way. We are maybe being forced to readjust any sympathy we may have for the people who live in these conditions and instead by amazed by the wonder that they do actually manage to live in this way, in spite of the hardships that they face. Dharker’s intention could be to draw attention to the mundanity of life that goes on within the confines of these small spaces, or the normality of living in this way for some, while still highlighting the vast poverty and injustice of these living conditions. She doesn’t use obvious phrases or clichés to highlight the problems, instead choosing a matter of fact and observational tone to show us how wonky the conditions are.

In the second stanza, which is short (only 3 lines) and squashed into the middle of the poem, reflecting the conditions, the adjective “rough” is used to describe how irregular and uneven the surfaces are. Furthermore, the idea that it is a “frame” suggests that it is only a snapshot of how they live and shouldn’t be permanent, but somehow it has become a permanent home, where people live, go to work, eat and continue a normal life. The past tense of “squeezed” implies that this has already happened and now is normality. The title is also repeated at this point in the poem, which reinforces the idea that it is where they live, but that it shouldn’t be the normal.

Again the third stanza uses the past tense verb “dared” to show that this is a courageous way to live. They have “place(d) these eggs in a wire basket,” which shows the normality of life happening within the “slanted universe”. Nothing is taken for granted in the poem. This small act of precariously resting the delicate eggs on the top of a door frame that is “hung out” suggests that there is faith in this act. Faith that the eggs will be fine, faith that they won’t be knocked or fall and faith that they will provide a meal later, despite being left out in the open for all to see, therefore reinforcing a faith in humanity itself. The imagery of “slanted universe” also reinforces the vastness of the size of these shanty towns. In India, where the poet took inspiration for this poem, these shanty towns have many problems including overcrowding, risk of fire (due to the materials that are used for the buildings), few jobs, diseases that spread quickly because of the proximity in which people live and many other problems, but they still maintain faith. The poem ends with the phrase “bright, thin walls of faith.” with the final word suggesting perhaps that all the poverty and issues and problems are surmountable if the people who must live in this way remain hopeful. In this way the poem, although it addresses issues within society and India in particular that are hard to comprehend and difficult to understand from a privileged view, the poet manages to encapsulate a view of humanity that prevails regardless of the difficulty faced.

The poem is excellent in allowing us a metaphorical window into another world, showing us how a different lifestyle, while not ideal, can still give us a sense of hope and show us that humanity is incredibly strong and can overcome difficult situations and make the most of these against all the odds.






Example Essay on As Imperceptibly as Grief

How does Dickenson presents ideas about nature in the poem?

Emily Dickenson was a reclusive figure, who didn’t go out much, however she did write prolifically in her lifetime using her poetry as a way of expressing her thoughts, feelings and emotions. In this poem ‘grief’ and time passing

‘lapsed away’ is used to reflect these thoughts. When she died her poetry was discovered and published, which could be seen as an upsetting fact, as she never understood that her work was enjoyed by others.

In the poem a sense of grief and being reclusive is prevalent with the repetition of title in the first line “As imperceptibly as grief, the summer lapsed away” which is a gentle metaphor for summer fading into autumn gradually and without a fuss. Here the effect is gentle through the use of the verb “lapsed” which suggests something happening quietly and slowly, there is no sudden movement and no shock to the event, just a matter of fact recognition that the seasons fade into each other and that this is natural, as is death and grief. It is ‘imperceptible’ perhaps, as it just happens and almost sneaks up on you, meaning that you have no control over these events; the seasons or the grief. Perhaps, the effect Dickenson wants to create is one of acceptance, as we can’t change these things, so perhaps instead have to go with them. This would reflect her reclusive nature as she would have had a lot of time on her hands and therefore would be more likely to notice the passing of time and the unstoppable nature of this. Again, she repeats the idea that it is so unassuming that you hardly notice it and cannot call it “perfidy” meaning it is not a deceitful change of season; it is just a change that happens and that should be seen as natural.

As the poem moves on, a sense of days closing in on themselves is reflected with the simile of “As twilight long begun” suggesting that the time between day and night has arrived but is in no hurry, suggesting a sense that day and night are in harmony and night will arrive when it is ready. A sense of place is suggested in the poem due to the lack of any change, however this might reflect the idea that to watch nature and really see it, you don’t have to move, you just have to observe and the persona in the poem appears to observe the change in the seasons very keenly. Nature is personified beautifully suggesting that a person only needs themselves and nature as a companion, “Nature spending with herself/Sequestered Afternoon” with the enjambment between the lines reinforcing the idea that nature is happy to be alone with time, as well as being closeted with the middle of the day. It could also create an effect of isolation or loneliness, but I very much feel that there is a calmness and acceptance of this in the poem as the pace is gentle and suggests that there is no need to worry about time passing or of being alone. Then as “The Dusk drew in” we get a sense that day is ending, but the cycle of life will repeat itself when “Morning foreign shone” suggesting that with every new day, possibilities abound. The use of the adjective ‘foreign’ to describe the morning implies that the new day is strange, unnatural and has an element of suspicion around it, however juxtaposing this with “shone” alludes to a sense of hope and familiarity, as if there is an inevitability about the day, something good will happen. Perhaps, Dickenson is using this to create a sense of hope. As a schoolgirl Dickenson experienced the death of five friends from consumption, which was a horrible disease that caused pain and suffering, so perhaps the sense of grief within the poem, which is quietly juxtaposed with hope could reflect the fact that all humanity suffer, but that life does continue and move forward. Dickenson then juxtaposes “A courteous, yet harrowing Grace” which suggests that the sun is a welcome distraction, which is eager to move on as the summer fades. The oxymoron in this phrase also implies that there are two sides to the feeling; it is a relief “Grace” that this is happening, yet also a problem “harrowing”. These lines suggest that summer is ending and while it is difficult, it is also right that the summer should fade. The simile “As guest that would be gone” reinforces the idea of the summer almost outstaying its welcome and that it should rightfully fade away now and allow the autumn to take its place.

The final 4 lines reflect that this is a seamless move by nature in ending the summer and beginning the autumn. We see “without a wing/Or service of a Keel” meaning nothing to steady us, the summer has escaped and gone leaving behind darker, colder days. However, the final metaphor “into the beautiful” gives a hint or suggestion that summer will be back and is just resting. A more metaphorical reading could be that this is a poem about the inevitability of ageing and the idea that no-one can stop time. The summer may be reflecting younger days and the autumn arriving to reflect the older years in life. Summer is possessed with “Our” and this could reflect the personalisation of this into the more metaphorical developing of life into an inevitable older age and then death.

Dickenson may have been preoccupied with the seasons as a result of being “Sequestered” in her room; however, this didn’t mean that she was alone as she corresponded widely with a variety of figures. So, although the poem appears to be about seclusion, time passing, the seasons and the cycle of life, Dickenson was very aware of what was happening in the real world and this could be seen to be reflected in her poem “As Imperceptibly as Grief” as she could be highlighting how little control humanity has over the passing of time.


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Cozy Apologia by Rita Dove

“Cozy Apologia –For Fred” is a striking title, as we see that it is dedicated to Dove’s husband Fred, a clear focus on love, which immediately suggests that he is an important factor in her life. It could reinforce that this is an autobiographical poem about their relationship and a moment in time and the oxymoronic title may be a hint that she is apologising in her poem for this sense of contentment and happiness.

Love appears dreamlike and all-consuming in Cozy Apologia, with the cupid inspired metaphor “shooting arrows to the heart” implying her heart has been captured by her husband. Cupid is symbolic of love & fidelity, therefore employing this metaphor could reinforce the strength of feeling she has for her partner in the poem. Alternatively, the presentation of her husband as a knight in shining armour “chain mail glinting” could be ironic, as there is nothing either can do to stop the horrendous force of nature. Therefore, using these clichéd presentations of love may be a deliberate teasing by the poet. Expecting her husband to be that hero is reinforced in the “I could choose any hero, any cause or age…There you’ll be,” showing that in her mind the hero in any story will always be her husband.

The poem could be relaying the story of the couple being closeted at home when Hurricane Floyd ransacked the area in 1999. Nature is fierce and dangerous, but here Dove suggests nothing could change her feelings for her husband or keep him from “set (ting) me free” showing the strength of their bond. However, this freedom seems to be related to reality. Her partner or knight has “the other (eye) firm upon the enemy”, with the enemy linking to technology, suggesting both are aware of the modern day constraints and the way this can strain relationships. Love, however continues to be presented in the second stanza with her anecdotal reminiscences about previous boyfriends that are unsatisfactory “sissy names – Marcel, Percy…” showing that she much prefers her current situation and love with Fred. The adjective “sissy” implies lack of strength, cowardly and a flawed character, reinforced by her metaphor comparing them to ‘licorice’, and as having a “hollow center” suggesting they have no backbone or strength of character.

Despite the danger of the storm “Floyd’s/Cussing up a storm” the enjambment suggests the never ending nature of the hurricane and the expletive reinforces the melodrama it creates. The poem however reflects on the stolen time the couple have together and suggests a contentment that juxtaposes this “bunkered in your Aerie” gives their confinement a fairy-tale quality. The noun ‘Aerie’ is a hideaway, secluded or isolated location, but the bracketed “(Twin desks…)” implies that this hideaway is for two, not one. Therefore, creates a comforting and supported feel to being confined at home. In Stanza two “Oddly male: Big Bad Floyd” is the stereotypical masculine presentation of the hurricane implying strength, power and an uncontrollable rage, which personifies the weather in a negative way. The jovial manner that this is done in with the alliteration perhaps underplays the severity of the storm, and maybe due to the emotions of joy that the persona recognises as “embarrassing, this happiness”.

The three-stanza structure of the poem tells a story of an over the top ironic presentation of love in the first stanza, a matter of fact and reflective tone related to past love and current happiness in the second stanza and in the final the recognition that this is not perhaps a feeling that most will have during this event. This may be to show that being in the moment is sometimes the best thing to do “I fill this stolen time with you.” With the first person in the final line reflecting that this time is precious, and she would choose to be with her husband in these unexpected, bonus times. Dove’s intentions, overall suggest that love and contentment are not to be taken for granted and despite any other horrific or tragic events love can overcome these.


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Context Focus Writers’ Intentions Zoom in on words/connotations




Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy

The title Valentine indicates a poem about love and relationships; however, the cosy depiction of love being about hearts, flowers and roses is immediately rejected by Duffy. “Not a red rose or a satin heart.” Is the first line of the poem with the stereotypical gifts immediately standing out as being worthless and an

untruthful reflection of love. The single line stanza reinforces the feeling that this isn’t what love is about or what love should be about. Duffy is implying love is more complex than some cheap gifts.

The extended metaphor for love starts in the second stanza with “I give you an onion.” which interestingly is a useful present, one with a multitude of layers and which is much more practical and useful than a rose or a heart. It is very matter of fact and stated in the first person, as if there is no question that an onion is an appropriate gift. The persona continues to metaphorically describe the onion as a “moon wrapped in brown paper” which depicts the skin covering the onion but creates a sense of romance with the idea of the moon looking down and keeping you safe. Duffy continues to show that this gift has layers in the same way that love does “promises light like the careful undressing of love.” suggesting that as each layer of the onion is peeled back, love grows and deepens and takes on a life of its own. The simile also has a playful quality as if the undressing is also a physical undressing too.

The third stanza starts bluntly “Here.” creates a feeling of the onion being thrust at the persona’s lover, as if in recognition of pain that love can cause, as well as the pleasure. This idea is reinforced with the simile “blind you with tears like a lover.” Implying it will make you physically cry as a result of something that has upset you. Tears that “blind you” are strong and show that power that the person you love can have over you in the same way that the strength of fumes from an onion can cause your eyes to water excessively. Another metaphor is used “reflection a wobbling photo of grief.” Inferring that the tears will cause you to look at the person you love but be unable to see them properly or for them to be able to see you. Or, perhaps it reflects the way that a face will crumple when it is over emotional and becomes difficult to look at. This depiction indicates that love isn’t all fun and playfulness, it is raw and emotional. Duffy may have written this poem in a realistic way as she knows what it is like to have a relationship that is full of emotion. She was living with Jackie Kay when she had her only daughter Ella and this must have been a difficult situation for her, Jackie and Peter Benson; the father of her child.

However, the next two stanzas, both of which are one lines each, shows a realism “I am trying to be truthful.” Indicating that these emotions are honest, unlike the earlier stereotypical “red rose” here the integrity of the persona and the strength of emotion comes through. Again, realism is reflected in the rejection of stereotypical valentine related items “Not a cute card or a kissogram.”. The sixth stanza uses repetition of “I give you an onion.” Perhaps to reinforce the reality of the gift and to show that this is not a jovial present, but a well thought out extended metaphor for the trials and tribulations of love as shown throughout the poem. The oxymoron of “fierce kiss” could be a double meaning for the scent of the onion clinging to the lips as you eat it or the strength of a kiss that has been given to the persona by their lover. Again Duffy contrasts emotions “possessive and faithful” to show that love has many facets and isn’t one thing or another. “Possessive” has negative connotations linking to someone being clingy and not allowing the other to be their own person, whereas “faithful” creates positive imagery implying that there is trust within the relationship. However, putting these together creates a strange push and pull feel within the relationship, as if the positive and negative elements are fighting for dominance.

In the final stanza the idea of possessiveness and belonging is reinforced with the imperative “Take it.” which is both commanding and demanding. Then, the metaphor of “platinum loops will shrink to a wedding ring.” Suggests that the persona may be accepting that marriage and relationships are about compromise and that the bad and the good will inevitably run alongside each other. The image of the loop of the onion being like a wedding ring is interesting as it suggests that relationships take work and being married isn’t the end of the work. An almost violent climax to the poem is created with the repetition of “cling” which again is possessive and reinforces the idea that relationships are not a stereotype and that

they are hard work. The scent of the onion will “cling to your fingers and cling to your knife.” the end-stopping reinforcing the ending of the poem and the fact that the onion, now sliced has continued throughout the poem to be an extended metaphor linked to the harsh reality of love. Duffy doesn’t imply that with love is a wholly positive experience in the poem. She reflects on love as difficult, changeable, worthwhile, but ultimately a difficult experience that takes work from more than one person in a relationship. Her own experiences in relationships may have meant that making Valentine a stereotypical presentation of love would have been difficult. Her own experience in a relationship with a woman, at a time when this wasn’t wholly accepted may have influenced this realistic approach to love and relationships.






A Wife in London Essay by Thomas Hardy

How does Hardy create emotions in the poem ‘A Wife in London’?

A Wife in London is a reflective, pessimistic poem, which explores the thoughts and feelings of a wife who loses a husband in the Boer War in South Africa. Hardy creates emotions in the reader through his third person narrative, as it creates a sense of looking in and observing the grief of the wife.

The poem is structured interestingly in two sections and the setting is London during the Victorian era. The first half of the poem is entitled “The Tragedy” and the second half “The Irony” which is apt. Section one explores the receiving of a telegram to tell the wife that her husband is dead. However, euphemistic language “he has fallen” explains the death, which could suggest that the news is being couched in conciliatory language to save the wife’s feelings. “Fallen” implies something calm, non-serious and possibly trivial, as opposed to the finality of death. Maybe these words highlight the time period, as women in this patriarchal society would have been shielded (in part) from the horrors of the war. Telegrams, however, would have been a dreaded occurrence for the women of the time, as this would have been the medium for finding out that they had been widowed. The use of repetitive use of pathetic fallacy throughout the poem “tawny vapour”, “uprolled” and “webby fold on fold” could infer that the weather reflects the misery of the wife and the hidden nature of her grief. She “sits in” which implies she is alone looking out at the “street lamp (as it) glimmers cold.” creating a sense of isolation and loneliness. She appears to be alone in the cold and grimness of the fog when she receives the tragic news, but Hardy encourages us to sympathise with her through the use of onomatopoeic language “cracks smartly” and “flashed news” to indicate perhaps that the news is a surprise or a shock to her. The use of end-stopping with ellipsis at the end of stanza two is interesting as it highlights that the husband was fighting in the Boer War “South Land…” but also leaves the line on a cliff-hanger, perhaps to show that the story isn’t over and that the second half of the poem will tell us another part of the tale.

“The Irony” is the title of the second half of the poem and structurally both halves are equal, which may reflect the equality of pain caused first by the telegram in section one of the poem, with the pain caused by the love letter in the second half of the poem. “Tis the morrow;” indicates that this section of the poem has moved a day forward, perhaps to show the irony of the news that she receives immediately after finding out about the death. To reflect the emotions of grief “fog hangs thicker” is in the first line of the third stanza, which again reinforces grief, pain and suffering in the wife’s emotions. The rhythmic “A letter is brought whose lines disclose… His hand” tells us that the husband has written to her before his death. The sadness and devastation for the wife is made more evident in the darkness and coldness of the day is shown in the reading of the letter as the “firelight flickers” suggesting that she is alone when she receives this letter. Even more ironic is the contents of the letter “penned in highest feather –“ another euphemistic turn of phrase to show that when he wrote the letter he was happy, joyful and full of hope for his imminent return to London and to his wife, who was waiting for him in order for their life together to return. The final stanza is incredibly poignant in this respect, as we hear of the “home-planned jaunts” implying a sense of hope that they will be together again and able to share time with each other. The final line also reflects a sense of lost hope with the “new love that they would learn.” with the end-stopping showing that with the death of her husband, there is also the death of hope for them to re-learn about each other.

Emotions throughout are shown in the sombre tone reflecting the quiet and solitude of the wife quietly waiting for her husband’s return from the war in a “far” land, which implies that she has been alone for a long time, as getting to South Africa would have been an incredible undertaking at that time. There is also a sense of resignation throughout the poem with the use of light and dark symbolising the light going out in her life and metaphorically the death of her husband too. The “waning taper” in the first stanza suggests that the wife has been sitting up for a long time awaiting news of her husband, unfortunately the news is unwelcome, but Hardy seems to show this would have been something that women would endure with dignity and little fuss. Hardy reflects on the pain and suffering of the wife as opposed to the horror of the war, which could reflect the idea that the women were often forgotten about in history.






Death of a Naturalist by Seamus Heaney

Heaney explores how a child transitioned over years from being fascinated by nature and intrigued by the changes that occur in the lifecycle of a frog, to the way that they react in adulthood to the latent danger they see, as an adult in the presentation of the frog in the second stanza. Death of a Naturalist, while clearly about nature, also seems to chart the way growing up changes the perception of the persona and makes them less open to experiences and more judgemental.

The river and surrounding area is at first described in vivid detail, almost using synaesthesia to create an image of calmness and peacefulness down by the river. The “flax-dam festered in the heart of the townland:” implies that this is a natural process of the blue flowered plant laying in the pool of water and slowly rotting. It seems natural and although the sun is “punishing” it implies that this is a hot summer, as opposed to being a hugely negative thing it appears to be a reference to the warmth of the summer, allowing nature to take its course. The imagery of “bubbles gargled delicately” again implies that nature is taking its course and the slow rotting of the flax is creating the gasses, which create “the smell”. This suggests there was a harmony in the nature working together to create favourable conditions for the “dragon-flies, spotted butterflies” which have connotations of beauty and freedom. A sense of childhood wonder now comes into the poem in the first stanza with “but best of all” which is a simple and innocent statement implying excitement and wonder. The frogspawn are described using adjectives and similes “warm thick slobber” and “grew like clotted water” to show how exciting the process of the frog spawn growing each year. Reinforcing the idea that this was a childhood ritual is “Here, every spring I would fill jampotfulls” to show the sense of being grounded in one place and reinforcing the idea that this is something exciting to do, which is involved with nature. Heaney reinforces this excitement being brought into the home and school and repeats the idea that this is a period of anticipation for the young boy “and waits and watch while” which shows how thrilling this small event is. “The fattening dots burst into nimble- Swimming tadpoles” uses enjambment to perhaps suggest the suddenness of the life cycle, even though they are being watched the verb “burst” suggests spontaneity and a feeling of surprise that the tadpoles are finally here. Youthfulness is again reinforced in the “daddy frog was called a Bullfrog” and “mammy frog… was the frogspawn” which makes me think that the persona is young and innocent and willing to be taught by “Miss Walls” who sounds like a primary school teacher. The poet also uses colloquial terms perhaps to show that the memories are situated in Heaney’s Irish childhood and that this memory of gathering innocently the frogspawn from the river and watching this process is exciting and fondly remembered. The length of this stanza is interesting as it spans 21 lines, reflecting maybe that childhood is a long process and that the relaxed feeling in this stanza is something that should be remembered and reflected on. A sense of innocence is also evident throughout this stanza and curiosity “you could tell the weather by frogs too” which is clearly something that has been learnt from close study of the life cycle process.

As the poem moves into the second stanza the tone changes “when fields were rank with cowdung in the grass and angry frogs” suggesting that the mood and atmosphere: previously calm and relaxed has changed to hostile and threatening. The negative connotations of “rank” and “angry” evoke imagery of this being intimidating and wrong. The fact the frogs “Invaded the flax-dam” also makes this seem intent filled and as if the frogs shouldn’t be there, which is unlike the earlier imagery of the same area as a “Townland” which has connotations of belonging and community. Again the alliterative phrase “coarse croaking” has an intimidating edge and “I had not heard Before” uses enjambment to reinforce that the persona’s awareness of nature has changed and they are much more intensely aware of the sounds of the frog. The scary noise of the frog is reinforced with “bass chorus” which makes it feel intimidating, like the low rumbling of a series of voices. Furthermore, the imagery of the frogs suggests disgust at the appearance of the frogs “gross-bellied frogs” and the simile “their loose necks pulsed like sails” making them seem as if they are fat and have long stretchy necks, which are repulsive to look at. Furthermore, the motion appears to be large and threatening. Onomatopoeic words “slop”, “plop” which seem innocent are loaded with vitriol when described as “obscene threats”. Again this vtiriol and hatred towards the natural world is repeated in the “Poised like mud grenades” and “blunt heads farting” with negative impressions continuously being suggested in the imagery. Their colour is dirty and they are compared to war missiles, which shows the level of threat that the now grown up persona feels towards the frogs, which are innocently sitting and hopping around the pool. Heaney may be commenting on the strength of memory and how this changes as you grow up and experience other things,

what once was fascinating and exciting loses this importance and becomes threatening and frightening, showing the childhood innocence is often lost as humanity strives to fit into the adult world. This sense of fear is shown in the active sentence “I sickened, turned, and ran.” With the caesura creating a sense of sudden decision making, that this action was involuntary and created by the experience of seeing the frogs and feeling disgusted by their presence. The final line shows the childhood innocence and sense of wonder has been completely lost “spawn would clutch it.” implying the persona feels scared of the unknown. Nothing has happened, but everything has changed and this may reflect how Heaney felt after he went away to school. He became a boarder and was no longer at home which would have created a different reality for him during his formative years.

Both stanzas have a completely different tone, mood and atmosphere and reflect how as you grow up and change what once interested you and engaged you can lose the fascination and create a sense of fear and mistrust instead. What is interesting, however, is that tying together the two stanzas is the theme of nature and the way that the life cycle happens, it is just how humans view this cycle that changes with age and cynicism.






Hawk Roosting by Ted Hughes

Hawk Roosting by Hughes reflects Hughes own awe in nature. Throughout the poem Hughes reflects on the actions and inaction of the hawk from the hawk’s perspective, which shows how important he is. Creating the poem as a dramatic monologue from the hawk’s viewpoint also helps to reinforce the arrogance and sense of entitlement in the hawk clearly has.

Examining the first line shows how the hawk has all the time in the world “I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed” the elevated status of the hawk calmly sitting at the top of the trees makes it feel like the hawk is just resting waiting for a time when he can take action, but that this will be on his own terms only. A sense of the hawks appearance and ability to sit still for long periods is given with the repetition of “hooked head and hooked feet” creating a sense of the latent power in the hawk. The adjective “hooked” implies evil, strength and power: the hawk is able to grab the tree branches due to his feet, but equally is able to grab any prey using these too. Finally at the end of stanza one, the power of the hawk and his sole purpose as a bird of prey is shown a verb “in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eats” which implies that the hawk is always thinking about killing, even when sleeping, he dreams of the next “tearing off (of) heads” which is extremely violent and a disturbing image. The imagery relating to death and violence is a repetitive theme throughout the whole poem and shows that the hawk may feel superior to all below him.

Furthermore, the supercilious nature of the hawk is reinforced using the statement “The convenience of the high trees” makes it sound like the trees are there for the hawk, to hide and shelter him while he is waiting to kill, while the noun “convenience” implies this is his right. As well as this, he appears to think the whole of the world is there for him “the earth’s face upward for my inspection” might imply that the hawk feels the earth is below him for a reason, to provide his hunting grounds. Another way in which the hawk shows how he feels about the world is “Are of advantage to me” showing that the hawk feels everything around him has conspired to his advantage and is there for him to use as he pleases.

A sense of having all the time in the world is also present in the poem and Hughes may have created this to show that nature will work in its own way, as it always has and there is no need for the Hawk to rush. Some criticism of the poem has been made as the Hawk was the insignia used for the Nazi party and interpretations of the poem suggest that the Hawk is being used as a metaphor for the dominating Hitler, however, I feel that the whole poem is actually looking in awe at the power of nature and how God has created the hawk for a reason “It took the whole of Creation” and “Now I hold Creation in my foot” reinforces this. Both these quotes show that there is a wider picture, but that the hawk feels he has a right to do what he likes, when he likes with no recourse. Perhaps, this is due to the violent nature of the bird of prey, they live to kill and this is explored in the first person narrative from the bird “I kill where I please” which implies that the hawk is doing what he is designed to do and feels no emotions relating to the killing.

In the final stanza the lack of remorse from the hawk is repeated with “Nothing has changed since I began.” And “I am going to keep things like this.” Showing perhaps that the hawk is perfectly happy with the status quo and feels no need to change or adapt. He has hunted, killed, rested and eaten throughout the poem and that is his sole purpose. Hughes reflects on how simple the life and desires of the bird and shows that the arrogant and self – righteous nature of the hawk is to be expected. He is, after all a creature whose whole nature is to hunt and to kill. Hughes fascination with nature is predominant through the way he comments on nature in a non-critical, but interested way and by using the first person to present the views of the hawk the reader can feel this sense of wonder and awe in nature.






To Autumn by John Keats

How does Keats present autumn in the poem To Autumn?

Keats seems to be preoccupied with the idea of how beautiful and abundant autumn is in the poem To Autumn. The poem is an ‘Ode’ and unlike his other odes he doesn’t mention this in the title, perhaps as it is obvious from the way the poem is written that he is celebrating the season of autumn and the form of the play doesn’t need to be mentioned. The title “To Autumn” can show he is writing to the season, which as an abstract concept, will be unable to respond, but reflects his romanticism and focus on the beauty of nature.

Throughout the poem references to autumn are focused on the animals, the harvest and people who are winding down from the hard work of bringing the harvest in and preparing for winter. The sun is personified in “Close-bosom friend” which suggests that autumn and summer are very friendly and complement each other well. They are described as “Conspiring” which suggests they are in close contact and discussion about how best to create well ripened fruit and crops for the people who need these to survive the winter. In the opening stanza there is a very relaxed and calming tone with the imagery suggesting that the sun has provided for the people “to load and bless” and “bend with apples”, as well as “fill all fruit with ripeness” which provides imagery of plenty and of the food being ripe and ready to pick. This first stanza in Keats poem is about preparing for the harvest and the end of stanza one may reflect that this is the end of summer, because of the last line of this stanza the personification of “summer has oer’brimmed their clammy cells” could mean that summer has had its glory and perhaps it is time for autumn.

Meanwhile, in the second stanza it shows how the person is gathering the crops from the harvest, however Keats represents the persona as being “sound asleep” on “half reap’d furrows” which means that they have has dozed off while ploughing the fields. This could make the reader feel sympathy for them because they have a tiring job having to collect a massive field of crops. Also, as this was written before industrialisation workers were taking crops in by hand meaning that this was a difficult physical labour that they had to undertake. Furthermore, in the last stanza Keats uses a lexical set of triplets to describe his surroundings and what can be heard “Red-Breast whistles” could have connotations with robins, which in turn connote Christmas and winter meaning that the end of autumn still brings other pleasures and things to look forward to.

While writing this poem Keats was said to be suffering from TB which might have been in his mind while writing this poem as at times in his final stanza he links to language alluding to death “soft-dying days an oxymoron and “wind lives or dies” which are both examples of the season being linked metaphorically to death by Keats. It could be said that he is trying to hint to the reader that he is suffering and maybe they will feel sympathetic as not long after the poem was published, he died. A feeling of an ending is also reflected in the use of rhetorical questions in “Where are the songs of Spring?” and “Ay, where are they?” which feels mournful, as if the sunny days and noises related to the animals in summer is something that he misses in the seasons that follow. Furthermore, music is mentioned to be sad, depressing and downbeat in the metaphor “wailful choir the small gnats mourn” which implies that even the smallest of insects are feeling displeasure at the end changing of the seasons.

Throughout the poem autumn feels as if it is being compared to a female, with the summer a man “him” mentioned in the first stanza. There is plenty of food and warmth and comfort offered by the seasons and Keats uses a romantic, rose-tinted glasses style to reflect on the way he presents autumn. Perhaps, this is reinforced by the structure of 11 line stanzas which allows reflection time and a real ability to develop what he thinks and feels about the season throughout.






Afternoons by Philip Larkin

Afternoons by Larkin reflects his cynical take on life and his inability to let go and see the joy in events and the everyday ordinary. The plural nature of ‘Afternoons’ in the title infer that this is an ongoing, repetitive cycle of life and that it happens every day. Perhaps this mundanity is best summarised by the end line “Something is pushing them/To the side of their own lives” with the enjambment showing that this happens all the time and the wording suggesting that the people in the poem are no longer important, they are being side-lined and forgotten about, as a result of having children and getting married. This is a fairly cynical take on the way marriage evolves until you become different, changed and even older and instead of celebrating this, Larkin seems to suggest that this is a loss to the personas in the poem. The end-stopping here implies this is final and this is how it is, there is no solution or going back.

In the opening of the poem we have “Summer is fading:” again implying that summer is almost over, it is melting into autumn and could be a metaphor for the way life changes and shifts as we grow older. The once young and happy couple are feeling rejected as the “lovers are all in school)” with the brackets suggesting this is an aside or an observation that time moves on and those who were once young and in love, with no responsibilities are now older and slightly jaded and full of responsibility. This idea can be seen when Larkin states “an estateful of washing” showing again mundanity, but also responsibility. The use of hyperbole in “estateful” implies that there is a never-ending abundance, and this seems very negative and repetitive. In the opening stanza we have “Young mothers assemble” as if this is a pre-planned outing and they are gathering together to spend time with each other while their children are “free” which is the opposite of how the mothers appear to be. The sibilant nature of the “swing and sandpit/setting” reflects this freedom that children have, before they lose their innocence and become part of life’s merry go round (that Larkin seems to be exploring) . Maybe Larkin is commenting with some clear cynicism on the rush people are in to have a family and get married, but that this isn’t the utopia that they may expect. Larkin famously never married or had children, although he did have several long-term relationships and maybe his observation of other people here reinforces that he didn’t believe in the institute of marriage and that he didn’t see the joy and happiness in having children that many people experience. As an outsider looking in the poem reflects the feeling that the people, through marriage have neglected themselves “Our Wedding” is italicised but has been abandoned “near the television” implying that the one day is no longer important.

Each stanza is exactly the same length and appears fairly regimented and even throughout the poem and this could suggest that this is the due to the regimented nature of life. You go to school, grow up, have a girlfriend or boyfriend, get married and have children and the structure being so even could show this. The women in the poem is presented as the home-maker while the man is “Behind her” and in “skilled trades” perhaps implying that she is less important than him, which could be seen as a misogynistic reflection of the importance of women. The women are looking after the children and seem to be living a life of domestic drudgery that has taken a toll on the appearance “Their beauty has thickened.” which could demonstrate several things: the women is now wider and larger than she was when she married and before she had children; the women is now more cynical and this is seen in her appearance; the women is no longer as young as she was and the experiences she has had can be seen written in her appearance; the women is not young, free and innocent any longer and has to take responsibility and this can be seen in her appearance. The contrast in the presentation of men, women and children in the poem is interesting and it is interesting that throughout the poem an omniscient narrative voice explores what the women is doing. Nature seems to also show this idea of an end of something with “The leaves fall in one and twos” showing that summer is ending, and autumn is coming. Often metaphorically autumn is linked to death and the ‘autumn of one’s life’ and the poem certainly feels like a death of innocence and an end of

youthfulness for the women portrayed. Expectation and the end of youthfulness is also seen in the line “Expect to be taken home” which shows that the children need to be looked after and nurtured, however the verb “Expect” shows a reliance on the mother.

Throughout the poem a sense of drudgery and joylessness is created through the way the omniscient narrator reflects on the lives of the women. It starts with the plurality of the title and continues throughout the poem in the descriptions of their lives. Larkin, as a cynical non-married male, could be reflecting in this way to highlight that marriage and children and the normal expectations of society are not for everyone and are not as exciting and as fun as the wedding day suggests that they should be.






Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen

How does Owen use imagery to depict war in Dulce et Decorum Est?

In Dulce et Decorum Est imagery reveals a very realistic and raw depiction of war. Perhaps this rawness and realism is as a result of Owen’s personal experience on the front lines as a soldier. He was killed in action just days before the end of the war and the brutal nature of war is shown in the opening simile of the poem “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,” which uses caesura to split the image of the men doubled over with fatigue and exhaustion from the imagery of them as homeless, old men who have had enough of the war and are filthy wearing clothes that no longer fit the purpose. Using the noun “beggars” implies that these men are of no use and perhaps this is Owen’s intentions as they are not really in a fit state to be fighting a war, but have no choice and this is highlighted again with the next simile “coughing like hags” which infers that they are not only exhausted, but ill as well. The use of “hags” creates an image of the men as broken, old and witch-like as ‘hags’ are often seen as witches and this imagery makes it seem almost supernatural, as if this war is surreal and unreal. Describing the movement of the men as “cursed through sludge” and “trudge” and “lame” shows how physically the soldiers were no longer able to make conscious decisions, they are literally just going through the motions, putting one foot in front of the other and not thinking about it. “Cursing” shows that they are finding the conditions difficult, treacherous and the “sludge” shows that the ground has been churned up unbelievably where they are, possibly due to the hundreds of other men that have also trod this path on their way to and from the front line. In WW1, which is when the poem is set, men like Owen were sent to the front line trenches, which was a difficult and dangerous place to be, as the trenches were dug out into the earth and not particularly well fortified. Often men would contract trench foot as a result of constantly wearing boots, or being bare foot with completely sodden feet and never having the opportunity to dry them off. This was not the worst situation, as men would also have to sleep in the trenches in dug outs and share their beds with rats and be covered in lice, which must have been appalling and traumatising. This incredible difficulty is shown again in the imagery of “Many had lost their boots” which shows that they were poorly equipped to be marching, let alone fighting on the front lines. Furthermore, the terrible sleeping conditions are shown in the metaphor “Men marched asleep” reinforcing the utterly desolate feelings the men had and the fact that they have an inability to do anything other than continue blindly on.

As the poem continues this fatigue is overtaken by an utter sense of urgency which uses imagery of “gas shells dropping softly” in the second stanza with the sibilance exploring how quiet and innocuous these shells at first appear, when in fact they are deadly and devastating. This urgency is then reflected “Gas! Gas! Quick Boys!” using the exclamation marks to enforce how urgent getting the gas masks on will be for the survival of the men. If they don’t they too will be “under a green sea” which is the difficult imagery used to show how sickly and artificial the gas fumes are and how they envelop the unfortunate soldier who has been unable to put his gas mask on in time. Gas was a fairly new and dangerous invention during the war and men lived in fear of not being able to put their gas masks on in time, due to the horrific death that they knew they would suffer. This is explored excellently by Owen in the images of the man who is “flound’ring like a man in fire or lime” showing that he is suffocating and that the gas is infusing his lungs and stopping him from breathing, or being able to do anything to save himself. This horrific imagery is reinforced throughout the whole of the second stanza, which deals exclusively with this incident “I saw him drowning” reinforces the image of him being choked due to the fumes of the “green sea” which is horrific and seems incredibly painful. Not only this, but the horror is relived when Owen states “In all my dreams, before my helpless sight” showing that this event played on the mind of the soldiers and was unforgettable due to the horror and pain suffered by the soldier. Furthermore, the use of “dreams” may imply that this

was something that was revisited by the soldiers when they tried to sleep. In the triplet the horrifying way he died is explored with “guttering, choking, drowning.” showing that this wasn’t a quick, sudden and painless death, but rather it was intense, painful and noisy and the reader feels the suffering of both the witness to the event and the victim. Movement is used in “he plunges at me” which shows that the man is looking for help and doesn’t want to die.

In the fourth stanza this terrible image of the dying man continues, which perhaps can reinforce the length of the death a soldier might expect to face if they are a victim of gassing. Also, one of the most powerful images is used in the simile “like a devil’s sick of sin” which implies that even the devil (who is the gatekeeper of all evil) is fed up and tired of the intense suffering and killing of mankind. In this particular quote a sense of the futility of war is shown and a questioning of the way humanity is behaving is seen. Owen doesn’t state it explicitly but uses “innocent tongues” and “Obscene as cancer” to reinforce how awful the war is and how it has spread like a disease until it is something that is incurable. In the final lines Owen shows his disgust with the use of “high zest” and “The old lie” to display how he feels about the propaganda and the lies that are told to people at home about the war. It is well known that the suffering of men in the war was covered over and not talked about, but Owen seems to be calling out the propaganda that was a major part of encouraging young men to sign up and go to war.

At the end of the poem the powerful title is repeated, but with the prefix “The old lie:” using caesura to show that the propaganda isn’t true. Owen, however while making a powerful point with “Dulce et Decorum Est” is not a coward. He fought in the war and died in the war and this makes the poem even more poignant, that and the fact that he was only 25 when he died. His depiction of war is brutal, realistic and harrowing, however that is the reality that he wanted to depict.






Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley

How are themes of war and conflict depicted in Ozymandias?

The poem ‘Ozymandias’ is referencing an “antique land” and the ancient ruler called “Ozymandias” as referred to in the title, who described himself rather arrogantly as “King of Kings”. Shelley presents themes of war and conflict through the poem Ozymandias and the character depiction as well. He is presented as a ruthless ruler throughout the poem and the omniscient narrative anecdote portrays a message that: even though something seems great (like Ozymandias’ empire) it doesn’t necessarily last forever. Shelley might also want us to feel happy as an audience, with what we already have and shows this through the ruthless power of ‘Ozymandias’’ and his ambition for more, which eventually destroys what he already has.

In the poem the persona wants the reader to know about the “two vast and trunkless legs of stone” which stand in the desert and have been abandoned, perhaps to suggest that no matter how powerful and mighty you are in life, once you are dead and have been buried you too will be forgotten or that metaphorically the sands of time will erase you. Physically, of course it is the weather and the erosion caused by the desert that the statue was erected in that is responsible for destroying the statue. Despite being “King of Kings” with the arrogance that this assumes, the once great and mighty ruler has been abandoned to the elements and nature. A desert is a dry, barren land, so it is inevitable that at some point the statue will be destroyed and diminished. With the adjective “shattered visage” the reader sees the description of how the features are no longer fearful, as they once were in life. The alliteration in “cold command” and the use of the facial expression in the verb “sneer” implies that Ozymandias was a difficult, unlikeable and strong presence in life. However, Shelley uses the context of the ancient Egyptians to show us that any regime which interprets itself as being bigger than or better than another is liable to ruin and corruption. Shelley was writing this poem (perhaps) as a warning to others in government or positions of authority to be careful of their intentions and habits, as he was seen as a ‘radical’ in his lifetime, meaning that he was willing to stand up and go against the mainstream ideas or popular ideas of the time period.

Another example where radical thinking is prevalent can be seen in the final line with “level sands stretch far away.” Maybe this sibilant phrase could suggest that emptiness is all that will follow the desire for power. By using words like “colossal” and “boundless and bare” Shelley is emphasising the lack of any focus on the now deserted rulers’ statue. However, the omniscient narrator is interesting from the start of the poem, as this persona allows the story of the once mighty, but now fallen leader to be told. The first people recount “I met a traveller from an antique land.” implies a gravitas and inherently truthful depiction of what was seen, however the fact that the persona is retelling someone else’s story may also reflect a bias in the telling of the story. How does the persona truly know what the statue is like, as he has not seen this himself, therefore as a reader we are inclined to believe the story, as it has an air of authority and truth and corruption in society can still be seen as endemic today, as it always has been. Shelley was notoriously radical in his thinking and perhaps his comments in Ozymandias link to the way society allows for corruption to spread. Throughout the poem the idea of war and conflict is multi-faceted: conflict from the people towards their ruler, the statues (losing) war against the effects of nature and society’s conflict against power.

Conflict of the people towards their ruler is implied, as opposed to being immediately obvious “the hand that mocked them” could suggest that as a ruler he was condescending and superior to his subjects. The conflict here is seen through the juxtaposition of mocking and feeding in the same line “heart that fed”, as the subjects would have been conflicted at the time. On one hand he was cruel and worked them hard on a thankless task to erect a vast statue of him in a barren and unforgiving land, but on the other hand he was a ruler who fed them and kept them alive. Presumably, they would have had little choice as he was “King of Kings” implying the best of the best and the strongest, most powerful leader, so the subjects would have done his bidding. Furthermore, the statue as mentioned earlier has lost the battle or war with nature and is now desolate and broken, left to rot and be forgotten in the sands of the desert.

Shelley creates through the sonnet form an interesting depiction of a cruel leader, who rules with an iron fist, who seems to revel in his status as all powerful and shows that the mighty will and can fall. Perhaps, he is referencing corrupt power systems in society and using the themes of war and conflict in the poem to indicate his dissatisfaction with the way society is at the time.






Mametz Wood by Owen Sheers

The Essay: How does Owen present war as a futile and difficult experience in Mametz Wood?

In Mametz Wood the futility and difficulty of the war is presented in Mametz Wood through the repetitive imagery related to the sudden and unexpected deaths of the young soldiers. The men were ordered to follow the instructions of the officers and their superiors to take the largest wooded area in the battlefield: Mametz Wood. This went tragically wrong and resulted in a long drawn out five day battle, which left 4,000 men dead and 600 injured.

Throughout the poem, the Welsh poet shows futility through the youthful loss of life in the noun phrase “wasted young” which suggests right at the start of the poem the men’s lives have been lost for no reason. Using “wasted” reinforces how their deaths appeared to be purposeless; appeared as if they were given away by the superior officers with very little thought, care or concern; also as if the lives had no use any longer. Furthermore, the way “farmers found them” and “years afterwards” is stated in a matter of fact tone in the first line suggest that they had been long dead, buried and left to decompose in the earth, which reflects the waste of their young lives. Contextually, the men seem to have been buried quickly and this would have been the case during the war as the dead bodies wouldn’t have been repatriated to their homes. War was too brutal and too many men were killed to allow the ‘luxury’ of sending the bodies’ home, meaning they were buried on the battlefield and left to rot, forgotten and without a Christian burial or a real service. The difficult nature of the war is shown in the brutal imagery of the injuries and deaths that the men suffered. Metaphors comparing the men to delicate china are used to perhaps show how quickly and brutally they were injured, as if the lives of the men were easily destroyed “a chit of bone” and “china plate of a shoulder blade” showing how the heavy fire they were under destroyed the bones and tore into them. Reinforcing the futility and pointlessness of the war is the imperatives used by the officers in charge “walk not run” meaning that the men wouldn’t have been expecting an ambush. Clever imagery of the “nesting machine guns” is used by Sheers to reflect how unaware the men were of their impending deaths. The connotations of “nesting” are birds, comfort and being embedded and covered so well that they cannot be seen and this comforting image takes on a sinister edge when used to describe the machine guns hiding in wait for their prey. The bird imagery also resonates, due to the fact birds use trees to nest in and this is where the enemy soldiers are hiding.

Throughout the poem, continuous references to the earth as a guard are made “stand sentinel,” implies with the sibilance that the earth itself is watching over the men, who lost their lives and waiting for them to be found and discovered in order for their story to be heard. The earth appears patient as “even now” implies that the earth is willing to wait for the discovery of the bodies for as long as it takes. The men have become a part of the ground; however they are not a natural part of the earth as shown with the simile “like a wound working a foreign body to the surface of the skin.” Indicating that the earth wants the men to be discovered and uncovered. Throughout the poem nature is juxtaposed with the horror and unnatural deaths that the men suffered. Perhaps, this was Shears intention as war is and was an extremely devastating and unnatural event in the world, particularly the brutality and barbarity of WW1. Modern machinery and guns meant that men were ‘cannon fodder’, and these references to machine guns in the poem show the poet is aware that these were responsible for a huge volley of shots that could kill and injure a far greater number of men than any previous war had been capable of. It seems poignant that the earth, which was there during the events that unfolded in Mametz Wood, has waited for a long time to uncover the horrors that occurred at the time.

This horror is again shown when a mass grave is uncovered “twenty men buried in one long grave” shows how these men may have died at the same time, mown down as they advanced by the enemy. These deaths seem futile in the way that they seem to have had no chance to defend themselves “paused mid dance-macabre” metaphorically suggests that they were just going into the woods normally, with no feeling of their imminent deaths. However, the ghoulish “dance-macabre” which stands for the dance of death could show that the men seemed happy when they died. Perhaps, the implication is that they were walking into their deaths and the position of their bodies in the grave “linked arm in arm” shows collectiveness and solidarity of purpose, or it could reflect that in death they were not alone. These men did not expect to die and the Welsh regiment’s part in the Battle of the Somme seemed to have been forgotten. Sheers may have wanted to ensure that the men who had bravely given up their lives to fight for our country were not forgotten and that although they were “In boots that outlasted them” there “voices” could be heard through the telling of their story in the poem.

Finally, structurally the poem is interesting as it seems to be reminiscent of the tracks of a tractor ploughing a field and then turning to go back round. This may show the way the bodies were discovered with their “socketed jaws” and “absent tongues” finally being ploughed up by the farmers as they tried to restore the killing fields to fields that sustain life. The Welsh soldiers who lost their lives young and who were forgotten are given through the poem a voice again. This could mean that the reference to “absent tongues” is symbolic and may be a reason Sheers chose

to reference the men as being voiceless, jawless and with mouths that had “dropped open” perhaps in shock at the sudden way they died.






Excerpt from The Prelude by William Wordsworth

The Essay – How does Wordsworth create emotion in the poem Excerpt from The Prelude?

Wordsworth’s excerpt from The Prelude could be considered a snapshot into the thoughts and feelings the poet himself had during a moment of freedom skating on the outdoor lakes in the Lake District. Due to the semi-autobiographical element of this epic poem the reader can infer that these are thoughts and feelings he remembered having as he skated in the vast and sometimes overwhelming landscape.

This sense of Wordsworth finding the landscape overwhelming doesn’t begin till half way through the excerpt; however a sense of wonder at nature is evident from the start and these emotions are indicated throughout the poem in a range of ways. Pathetic Fallacy is used to perhaps create a melancholic mood in the introductory line “frosty season” implying it is cold, winter time and gives a sense of time being drawn out, as this is not just a day, but a whole ‘season’ being dedicated to the winter. Furthermore, the enjambment in “sun/Was set” reinforces the time being stretched element, as well as indicating that daylight has gone and it is not dark yet, but that the young persona feels safe and content. Safety and belonging is suggested in the depiction of cosy cottages with “through the twilight blaz’d” giving an aura of calm as if the persona is looking at these and seeing home. However, the first person “I heeded not the summons” creates a small element of a rebellious natures, as if the persona does not want the fun to end and is happy and content to ignore the calls to come home, instead continuing to whizz around on the ice with friends. Perhaps, this reflection is in part recognition of the safety and security that Wordsworth had in his younger years, when his mother was alive to care for him; she died when he was eight years old and this may be shown in the way the poem is structured with the memory of being called to come in early on in the poem possibly to show that this was a time before his mother had died. The use of caesura in “- happy time” again suggests that the persona is untroubled and free to enjoy himself at this point in his life Emotions in these lines of the poem are linked to security, safety and a sense of belonging in the world.

As the poem progresses the poem is anchored using time “village clock toll’d six; which creates a slight sense of foreboding for the persona, as if this demarcation of time brings in a sense of reality. Interestingly, though this reality is still carefree and exciting as seen in the simile “Proud and exulting, like an untir’d horse” comparing his smooth journey across the ice to a regal and triumphant horse. This metaphor is continued with the “shod with steel” implying that the steel blades of the skates give them power and speed like that of a horse. A collective sense of fun and enjoyment of the skating is shown in the use of pronouns “We hiss’d along the polished ice” while the sibilance reinforces the swishing sound of the skates cutting through the ice as the friends skate quickly across the lake. The increased pace in the poem helps to begin to create a more sinister tone with the metaphorical hunt being implied as the friends glide along in “games/Confederate, imitative of the chace” which create a sense of them being hunted, as if they are prey or as if they are soldiers at war. Also, the hunting metaphor is extended to include the sounds “bellowing” implying a loud and frightening noise made by the pursuers, while the emotions of the “hunted hare” are implied as they run away in fear and terror of being caught. Throughout this metaphorical depiction of the skating a sense of being chased is created and the active verb “flew” implies that they were unable to be caught, as well as the commotion and noise in “not a voice was idle” implying that although this is an exciting and pleasurable experience for the friends there is an undercurrent of tension, due to the depiction of this as a hunt. Connotations of hunting are death, cruelty and loss of freedom therefore this may be symbolic for Wordsworth as a time when he was free, before he lost his freedom and security, and again this relates to the earlier emotions in the poem, but now with a sense of impending darkness.

This impending sense of darkness is enforced through the depiction of nature as the excerpt draws to a close. A real sense of awe of nature and slight fear at the size and power is shown towards the end of the poem and this could be a reflection of Wordsworth’s romantic views. As a romantic poet he believed that nature could transcend other preoccupations and this view seems to be shown in the poem. The hills are described using personification “the precipices rang aloud” with the plurality of the peaks creating a feeling that the sound and power of nature is overwhelming and almost too large. This preoccupation with the sound nature makes is reinforced in the exploration of sensory images relating to sound in “distant hills…sent an alien sound” which implies that nature seems at once familiar and unfamiliar. The noises created are “alien” connoting otherworldliness, a strange sound or sensation for

the poet and a defamiliarisation of the well-known Lake District area that he grew up in. Wordsworth who would have been very young at this point in the poem shows an awareness of the power of nature and ends with a melancholic “orange sky of evening died away” to show that the sun has now set, but also to maybe show a feeling of isolation and loneliness at the end of this short excerpt from the poem.

The beauty and power of nature has been clearly reflected upon throughout the poem by Wordsworth and emotions seem to begin positive and happy at the start of the excerpt and become more thoughtful, more reflective and more pensive as the poem concludes. Perhaps, the poet wanted to show that with age and experience the emotions we feel become deeper, change from freedom and innocence and take on a more sinister edge.






Comparison Poem Examples:

To Autumn and The Prelude

There are many different nature poems that are well written; however even though they are on the same subject they create very different views and emotions about nature. The poem To Autumn by John Keats is about three different stages of autumn, whereas The Prelude is about a childhood memory linking to the vastness of nature in the Lake District.

The first stanza in Keats poem is about preparing for the harvest, so very different to Wordsworth’s “frosty season”. Keats talks about all the lovely fruits that are ripening and how all the bees are out for their pollen “Flowers for the bees” presents an image for the readers of a lovely summer day where all the people are having picnics while the bees are busy going from flower to flower, however in The Prelude Wordsworth describes the trees as “leafless”, which in comparison creates a dull image of the dark nights in winter and no life in the trees because all the leaves have fallen off the trees in the Autumn time. However, even though Keats’ poem is called To Autumn, the first stanza represents the end of summer because the last line of this stanza the personification of “summer has oer’brimmed their clammy cells” could mean that summer has had its glory and perhaps it is time for autumn.

The second stanza shows how the person is gathering the crops from the harvest, however Keats represents the persona as being “sound asleep” on “half reap’d furrows” which means that they have has dozed off while ploughing the fields. This could make the reader feel sympathy for them because they have a tiring job having to collect a massive field of crops. Also, as this was written before industrialisation workers were taking crops in by hand meaning that this was a difficult physical labour that they had to undertake. This is different to The Prelude because the kids are shown as not being lazy when Wordsworth says “not a voice was idle” which show the group of children ice-skating in an excited and energised way, which is different to ‘To Autumn’ and the midday heat. This could be because in The Prelude not only is it winter and getting dark earlier but it is cold which differentiates it from To Autumn where the person is working in the sun.

As well as being different, they also have similarities. This is shown in the last stanza where Keats uses a lexical set of triplets to describe his surroundings and what they can hear. “Red-Breast whistles” could have connotations with robins, which in turn connote with Christmas and winter. He could have been suggesting that autumn is closing and winter is coming. In comparison to The Prelude, Worsdsworth talks about how the Lake District has got its “frosty season” and how it is getting dark at six which could make the reader feel like they are experiencing the peak of winter. He also mentions that the floor has frozen and become “polish’d ice” To add to Keats’ lexical set he says the full grown lamb” which could mean that it is nearing Christmas as well because Christians believe that not only Jesus is “the lamb of God” but also that the shepherds went to see his birth.

While writing this poem Keats was suffering from TB which might have been in his mind while writing this poem as at times in his final stanza he links to language alluding to death “soft-dying days an oxymoron and “wind lives or dies” which are both examples of the season being linked metaphorically to death by Keats. It could be said that he is trying to hint to the reader that he is suffering and maybe they will feel sympathetic as not long after the poem was published, he died. This is similar to The Prelude, in a way, as Wordsworth describes the sky as “died away” which could be the death of his innocence in childhood as we know his parents died when he was very young and this must have had an impact on his retrospective writing of the autobiographical poem.

To conclude both these poems show similarities and differences however both are beautiful poems that have their own meanings.


Link to the question Terminology Quotes Meaning – obvious and hidden Effect Context Focus Writers’ Intentions Zoom in on words/connotations Comparative connectives to show the comparisons



Comparative Example – 20 minutes timed writing

Sonnet 43 and Hawk Roosting

As a love poem Sonnet 43 is a poem which creates a great depth of meaning and emotions. Browning writes this, as the penultimate poem in her collections from the Portuguese, which were poems (44) to share her love for eher husband. The structure is suggested in the title: Sonnet, which we know is a love poem and the use of a number is interesting as this could be depersonalising the meaning, but due to the amount of poems and the fact it is the 43 rd, it actually suggests she has vast amounts of love to give and express. This is repeated in the repetitive motif of “How do I love thee?” these are rhetorical questions which she answers throughout the poem. By doing this we sense her love is overwhelming and strong and the question is one that preoccupies her waking thoughts. However, this is juxtaposed by the emotions in Hawk Roosting. Hughes creates an arrogant and predatory impression of the hawk with the alliteration of “My manners are tearing off heads.”, which is very different to the strong, loving emotion in Sonnet 43. The hawk “tearing” with the verb, suggests he feels an overwhelming sense of superiority to other species and as a bird of prey, it is like it is his right to kill other lesser animals. Here emotion is used to create a sense of the bird as a hierarchal creature, but in Sonnet 43 we see Browning feels in awe of her husband, which is a contradictory emotion from the poem.

Furthermore, Browning rejects and discusses religion. She uses “childhood’s faiths” to suggest she was religious, but is not now. However, she doesn’t completely reject it just questions it. Perhaps, this is a result of the religion she lost as an adult due to the breakdown of her relationship with her family. Hughes, however, uses God and religion in a different way, implying the Hawk is the best with “I hold creation in my foot.” The personal pronoun “I” reflects how God-like the hawk feels. These are contrasts in the emotions created by the poets using religion as the Hawk feels righteous and a sense of belonging, whereas the past tense of Browning’s ‘faith’ suggests she is no longer part of this religion. This could make us feel sympathy for Browning, but not the hawk as he is rudely suggesting God made the world as his playground, whereas Browning is more honourable and loving.

Browning’s repetition of how she loves her husband with the triplets “breaths, smiles, tears” to suggest a vast depth of emotion and a range too. It is almost like she needs and desires him to live. The hawk, however needs no-one and “hunts where I please” showing how cut off and solitary he is. Here we have a juxtaposed presentation of how emotions are created by poets. Hughes through nature, but Browning through love.


Link to the question Terminology Quotes Meaning – obvious and hidden Effect Context Focus Writers’ Intentions Zoom in on words/connotations Connectives to compare the poems



HOW TO WRITE THE ESSAYS: Literature 1B

1B (a) – Single Poem Essay for The Anthology: Structuring the essay (with context embedded)

Single Poem Essay

1. In a continuous section of your essay use the following prompt questions (in your mind) to help you think about what to cover –

2. Write an overview statement about what you think the poem is suggesting (remembering not to write it in the first person – think about it as a critical analysis task)

3. Use the general guide to analysis to ensure you have analysed a series of quotes from the poem and linked these to language and structure

4. Ensure I have linked to the question?5. Ensure I have linked to the context of the poem? 6. Can I move onto my next quote (an effective way to do this is a connective)

Repeat this analysis as many times as I can in the time limit (remembering that I don’t have to do every step for every quote)

7. Complete a conclusion – a brief summary of what you think the poem is about and a link to the question again

8. Make sure I have covered a couple of quotes from the top, middle and bottom of the poem. Chronological order is a good system to use.

1B (b) – Comparison Poem Essay for The Anthology: Structuring the essay (with context embedded)

Structure of the essay

Intro- Overview of the two poems, context and how they are similar or different.

Main Body of the Essay:

Explain the meaning & technique, give evidence – quote then: Analyse – What is the meaning? Hidden meaning? Zoom in on words? Explore connotations, Link – what context is relevant and compare to the second poem (here you can make a point about the poem 1 and quote, but don’t have to analyse in detail) (Use the general guide to analysis here to help you)

Higher level skills – Linking words from across the poems (call these lexical sets as that is what they are) Linking a combination of quotes Exploring both language and structure in the poems

Conclude: Summarise your key similarities and differences briefly – can be one or two sentences (structurally you are just finishing off your essay)

Key target – use connectives of comparison to help you

THE POEMS, THE THEMES, THE LINKS BETWEEN THEMPoem War Natur Place Love & Women Obsessio Death What

Conflict e Relationships n (real or metaphorical)

other links?

The Manhunt / / / /Sonnet 43 / /London / / /The Soldier / / / /She Walks in Beauty

/ / /

Living Space / /As Imperceptibly as Grief

/ /

Cozy Apologia

/

Valentine / / / /A Wife in London

/ /

Death of a Naturalist

/

Hawk Roosting / / /To Autumn / / / /AfternoonsDulce et Decorum Est

/ / /

Ozymandias / / /Mametz Wood / / /

Links between the whole anthology chart

Documents

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