EXAM OVERVIEW- LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS- SECTION B

06 July 2017 22:53

THE QUESTION:
▪ The question will begin with the word 'Compare' to remind you that you must talk about two poems in this part of the exam
▪ It will also mention "the poets" again, to remind you that the poet is making deliberate choices in form/language and structure so you have to explain why they may have done this
▪ You will be expected to produce some high quality language analysis, particularly of the poem printed on the page. For the other poem, they will not necessarily expect you to remember
rafts of quotations, but will expect you to remember the form/structure of the poem and talk confidently, about how the portrayals of love and relationships are similar or different from one
another
▪ Study ALL poems in detail- know them well enough to write about them

SKILLS IN A COMPARISON ESSAY

1. Have a thesis statement that revolves around a CONCEPT that you will unpick in the essay- choose a 'surface similarity' which is simple
2. Mention how there is still a 'deeper difference' and relate to the author's purpose- although they are similar, there are crucial differences within that similarity- demonstrates a
sophisticated level of comparison
3. Link to the poet's purpose in each poem- will be informed by the difference in the way they are presenting things BECAUSE they have different purposes.
4. Write about structure/form and relate to meaning- surface level, deeper level
5. Make a point about one poem. Then compare that same point to the other poem- how it contrasts- work your way through the poem- beginnings, middles ends- structure of answer is
already dictated by poem- talk about structure of both poems e.g repetition-occurs in aspects of triplets- becomes pronounced and why, language and structure.
6. Relate the structure to the meaning of the poem- put the structure point in early.
7. Use embedded quotations, quote in each paragraph- *THE TITLE CAN BE USED AS A QUOTATION IF NECESSARY AND APPLICABLE*
8. Keep referring to the poet's intentions as you write- being outside the poem- relate character or language to the poet's purposes, rather than inside the poem- write about
character and language
9. Use tentative language to show you are exploring ideas- perhaps, was possibly thinking- shows exploring other ideas
10. Have an evaluative comment at the end in your conclusion- comment shows you're being critical.
• Be convincing- begin with your interpretation of the poet's purpose at the beginning
• Be critical- reach judgement at end of essay
• Exploratory- perhaps, it might be, it could be, alternative interpretations
• Well-structured comparison- don't get carried away
• Conceptualised approach- think of the poem as a concept/idea that the poet is trying to get across that they are trying to educate/persuade the reader with- you immediately go back to the
poet's purpose- try to include more than one purpose of the poet. The poet is trying to make you see the world differently- a construct- constructing an argument to see the world in a
different way e.g Browning attacks the views by showing how antiquated they are
• Titles of the poems are always in quotation marks, always have capital letters.
•

• AO1- Critical response with ideas using quotes

• AO2- Insightful language analysis should relate to wider themes, tone, analyse sentence structures, structure and form (more sophisticated- most people will analyse language- do
something different) used by writer to create effect
• *MENTION TERMINOLOGY*- simile, metaphor, imagery, verbs
• AO3-Make context RELEVANT to point, text and concept relationship.
*A03 TIP* Link points on language to context by comparing to an older poem- older poems have more usable context in them- base context points from them then introduce the modern
poem. The older poems have more usable context to them, therefore base contexts points from these, then rope the modern poem in.

OVERVIEW Page 1
 POETRY ESSAY WRITING-SKILLS
12 September 2017 22:52

KEY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SECTION B AND C:

• Understanding the question
• Understanding the individual poems
• Understanding the relevant context points of each poem
• Identifying poetic techniques and naming them
• Linking poetic techniques to idea/meaning/theme
• Identifying structure techniques and linking structure techniques to topic/meaning/theme
• Zooming in one the detail, words and phrases, unpicking the connotation and implication
• Making clear topic sentence statements focused on the question to start paragraphs
• Use textual references and embedding quotations in sentences for fluent writing
• Using ambitious vocabulary to discuss the ideas in the poem
• Offering alternative interpretations and acknowledging the ambiguity of the poems
• Using adverbial phrases of confident, sophisticated language
• Comparing and contrasting points within paragraphs

IMPROVING ANALYSIS:
1. Use but or yet when explaining complex ideas.

2. Develop your interpretations by building up meaning with shows / suggests / symbolises.

3. Use adverbs at the start of sentences – Literally…. Figuratively…. Symbolically….

4. More adverbs – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritual, psychologically

5. Lists are your friends. List emotions / techniques / ideas / phrases.

6. Think about the verbs you use to describe what the poet is doing – challenges / reflects / embodies / attacks. The verb you use helps you explain how the poet is
presenting his / her message
7. Use adverbs to evaluate the poem – stereotypical / unusually / typically / realistically / unconventionally / surprisingly / convincingly / unconvincingly

8. Combine techniques together- use "and", link techniques together

9. Think about power. So use the words – inferior, superior, equal, inequality
10. Put an adjective before a technical term
11. Think about using one of these words to sum up the structure of the poem – a mental journey / a discovery / an emotional realisation – then add some adverbs
12. Use the phrase – it could also- to add another interpretation.
13. Use tentative statements – perhaps / maybe / possibly- Perhaps, the writer intends the reader to …
14. Use lots of one word quotes
15. Show off with your emotions – avoid using simple emotions like happy, sad, angry. Use emotions like frustration, envy, dismay and many more.

OVERVIEW Page 2
Sonnet 29- "I think of thee"- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
06 July 2017 23:56

Although on surface level the poem appears to be overtly pure and morally upstanding, there is an underlying sense of I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud
sexual tension reinforced by passionate and arguably subversive undertones as the speaker's obsessive and "wild" About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,
thoughts consume her, thus Browning subverts our perceptions of a typical Victorian decorous woman. Put out broad leaves, and soon there 's nought to see
Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
Browning employs a motif of entrapment to encapsulate the speaker's innate desire for human interaction, with the Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood
distinct contrast between the speaker's obsessive fixation on her lover and their physical distance allowing Browning to subtly I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
explore the dynamic between masculinity and femininity as the man, metaphorically a "strong tree" juxtaposes the instability Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly
of the speaker's oscillating thoughts. Although the constricting imagery of "wild vines, about a tree" hints at a desire to protect Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
her lover , Browning subtly manifests ominous undertones in this imagery by exposes an interesting power imbalance
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
between the speaker and her lover- the lover is a he a substantial, stable "tree" and she is the parasitical "vine" that suffocates
And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
it, Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may interpret the adjective "wild" as suggestive of her uncontrolled and untam ed
Drop heavily down,—burst, shattered, everywhere!
thoughts, which symbolically reflects her desire to reject platonic love as the fantasy of her lover acts as an insubstantial
replacement. Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee
Additionally, the "bands" could be a reference to marriage, insinuating that she feels their divorce is unsustainable in thei r current And breathe within thy shadow a new air,
state, or could be being used ironically, as the act of banding something usually reinforces it . I do not think of thee—I am too near thee.

It is a feasible interpretation to suggest that, as trees and vines do not have a symbiotic relationship, there is an inequality at
the root of the relationship, exemplified through how the speaker attempts to assert her dominance over her husband as the
vine “hides the wood” of the tree completely , thus Browning subtly hints at the perpetual conflict between suffocation
and protection in human relationships. However, this moment is later contrasted with her inevitable submission as she is
"within thy shadow", reinforcing a contemporary reader's perception of a Victorian decorous woman. Additionally, this imagery
has contextual significance as Browning was a housebound invalid, hence the extended metaphor of the tree (her husband)
and vine (herself) is possibly representative of her reliance on him, clinging on to his stable foundations.
Furthermore, Browning deliberately employs the "palm-tree" which carries religious connotations to accentuate the speaker's
blind god-like worship of her lover as a palm-tree is symbolic of faith and belief. Additionally, a perceptive reader may argue
the metaphor is representative of her love that is growing in a life that had been devoid of love previously like a barren
landscape, a desert, in which palm-trees are the only one that can grow- she skilfully positions her husband as an oasis, a thought
of relief in an endless desert of illness and loneliness.

Browning's use of the emotive adjective "straggling" is contextually significant as it is perhaps reflective of her physical weakness,
exposing her innate vulnerability as a house-bound woman, yet this idea is undermined by the fact that the vine "hides the wood"
which perhaps hints at her intellectual superiority. Browning intensifies the speaker's yearning to be physically close to her
lover through her statement that she "will not have my thoughts instead of thee", amplifying the sense of underlying
dissatisfaction as Browning refuses to let harsh reality destroy the idealised concept of love and her lover who epitomises
stability, juxtaposing her unstable thoughts. Furthermore, the noticeable series of imperatives "instantly", "renew", "rustle"
amplifies the pace of the poem and perhaps symbolically reflects the universal desire for satisfaction and fulfilment
which is fulfilled by love.

Browning's deliberate use of the dynamic verbs "burst, shattered everywhere" highlight the speaker's mental discordance as
her mind oscillates between her outward decorous appearance and her innate desire for sexual fulfilment , with the
chaos manifested in the onomatopoeic verb "shattered" evoking an image of irreparable damage, which hints at how she
is consumed by her desire for excessive proximity and perhaps foreshadowing her psychological decay as her relationship with
reality is fractured, solely fixating on her lover. Browning provides the reader with a violent moment of explicit passion, yet the
imagery of violence may be viewed positively as Browning evokes a sense of enlightenment- perhaps the violence signifies a
newfound freedom from the prison of the speaker's constricting and "wild" thoughts

Structurally, Browning's use of a cyclical structure as the speaker fixates on "thee" intensifies the sense of a lack of mental
progression, consequently confirming the infatuation of the speaker and the inability to reconnect with reality and control
her thoughts. Browning skilfully juxtaposes imagination with actual senses, with the use of enjambement further reinforcing t he
fluidity of the speaker's obsessive thoughts illustrated by her commanding register "instantly/Renew thy presence".
Browning manifests erotic hints into the description of the "trunk all bare", yet this may not have been perceived so obvious ly in
Victorian times. Browning manipulates the highly controlled form of a Petrarchan sonnet to illustrate the speaker's growing
desperation to be reunited with her lover- whereas the volta usually appears between the octave and the sestet, Browning
introduces the turning point earlier in line seven with "rather", changing the focus from how overpowering her thoughts are o f
him, to a demand that he make himself physically present "..instantly renew thy presence". Perhaps the volta is deliberately
employed by Browning to bring her uncontrolled and "wild" growth of thoughts to a halt and bring about a resolution.

Browning employs a central extended metaphor of nature, a common symbol in love poetry used to explore feelings. In Victorian
times, it was used to allow the poet to express feelings that she would not have been able to if she had been more literal an d less
metaphorical.

POEMS Page 3
 Porphyria's Lover- Robert Browning
06 July 2017 22:48

Browning provides us with an implicit sense of Porphyria's guilt in the title- the noun "lover" suggests a sexual and possibly The rain set early in tonight,
illicit love affair, one that is not approved by others for an unknown reason. A reader may consider Porphyria's behaviour The sullen wind was soon awake,
to be too seductive, as if she is aware of the speaker's quietness and tries to overcome his reserve by sexually enticing him. It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
And did its worst to vex the lake:
Browning begins the poem with pathetic fallacy, using the abysmal setting of the malignant force of a storm to foreshadow I listened with heart fit to break.
the brutal murder and a perceptive reader may argue that the storm symbolically reflects the internal storm and conflict When glided in Porphyria; straight
in the speaker's mind. The "sullen" wind is personified and appears spiteful and menacing, doing "its worst to vex the lake" as She shut the cold out and the storm,
the alliterative "w's" in wind and "awake" imitate the sound, intensifying the horror. Despite the foreboding violence of the And kneeled and made the cheerless grate
storm, the ironically tranquil and domestic setting typifies the Victorian romantic ideal, yet this warm comfort and
Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;
affection reveals burning emotional perversions within confining social structures. Perhaps Browning deliberately uses the
Which done, she rose, and from her form
speaker's great passion to parallel that of God(nature and social expectations) , embodying the force of the "sullen wind"
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
Browning employs the verb "glided" which emits a supernatural element, reflecting how Porphyria epitomises warmth And laid her soiled gloves by, untied
and stability- Porphyria acts as a symbol of radiance, shutting out the "cold" and the "storm" and making the "cheerless Her hat and let the damp hair fall,
grate/ Blaze up". However, a bitter tone emerges in the final stanza as Porphyria is objectified and infantilised by being And, last, she sat down by my side
referred to as "it" and "little". The context of the time is inextricably intertwined here; the speaker believes that murdering And called me. When no voice replied,
Porphyria has preserved the "perfectly pure" beauty that defines her as a Victorian decorous woman. The monosyllabic She put my arm about her waist,
and child-like nature of the climactic final line "And yet God has not said a word!" reflects his detachment from And made her smooth white shoulder bare,
society- he believes he will not be judged as he has not committed sin. Alternatively, the unreliable narrator could be And all her yellow hair displaced,
mocking religion as he knows murder is sinful, but has received no punishment. And, stooping, made my cheek lie there,
And spread o’er all her yellow hair,
Browning takes the theme of the social dominance of men further as he constructs a narcissistic speaker consumed by Murmuring how she loved me — she
the lust for his wife- disturbingly, the speaker believes his irrational efforts to become closer to his wife are logical, Too weak, for all her heart’s endeavour,
highlighted by the regular rhyme scheme. The idea that Porphyria “worshipped” the speaker exemplifies the recurring To set its struggling passion free
motif of dominance laced throughout the poem, with the past participle both evoking connotations of godlike From pride, and vainer ties dissever,
power and adding to the sense of inevitability. It may be argued that the subject’s behaviour is also sexually subjective as she And give herself to me for ever.
aims reduce the emotional distance between them by breaking moral boundaries as she evocatively makes her “smooth But passion sometimes would prevail,
white shoulder bare”. Cleverly juxtaposing Porphyria's innocent femininity and her sexual transgression, Browning Nor could tonight’s gay feast restrain
succeeds in displaying society's contradictory embrace of morality next to its rejection of sensual pleasure. Here then,
A sudden thought of one so pale
Browning poses an implicit question- how is it that society considers the beauty of the female body to be immoral while
For love of her, and all in vain:
never questioning the morality of language’s sensuality—a sensuality often manifest in poetry? As the speaker succumbs to
So, she was come through wind and rain.
his desire to be intimate with his lover, Browning may be implying that even the most avid conformers to social
constructions cannot ignore their immoral instincts. Be sure I looked up at her eyes
Happy and proud; at last I knew
Disturbingly, Browning constructs a psychopathic speaker whose obsessive focus with his lover culminates in a loss of Porphyria worshipped me; surprise
control as the speaker, desperate to preserve the ephemeral moment of reunification kills his lover. The speaker's Made my heart swell, and still it grew
own "struggling passion" (23) impedes his ability to think and act in a way that society views appropriate; yet, paradoxically, While I debated what to do.
it is society's limited notion of what is appropriate that kindles the ultimately fatal fire of his passionate endeavour. Mirroring That moment she was mine, mine, fair,
"The Farmer's Bride", the use of the dramatic monologue amplifies the disturbing aspect of the poem as the readers have an Perfectly pure and good: I found
insight into the callousness of the deprived speaker's mind. However, the regularity of the structure, with one long stanza A thing to do, and all her hair
comprising of enjambment perhaps reflects how the speaker feels morally correct in killing his wife in order to be eternally In one long yellow string I wound
close to her and the fluidity of his obsessive thoughts. By contrast, the instability of the structure in "The Farmer's Bride" Three times her little throat around,
draws the reader's attention to the speaker' distorted perception of love and the conflict created by emotional And strangled her. No pain felt she;
separation and physical closeness, reinforced by the breakdown in rhythm which symbolises the speaker's growing I am quite sure she felt no pain.
agitation. As a shut bud that holds a bee,
I warily oped her lids: again
Laughed the blue eyes without a stain.
And I untightened next the tress
About her neck; her cheek once more
 The man sits "with heart fit to break", though there is no indication why, exemplifying the ambiguity of the poem.. A reader may Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:
interpret this situation from excitement as he eagerly waits for Porphyria. However, it may be argued that he waits with grief or I propped her head up as before,
perhaps anger, consequently evoking a sense of underlying tension. Browning employs dramatic irony so the reader is left waiting Only, this time my shoulder bore
with the man in the tumultuous weather, full of emotion and heightening the tension. This skilful use of dramatic irony is Her head, which droops upon it still:
increased with the graceful entrance of Porphyria, "gliding", oblivious to the man's precarious mental state. In the opening of the The smiling rosy little head,
poem, she is noticeably active and dominant; she tends to the cottage, tends to herself and then to the man whilst he sits So glad it has its utmost will,
passively observing. That all it scorned at once is fled,
 Interestingly, the man comments on her "soiled gloves", conveying an image of something contaminated, damaged and unclean, And I, its love, am gained instead!
a possible indication of how he views Porphyria. Porphyria’s love: she guessed not how
Her darling one wish would be heard.
 The man continues to be eerily silent, simply observing Porphyria- "when no voice replied" she begins to appeal for attention And thus we sit together now,
"making her white shoulder bare" and "murmuring how she loved" him. And all night long we have not stirred,
 His passive, emotionless study of her builds tension, knowing how his "heart was fit to break". The first subjective comment And yet God has not said a word!
Porphyria receives from her lover is that she is "too weak"- he possibly believes that she does not have strength, despite "her ]
heart's endeavour, To set its struggling passion free from pride".

POEMS Page 4
 The Farmer's Bride- Charlotte Mew Three Summers since I chose a maid,
06 July 2017 22:50 Too young maybe - but more's to do
At harvest-time than bide and woo.
• Although the title "The Farmer's Bride" denotes the theme of possession that permeates the poem, Mew also When us was wed she turned afraid
successfully exposes the inequitable relationship between men and women- the girl is voiceless and powerless, Of love and me and all things human;
merely a possession of the farmer, illustrated by the apostrophe in the title, consequently unnerving the reader. Mew
Like the shut of a winter's day
focuses on the corruption of societal ideals which leads to a young woman being ostracised from society. the
Her smile went out, and 'twasn't a woman -More
reader is immediately unnerved by the lack of identity of the bride.
like a little frightened fay.
• Mew's poem holds a wider purpose as she uses the excessive desire of a speaker to be close to a woman to hint at One night, in the Fall, she runned away.
the erosion of youthful innocence and the dehumanisation of women, using the young girl as a microcosm
for the voiceless women of society at the time. Notably, there is an underlying tone of frustration as the poet subtly 'Out 'mong the sheep, her be,' they said,
addresses the conflict between chastity and sexual union - the farmer has a distorted perception of love. Should properly have been abed;
But sure enough she wasn't there
• Mew elicits sympathy from the reader through the timid characterisation of the bride- the noun "bride" Lying awake with her wide brown stare.
insinuating a lack of progress(the marriage has not been consummated) as she remains a bride rather than a wife, So over seven-acre field and up-along across
symbolically reflecting the underlying theme of the social dominance of men. Although the conflicted speaker the down
shares some guilt in knowing the bride was "too young", the hyphen demonstrates a change of thought and acts as We chased her, flying like a hare
evidence of self-deception as the speaker convinces himself that there are other things to do than "bide and woo". Before our lanterns. To Church-Town
Here, Mew may be referring to the inherent assumption of what is normal and conventionally expected of women - All in a shiver and a scare
here she depicts men to reject sentimentality and choose function- a woman's function is to reproduce and if We caught her, fetched her home at last
they try to deviate from that function they will be "chased". And turned the key upon her, fast.

• The simile, "like the shut of a winter's day" compares her frigidity to winter, in which hope and vitality are "shut" She does the work about the house
out. Mew creates tension between the two contrasting ideas of fertility and sterility with the symbolism of Winter - As well as most, but like a mouse:
the relationship is barren and dying due to no consummation - perhaps Mew here is subtly addressing the conflict Happy enough to chat and play
between chastity and sexual union. The pathetic fallacy reveals the numb emotional state of the girl as she rejects With birds and rabbits and such as they,
intimacy by withdrawing from life, her essence of youthfulness extinguished with the seasonal imagery "Fall"
So long as men-folk keep away.'Not near, not near!'
symbolically reiterating the decay of the relationship.
her eyes beseech
• Mew refers to the social distance imposed on women by a patriarchal society, reflecting the subject's enforced When one of us comes within reach.
detachment from reality. Mew refers to the dehumanisation of women in as the speaker uses simile to The women say that beasts in stall
metaphorically ostracise the bride; the supernatural element manifested in "fay" coupled with the adjective Look round like children at her call.
"frightened" portray her emotions as alien, inexplicable and unaccounted for. It could be argued that this simile I've hardly heard her speak at all.
also hints at the speaker's desire to reject platonic love, reiterated in the final stanza as the speaker's comment on
the "soft young down of her" and "her eyes" reflect her erotic desires . A perceptive reader may also detect evidence Shy as a leveret, swift as he
of dehumanisation through the bride's "wide brown stare", possibly reminiscent of an animal and reflecting her ,Straight and slight as a young larch tree,
isolation from reality. Sweet as the first wild violets, she,
To her wild self. But what to me?
• Mew alludes to the emotional distance between a man and a woman, and a discerning reader may argue that Mew The short days shorten and the oaks are brown,
is criticising the treatment of those who are emotionally vulnerable and unstable in society; the girl was content The blue smoke rises to the low grey sky,
before the relationship but the marriage causes a deep trauma as she becomes withdrawn and isolated. The reader One leaf in the still air falls slowly down,
immediately receives a sense of this in the first stanza as the triplet "of you and me and all things human" escalates, A magpie's spotted feathers lie
eliciting sympathy from the reader and reflecting her growing detachment from the world. Mew’s use of On the black earth spread white with rime,
pronouns as a means of categorisation further reinforces the metaphorical distance in the relationship, The berries redden up to Christmas-time.
reinforcing the girl's isolation and low status- she is ostracised by the farmer, separate from "we". The simile, "like What's Christmas-time without there be
the shut of a winter's day" compares her frigidity to winter, in which hope and vitality are "shut" out. Furthermore, Some other in the house than we!
Mew uses colour symbolism to mirror the metaphorical death of the relationship as the neutral colours "blue"
and "grey are bleached, consequently evoking a sense of lack of invigoration and vitality. The pathetic fallacy reveals
She sleeps up in the attic there
how her essence of youthfulness extinguished by withdrawing from society, with the seasonal imagery
Alone, poor maid. 'Tis but a stair
"Fall" symbolically reiterating the decay and increasing detachment of the relationship.
Betwixt us. Oh! my God! the down,
• Notably in the Farmer's Bride, there is an underlying tone of frustration of "but a stair betxiwt" as Mew subtly The soft young down of her; the brown,
addressed the conflict between chastity and sexual union. Mew uses the significant repetition of "her eyes, The brown of her - her eyes, her hair, her hair!
her hair, her hair" to accentuate the speaker's lingering imaginings of the bride's elusive body. Here, Mew
may be implicitly critiquing the inherent assumption of what is conventionally expected of women- Mew
depicts men to reject sentimentality and choose function - a woman's function is to reproduce and if they to deviate
from that function they will be "chased". Even though it is clear she is afraid of his unflinching near brutality in
hunting her and locking her in, he still remains fixed on objectifying her physically and using her body
at least in fantasy in order to obtain sexual release . For the reader, the final stanza acts as a long and shuddering
climax that is sexually suggestive, with the exclamative "Oh! My God!" demonstrating how the speaker is consumed
by the overwhelming desire to be physically close to his lover. A perceptive reader may argue that the uneasy use
of the dramatic monologue ironically makes the bride the more elusive and tragic object than ever, for she
is trapped within the farmer's home as well as within the poem itself.

As the readers, we find this poem unsettling and sinister as we are provided with an uncomfortable insight into the sexually
depraved farmer's mind- the sexual desires have not been reciprocated- we only know them through his filter of mind. The
instability of the structure in "The Farmer's Bride" draws the reader's attention to the speaker's distorted perception
of love and the conflict created by emotional separation and physical closeness, reinforced by the breakdown in
rhythm which symbolises the speaker's growing agitation.

The home acts as a microcosm of the role of women in society at the time - the girl has her freedom taken away from her,
completes mundane tasks and is expected to bear children. By contrast, the men are active and ultimately in control.

Mew employs a semantic nature to symbolically represent the bride - he recognises the bride's vulnerability but he has a
functional relationship with nature, it is profitable and helps him to earn his living, echoing the way in which the young gi rl's
role is to provide him with children. A perceptive reader may argue that Mew is criticising the increasing industrialisation of
the countryside- it was being used for purpose, without protecting its fragile beauty in the same way the young girl is
being used by the farmer. Additionally, the natural world changes throughout the poem, moving through seasons - like
nature, the girl finds herself in an unstable position, consequently evoking an underlying ominous sense of inevitable
change.

POEMS Page 5
 Before You Were Mine- Carol Ann Duffy
06 July 2017 23:51

CORE MESSAGES/ THEMES: I’m ten years away from the corner you laugh on
 The sacrificial nature of parental love with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.
 Duffy typifies the fascination children have with their parent's past, yet there are more sinister undertones The three of you bend from the waist, holding
demonstrated by the excessive need to be close to her mother, illustrating the reversal of roles- A perceptive reader each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.
may argue that there is an implication that the speaker is trying to live indirectly through her mother's experience, Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.
as though her current life lacks the "fizzy" appeal her mother's once had.
 Duffy’s adoration for a much loved mother to the point that the ‘before you were mine’ and ‘after you were I’m not here yet. The thought of me doesn’t occur
mine’ recombine; so that they lose the bounds of linear time itself, as the poet’s imagination, in this and other in the ballroom with the thousand eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows
poems, seeks to do, and thus a kind of unity suggests itself : Before you were mine, I was yours…
the right walk home could bring. I knew you would dance
The poem transports the ‘reader’ to this re-conceived past, where the mother-daughter relationship and special
like that. Before you were mine, your Ma stands at the close
time together opens also to the possibilities of friendship and the potential for the very creation of the poet herself.
with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it’s worth it.

Although the title denotes the theme of possession which pervades the poem, with pronouns such as The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?
"I and I'm" suggesting Duffy wanted to assert her presence even before she was born, there are sadder I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics,
undertones reinforced by a sense of pathos as the speaker admits she wanted the "bold girl" winking in and now your ghost clatters toward me over George Square
Portobello. Duffy creates a sense of exuberance as the mother's friends "shriek" at the pavement, , the verb till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree,
"shriek" illustrating a loss of control and the joy of youth. The assonant vowels; the stretched out "ee" with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?
sounds such as "three", "each", "knees" and "shriek almost imitate the "hee, hee" of laughter.
CONTEXT: After the war, when the next generation reached their teenage years in the 1950s they rejected Cha cha cha! You’d teach me the steps on the way home from Mass,
their parents' restrictions and began an "ungrateful" rebellious era of rock-and-roll music, extravagant dresses, stamping stars from the wrong pavement. Even then
loosening of sexual restrictions and rejection of parental control and values. I wanted the bold girl winking in Portobello, somewhere
in Scotland, before I was born. That glamorous love lasts
The poem is divided into four quintains; the high degree of regularity both reflects the inevitability of the passing where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.
of time and mirrors the inevitability of the loss of glamour and youth. Furthermore, Duffy structures the
poem in blank verse to create an underlying sense of disharmony. The cyclical structure -the repetition of the
title, and the repetition of the pavement accentuates the monotonous cycle of fate-perhaps Duffy uses the
structure to critique the fated and predetermined role of women, the "fizzy,movie tomorrows" have to be
abandoned due to the role forced upon them. Consequently, dreams and aspirations are abandoned as the
mother, a microcosm for women at the time, sacrifices the life of glamour in having her, contributing to the
pathos towards the end.

The mother's reckless behaviour with her friends amplifies the admiration evoked by Duffy as the speaker looks at a picture of her mother wearing a "polka-dot dress", the
precise detail contributing to the overall sense of adoration. The speaker idolises her mother, "Marilyn" by using an allusion to Marilyn Monroe- this metaphor perhaps implies
that the child sees their mother as a glamorous, almost unattainable figure, the cinematic quality of "Marilyn" possibly referring to the distance the child feels between the figure
she sees now and the one she imagines to have existed. The striking comparison to Marilyn may be Duffy implying that the mother was as risqué as the actress- perhaps like
Marilyn Munroe, the mother represents the social revolution of the 1950s with her provocative style. Duffy uses the carefree image of Marilyn Monroe to act as the antithesis of
the responsibility of motherhood.

Duffy juxtaposes the experiences of youth with growing old and having responsibilities, contributing to the sadder undertones and amplifying the lack of fulfilment,
as though life didn't meet the expectations of youthful promise. The reader is deceived into believing the mother has died as the speaker describes how the mother's "ghost
clattered".
Although a reader may argue that the mother has died, or Duffy is hypothetically speaking to her mother a reader may interpret the "ghost" representing the metaphorical death
of the mother- the part of her that revelled in attention and freedom has died.

Duffy uses the symbolic resonance of the "relics" to hint at a child's desire to emulate the mother, the speaker wants to literally follow in her mother's footsteps. The noun
"relics" carries religious connotations, there is a deep reverence for the life her mother experiences which both adds to the symbolic value of the mother and contributes to the
pathos towards the end. Duffy uses the metaphor of the speaker's mother being in a "ballroom with the thousand eyes" to conjure an attractive image of the glitterball, but could
also refer to the eyes of the spectators, possibly introducing a provocative element. Furthermore, the "movie tomorrows" exemplifies the speaker's romanticisation of an
ideal future, there is an implicit sense of pathos and guilt in knowing the "fizzy" hope and promise dissolved with the arrival of the speaker.

Duffy subverts the typical idea of children wanting to leave their parents- instead, she depicts a situation where the speaker feels the need to be excessively close to her mother's
early life, from which she was inevitably separate. This constant reimagining of what the life of her mother must have been like permeates the poem- indeed, Duffy has
confirmed that this poem is a true story about her mother hence the poignant and conversational tone. The caesura "before I was born" emphasises how the daughter feels
she is to blame for the lost joy in her mother's life, thereby forcing the reader to reflect on the fault of the speaker. However, the rhetorical question "whose….sweetheart?",
"eh?" demonstrates the reversal of roles- Duffy uses the conversations between the different generations to hint at the timeless nature of love.

Duffy employs a semantic field of glamour using the evocative imagery "ballroom, movie, spark, waltz" to demonstrate the deep idolatry and admiration for her mother.
The imagery of youthful promise contrasts with the later imagery of domestic duty as the mother walks "home from Mass", in which hope and freedom is absolved. The
concept Duffy alludes to, the desire to gain connection to the part of the mother the speaker worships is explicitly stated through the adjective "glamorous love"- strengthening
the elusive mental image of allure. The speaker tries to create the lost glamour of path, yet her attempt is futile. The relationships and context of the time are inextricably
intertwined. Duffy was born in a Roman Catholic family- the religious expectations of being a Catholic coupled with the historical context of being a woman in 1940s culminates
in the lack of freedom and "sparkle".

Duffy's poem, "Before You Were Mine" encapsulates the restrictions enforced by a patriarchal society that compels women to end up on the "wrong pavement". Throughout the
poem, Duffy consistently links to the loss of freedom, the loss of the youthful life of glamour that she perceives her mother to have had thus creating the pathos towards the end.

Interestingly, the ambiguous title acts as inversion of the way parent/child relationships are seen which immediately subverts the reader's expectations. On first glance, it seems
misleading- a reader may interpret the possessive language as the symbol of a romantic relationship- but here Duffy cleverly manifests the sense of possession and loss of freedom
in the title. Typical of Duffy's poetry, there is a sinister aspect- the ominous inevitability of the role of women, the inevitable fate that a woman is destined to have in this historical
period( to have children and take care of them). Duffy's poetry tends to focus on how the roles of women inescapable and predetermined.

POEMS Page 6
 Mother, any distance- Simon Armitage
06 July 2017 22:51
Mother, any distance greater than a single span
Armitage uses the speaker's use of direct address and formal language- "Mother"- to act as the first indication that requires a second pair of hands.
the speaker is ready, trying to move into adulthood and establish a distance, both emotional and physical between You come to help me measure windows, pelmets, doors,
them. Perhaps the speaker's utterance is made in reply to his mother- a reader may argue that the mother has said the acres of the walls, the prairies of the floors.
something about still being needed even though the speaker is already an adult, hence the tone of exasperation.
However, it is immediately contrasted with an acknowledgement that the speaker stills need her "second pair of You at the zero-end, me with the spool of tape, recording
hands" Armitage's phrasing is ambiguous- could it reflect the mother’s view of the situation, her wish to help the length, reporting metres, centimetres back to base, then leaving
speaker set up his home so that she can keep the link with him alive? Or is Armitage using the speaker's own need up the stairs, the line still feeding out, unreeling
for her practical and perhaps her emotional support to hint at his own dependence? A reader may argue the years between us. Anchor. Kite.
speaker is echoing her words in order to be kind to her, to acknowledge her need and his own to retain the
maternal link. I space-walk through the empty bedrooms, climb
the ladder to the loft, to breaking point, where something
Armitage employs hyperbole to describe the new house "acres, prairies", carrying connotations of childish has to give;
adventure and exploration. On a deeper level, Armitage uses this hyperbole to express the fear and trepidation two floors below your fingertips still pinch
young people feel about the unknown future, heading off into unchartered territory and the "endless sky". The use of the last one-hundredth of an inch...I reach
asyndetic lists is practical for the tasks "windows, pelmets, doors" , but also masks the emotional bond that is towards a hatch that opens on an endless sky
being stretched. However, perhaps the "acres" and "prairies" are symbolic of how the poet begins to aspire to
to fall or fly.
greater distances- the walls become "acres", the floors "prairies"- both act as metaphors for the distances he will
travel in practical terms and spiritually as he breaks free from his childhood.

Interestingly, the mother is described as being at the "zero-end"- she acts as the fixed origin- perhaps this choice
could reflect how, from the poet's perspective, the mother is at the least important end. The use of military imagery,
however, as the speaker reports "back to base" portrays the mother has an oppressive commander. Armitage
establishes the metaphor using a tape measure, the mother and speaker's attachment is reminiscent of an
umbilical cord, suggesting a deep connection between mother and son- this connection is reinforced by how
Armitage bases the poem on a sonnet form, traditionally used for love poetry. However, the poem moves between
harmony and rhyme/half-rhyme into disjointed, irregular rhyme and irregular line length. The instability and
irregularity of the rhyme symbolises the evolving nature of the relationship- they are changing and renegotiating
their roles.

Armitage accentuates the powerful central image of the poem by using caesura- "Anchor. Kite"- to create a sense
of ambiguity and the unknown. A reader may interpret the image as a symbol of how the mother, as the anchor,
drags her son down, whilst all he wants to do is escape, as a "Kite"- , consequently evoking a sense of underlying
tension. Alternatively, the anchor provides certainty and stability, allowing the kite its freedom- if there is no anchor
the kite will become destructive as it reaches "breaking point". Armitage uses the dichotomy in this image- an
anchor can both be stable and reassuring, as well as restricting and hindering to perhaps hint at the oppressive and
possessive nature of a mother. There is a notable autobiographical link: Armitage's new house was built next door
to his parent's house. Using this fact, we can infer that Armitage is focusing on the former interpretation- he focuses
on the importance of guidance when entering unchartered territory.

Armitage plays with the reader's expectations using ambiguity, the use of the dynamic verb "pinch" leads to two
interpretations- the mother pinch him because she wants to give him as much freedom as possible, and therefore is
holding onto the very final part of the tape measure. Alternatively, the mother's reluctance to let go illustrates the
minimal level of control she desires to have- Armitage hints at a parent's desire to control every aspect of their
children's lives.

Armitage develops the theme of exploration in the final stanza- there is an implied contrast between the new
house he has entered and the house of his parents that he has left behind as the speaker describes how "I space-
walk" through the empty rooms, contributing to the underlying sense of isolation. In the final stanza, the rhyme
scheme disintegrates- the freedom the speaker experiences is reflected in the freedom of the rhyme scheme and the
poem drifts away from a form. However, the rhyming couplet at the end "sky,fly" evokes a sense of resolution,
pacifying the reader. The monosyllables at the end of the poem "to fall or fly". Armitage ends the poem ambiguously,
using the inevitability of the "fall or fly" to introduce an element of doubt which overshadows the limitless
freedom manifested in the adjective "endless".

Despite the seemingly reserved nature of the poem, the affection of the poet is clear- the choice of the loose sonnet
form, usually for love poetry makes a clear choice. Do you his parents have to give up, or does the speaker have to
give up his total freedom?

POEMS Page 7
 Eden Rock- Charles Causley
06 July 2017 22:50
They are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden Rock:
COMPARISONS: My father, twenty-five, in the same suit
• Like Letters From Yorkshire- ambiguity Of Genuine Irish Tweed, his terrier Jack
• Mother Any Distance, Walking Away- most positive parent-child relationship Still two years old and trembling at his feet
• Walking Away- Walking away is about loosening one's grip on a child and about the gain of independence, whereas Eden
Rock is almost more about reunification, significant religious imagery in both. My mother, twenty-three, in a sprigged dress
• "Before You Were Mine"- parallels between how both speakers are obsessively focused on the subject. Drawn at the waist, ribbon in her straw hat,
- The poem may reflect Causley's deepest wishes to see his parents again, adding a universal quality to the poem that Has spread the stiff white cloth over the grass.
echoes the desires of many readers. Her hair, the colour of wheat, takes on the light.

The title "Eden Rock" refers to an invented location, created by Causley, yet a perceptive reader may perceive the She pours tea from a Thermos, the milk straight
setting as an idyllic paradise, deriving this interpretation from the Garden of Eden in which mankind was essentially From an old H.P. sauce-bottle, a screw
created. Perhaps Causley uses this prominence to poignantly address the symbolic importance of his parents in his Of paper for a cork; slowly sets out
life The same three plates, the tin cups painted blue.

The fantasy of the perfect location of Eden echoes the idealised fantasy of the speaker's memory- Causley employs The sky whitens as if lit by three suns
hyperbole as the speaker describes how his parents are waiting somewhere beyond the epitome of perfection, My mother shades her eyes and looks my way
"beyond Eden Rock". Causley uses the symbolic resonance of the perfection manifested in "Eden Rock" to possibly Over the drifted stream. My father spins
act as a reflection of the speaker's gratitude for the surreal presence of his parents. The supernatural elements - the A stone along the water. Leisurely,
parents are eternally young and the dog is "still" two years old, amplify the idea that the parents solely exist in living
memory and are the product of his imagination. Furthermore, Causley's deliberate use of half -rhyme such as "hat","light"
They beckon to me from the other bank.
perhaps mirrors his own lack of fulfilment and incompleteness- the poet is not with his parents literally as they are
I hear them call, 'See where the stream path is!
divided by a bank and metaphorically- they are divided by death, consequently evoking an underlying sense of
disharmony. Crossing is not as hard as you might think.'

Causley uses the present tense, "waiting", to create a sense of immediacy, with the vague language "somewhere" I had not thought it would be like this.
both hinting at the romanticised nature of memory and distinctly contrasting the precise detail used to describe the
father, in "same suit…Irish Tweed". A sense of comfort is evoked through the adjective "same", representing the stability
the speaker feels in the presence of his father and the father's unpretentious nature

Causley introduces the religious imagery through the celestial symbolism of the mother's hair which "takes on the
light" , to both conjures an angelic image of a halo shining upon his mother and to possibly reflect Causley's own
idealisation of his mother. The deliberate use of colour imagery "white" coupled with the references to light depict a
divine setting wherein the mother assumes a heavenly presence- Causley's collection "A Field of Vision" contains lots
of biblical imagery. The natural colour, "wheat" forms part of a plethora of nature imagery scattered throughout the
poem, "straw", "grass" ,"stone", possibly reflecting the natural affection between parents and children and implicitly
referring to the reverence Causley has for his mother.

Causley teases the reader with uncertainty as he constructs a divine setting where "the sky whitens as if lit by three
suns", yet this idea is contrasted by another interpretation- a knowledgeable reader may acknowledge the fact that a
parhelion is a meteorological phenomenon where an illusion of three suns appears in the sky. However, more
significantly, Causley may be using the "three suns" as a biblical reference to the Holy Trinity to emphasise the
prominence of his parents, yet arguably, there are bleaker undertones as a reader may consider the light to be blinding
and unnatural, reflecting the poet's sense of incompleteness. The "drifted stream" symbolically represents the permeable
boundary between life and death- yet, contrastingly to the use of streams in Greek mythology where the River Styx had
to be navigated to reach the Underworld, the stream which Causley mentions is a benign version thus allowing the
reader to appreciate the extent of Causley's idolisation of his parents and reluctance to separate.

The skilful use of structure is key in encapsulating the physical and metaphorical distance between the parents and
the speaker- the ambiguous monosyllabic line "I had not thought it would be like this" is isolated from the others; it
breaks the perfection of the quatrains and could demonstrate the contrast between the ignorance of youth- crossing is
"not as hard" as he "might think" and experience of the parents. The poet's simple use of childlike monosyllabic language
perhaps acts as the poet's wishes to revert to his childhood state. Furthermore, the final line takes on a mythical
resonance, with the "crossing" perhaps referencing the afterlife and the gap between life and death. Mirroring Causley's
own life-his father died when was seven, the reconciliation with death is accepted by the speaker which subverts the
reader's expectations as the parents beckon their son to cross into the unknown realms of the afterlife.
Causley uses the ambiguity of the final line to force the reader to ask questions - had the speaker (Causley) thought his
parents would not be so happy in the afterlife? Had he thought dying would be painful? Had he thought their message
about life would be harsher? Has the vision of them given him peace of mind? It is left for us to interpret.

POEMS Page 8
 Follower- Seamus Heaney
My father worked with a horse-plough,
• The title, "Follower", is ambiguous as Heaney deliberately does not clarify who is following who, but the noun "follower" evo kes a sense of His shoulders globed like a full sail strung
admiration and complete belief, echoing Heaney's idolisation of his father. The speaker follows the father on a literal and s ymbolic level, yet
Between the shafts and the furrow.
this adoration is ultimately undermined by a sense of underlying frustration illustrated in the final line where the situatio n has changed as
the father "will not go away", the changing metaphor reflecting the complexities of parent -child relationships The horse strained at his clicking tongue.

Heaney conveys a clear sense of admiration as he uses a simile to describe how his father's "shoulders globed like a full sail
An expert. He would set the wing
strung". Perhaps the young speaker perceives his father as Atlas, a mythological Greek god condemned to carry the weight of the
world on his shoulders- Heaney may be referring to how young children view their parents as invincible, unaffected by pain and And fit the bright steel-pointed sock.
suffering- illustrated by how the speaker elevates a small task of ploughing into an enormous feat. The sod rolled over without breaking.
At the headrig, with a single pluck
Heaney employs a semantic field of agriculture "shafts", "furrow", "horse-plough" to outline the expertise his father encompasses.
The onomatopoeic "clicking" reveals the father's precision which is juxtaposed with the son who is "yapping"- one is an expert, the
other is a nuisance- the universality of this relationship resonates with the reader. The admiration is confirmed as Heaney likens his Of reins, the sweating team turned round
father to an "expert". In contrast to the title, Heaney displays no sense of ambiguity, portraying the opinion as an incontestable fact
And back into the land. His eye
as it offers a sense of finality. The noun "expert" has clear connotations of someone being best at their expertise and the caesura
places emphasis on the noun, forcing the reader to accept the father's mastery. Heaney subverts the reader's expectations- although Narrowed and angled at the ground,
traditional, primitive farming methods in the Irish 20th century were considered by many to be menial and unimportant, Heaney Mapping the furrow exactly.
elevates the work to something almost talented and artistic using precise verbs "fit", "pluck", "without breaking".

The tightly ordered structure of quatrains reflects the tightly ordered act of ploughing, with the precise level of perfection reflecting I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake,
the determination and skill of the father, amplifying the sense of admiration. However, a discerning reader may detect moments in the Fell sometimes on the polished sod;
poem where the controlled structure is challenged- the shift from full rhyme when the focus is on the father, "round", "ground" to
Sometimes he rode me on his back
half-rhyme when focusing on the son "wake","back" could illustrate the inadequacy of the boy- the half rhyme of the boy does not live
up to the fully-fledged father. Dipping and rising to his plod.

The enjambment of "single pluck/Of reins" emphasises the ease and efficiency of movement, with the precise and accurate nature of
I wanted to grow up and plough,
his work as his eye "narrowed" and "angled" at the ground contributing to the arguably imposing nature of the father- he epitomises
perfection. Throughout his career. Heaney drew striking parallels between the craftsmanship of words and the craftmanship of the To close one eye, stiffen my arm.
men and his family and beyond. Like "Digging", this poem conveys his deep affection and respect for his father, for the hard, physical, All I ever did was follow
skilled work that was the essence of the older man's time. A reader may argue that Heaney is attentively observing his father, with
In his broad shadow round the farm.
such great detail, almost with such detail that he may mimic his father in later life. Ironically, the reader is left with the image of the
father "stumbling", subverting the reader's expectations and adding to the sense of pathos created near the end.
I was a nuisance, tripping, falling,
Heaney idolises his tolerant father as "he rode me" on his back- the use of the passive verb form "he rode me" demonstrates how the
Yapping always. But today
father is in control- a reader may interpret this image as a sentimental portrait of an affectionate father who is not unapproachable
because of his focus on work. On closer inspection, Heaney may be expressing his own frustration, that he felt he could never It is my father who keeps stumbling
measure up to his father. Heaney captures the desire of a child to be a powerful man like his father- the majestic imagery of sailing Behind me, and will not go away.
demonstrated by the simile "like a full sail strung" is juxtaposed by his own sense of inadequacy as he "stumbled" The aspiration
demonstrated in the first two lines as the speaker wants to "grow up" contrasts with the later sense of inferiority evoked by the
anticlimax in the later two lines as Heaney describes how "all I ever did was follow"- the little boy was physically and metaphorically in
his "shadow". The melancholic, perhaps bitter tone of Heaney is evident as the verb "follow" reveals a sense of his own failure and
inadequacy, the verb "yapping" symbolic of his failing childish aspirations.

The caesura introduces a volta, a change into the present day and the poignant reversal of roles that follow. Indeed, A noticeable
shift in focus may be detected by a reader- stanzas four, five and six begin with "I" as the speaker develops his own identity,
reflecting the changing nature of the relationship. In the final stanza, Heaney demonstrates the effects of ageing- in his old age, the
father has become infantilised, incapable and helpless- the vivid image evoked by the verb "stumbling" evokes a sense of
distress, consequently eliciting sympathy from the reader. In the same way Heaney would not leave his father's side because of his
devotion to him, the decrepit father is now mimicking his son in his old age- here then, Heaney may be frustrated by his father's
dependence on him, having seen him as a leader and role model all his life. Heaney empathises with the reader- readers who have
watched their relatives deteriorate will understand the exasperation, guilt and distress it involves, even if the relationship is loving.
The final phrase "will not go away" not only refers to an ongoing burden and duty, but also the relentless worry and sadness,
providing a glimpse of the conflict Heaney feels over the changing roles and relationships in family life.

The poem may revolve around the love of a lost way of life- perhaps the poem acts as a representation of the love Heaney has for the
underestimated art of rural life- the admiration reaches beyond the father- the father acts as the embodiment of rural expertise.
Heaney’s relationship with the land is prominent in his poetry- the poem is from Heaney's first collection, Death of a Naturalist(1966).
The precise descriptions may be Heaney implicitly mourning the loss of old traditions that were disappearing as he wrote.The
use of the past tense "worked" places event in historical setting, reflecting the ancient nature of what is being written and Heaney'
desire to capture it.

POEMS Page 9
Letters From Yorkshire- Maura Dooley
COMPARISONS AND OVERVIEW: In February, digging his garden, planting
• Dooley presents a relationship strained by metaphorical and physical distance potatoes,
• Platonic love, reinforced by sense of hope and renewal. he saw the first lapwings return and came
• Compare with distant relationship in MAD, conflicting attitudes in Walking Away, Winter Swans indoors to write to me, his knuckles singing
• Compare to an older poem- the changing problems faced in relationships over time; the internet age and its destruction of
fulfilled intimacy against, say, Hardy's decrepit presentation of nature in Neutral Tones, because of both Victorian as they reddened in the warmth.
industrialisation, and the 'sold out' idea of romantic poetry. It’s not romance, simply how things are.
You out there, in the cold, seeing the seasons

Dooley skilfully interweaves two themes; the mundane, sterile and artificial reality of the world - the news and computer turning, me with my heartful of headlines
emails is contrasted with the partner's spiritual relationship with both fertile nature and his lover as their "souls tap out feeding words onto a blank screen.
messages"; perhaps Dooley uses this poem to… The return of the "first lapwings" could act as a metaphor for Is your life more real because you dig and sow?
continuity and regeneration; the enduring seasons and the ever-lasting love between a man and woman.
Furthermore, the symbolism of the birds may be foreshadowing the speaker and her partner's eventual reunion You wouldn’t say so, breaking ice on a waterbutt,
clearing a path through snow. Still, it’s you
as their "souls" reunite- they return to their origin, signifying the symbolic reconciliation.
who sends me word of that other world

pouring air and light into an envelope. So that

Dooley alternates between the reality of the discomfort of his work and the pleasure of the emotional connection that
at night, watching the same news in different
the man and his world represent to pose an underlying question - "Which life is more authentic- a connection to nature,
houses,
or a connection to reality? He has a deeper affinity to nature, but is his life more ‘real’ than hers? Although the
our souls tap out messages across the icy miles.
speaker is 'feeding words' onto a 'blank screen', the speaker's life is monotonous and starved, in contrast to the man
whose knuckles are "singing", the continuous verb "singing" conveying the joy he feels. Despite the continuous
nourishment of words, the "blank" screen is still starving- here, Dooley may be metaphorically suggesting that life is
much more vibrant when two people conversate in person rather than in a letter. The powerful imagery of the speaker
"feeding" words into the screen perhaps indicates that this work is consuming her, the screen will never be satisfied,
strengthening the juxtaposition between as her futile work and his purposeful work.

The enjambement between stanzas "seasons/turning" demonstrates the fluidity of the platonic love in the relationship,
with the verb "turning" symbolically representing the reinstatement of communication and emitting a sense of renewed
vitality. The reference to ‘dig and sow’ suggests that the spiritual aspects of growing and cultivating link to renewal and
regeneration

Throughout the poem, Dooley uses ambiguity to sustain curiosity. The "cold" that her partner is in perhaps refers to the
partner's disconnection from reality when he is without his lover, with the noun "cold" juxtaposing the stability of
the "warmth" that he feels when he is with her- Dooley may be implying that his life is devoid of love and emotion
without his lover. The subtle change of pronouns "he","you","our " demonstrates the growing intimacy in the
relationship.

The envelope is limiting, distinctly contrasting with the abundance of light and air, encapsulating the emotions and
compressing them into something tangible. The "air and light" is a metaphor that also represents the joy that the
relationship brings her. The practical concrete nature of the work turns it into something spiritual. The verb "pouring"
acts as a lavish description of their close relationship

Dooley's use of the adjective "icy" contrasts quite severely with the sudden positivity presented in the final stanza - it has
a decidedly ominous quality; almost as if the speaker, despite the newfound strength in their relationship, knows that
the distance will remain a threat and thus the metaphorical ice can never be truly broken. The decisive full stop at the
end leaves the reader with a lingering, melancholy feeling, even after the positivity of "light and air". Their souls may be
free in the metaphysical sense, but the ice represents the difficulty that modern life and distance presents- it is, in other
words, the bitter reality that she physically cannot return to Yorkshire.

The final stanza is ambiguous- there is a distinct contrast between the metaphysical imagery of 'souls' (something
intangible, felt perhaps to some degree but not able to be physically 'grasped' or 'realised') and the 'tap' of messages
(something very literal and material); the consonance of 'tap' , creating a hard plosive sound that reflects the
unsentimental, cold use of technology and juxtaposes the assonance of 'souls', which are flowing and unrestricted. Is
Dooley saying that she wishes she were able to just drift as a soul might, unimpeded, towards the person she misses?
Although the speaker yearns and longs for his world and the ‘air and light’ which floods his letters, a reader may
recognise the underlying tones of hope as they have a profound connection even with the distance as their "souls tap
out messages across the icy miles"

The poem is ambiguous- the rural life indicative of the older generation contrasts with the urban environment.

POEMS Page 10
Singh Song!- Daljit Nagra I run just one ov my daddy's shops
19 January 2018 22:46 from 9 o'clock to 9 o'clock
and he vunt me not to hav a break
but ven nobody in, I do di lock -
► CONCEPTS: cos up di stairs is my newly bride
► UNCONVENTIONAL LOVE
vee share in chapatti
► PASSIONATE LOVE
vee share in di chutney
Throughout the poem, Nagra combines the mundane and romantic with satirical undertones after vee hav made luv
►
like vee rowing through Putney
► Nagra highlights the conflict between cultures, but more significantly, the conventions and expectations of the Sikh
culture are both cleverly and amusingly subverted to demonstrate the power of attraction. The poem progresses through
stages, from a comic depiction of an unconventional and seemingly unpromising Sikh marriage, through complaints of Ven I return vid my pinnie untied
di shoppers always point and cry:
customers as the business deteriorates to a romantic confession.
Hey Singh,ver yoo bin?
Yor lemons are limes
The title, "Singh Song!" is a pun and a play on words- the name "Singh" is often given to Sikh males in some format yor bananas are plantain,
(Daljit's middle name) and means 'Lion' in Sanskrit. The fact that the narrator identifies purely with this tradition, and the dis dirty little floor need a little bit of mop
symbol of the lion evokes a light-hearted tone. in di worst Indian shop
on di whole Indian road -
The noun "daddy" in itself is significant- clearly, the narrator is dependent and immature- a discerning reader may
argue there is an implication that his father sets his working hours as he is suspicious that his son is too irresponsible to Above my head high heel tap di ground
take initiative. The speaker is immediately faced with the pressures of balancing the demands of family and desires of as my vife on di web is playing wid di mouse
his wife as Nagra subtly hints at the pressure to emulate elders and continue tradition. Although the speaker is ven she netting two cat on her Sikh lover site
newly married, his controlling parents want him "not to hav a break"- exemplifying their unattainable expectations. she book dem for di meat at di cheese ov her
However, the speaker is not submissive as he prioritises his wife over fulfilling his parent's expectations by working price -
consistently in the shop.
my bride
The speaker rebels against the responsibilities his father has passed on to him and rejects the work ethic of the she effing at my mum
older generation as he runs "up di stairs"- here Nagra may be introducing an element of elevation, amplifying the in all di colours of Punjabi
prominence of the speaker's wife in his life. The speaker's use of the adverb "newly" to describe his bride exemplifies den stumble like a drunk
the vibrance and passion in the relationship. Furthermore, the use of structure may be perceived as being key in making fun at my daddy
portraying the conflict between romance and work- the focus alternates from work to marriage, yet stanzas five, six
and seven begin with "my bride" reflects the speaker's obsession with his wife. The return to the chorus reiterates his my bride
devotion to her that is distracting him from his work. tiny eyes ov a gun
and di tummy ov a teddy
The phonetic spelling of "vee have made luv" emphasises the ethnicity of the speaker- yet such a frank statement is my bride
unexpected from somebody belonging to the stereotypically sexually reticent Sikh culture. Here then, Nagra she hav a red crew cut
challenges stereotypes and cultural norms, subverting the reader's expectations. The bride's disrespect surprises and she wear a Tartan sari
the reader as the speaker describes how "she effing at my mum" and stumbles "like a drunk", yet the speaker passes no a donkey jacket and some pumps
comment- does he endorse the rebellion? Nagra constructs a rebellious and irreverent character- the speaker's wife on di squeak ov di girls dat are pinching my
does not abide by the strict traditions of respecting her elders and he uses the speaker to suggest…… sweeties -

The speaker describes his wife as having the ‘tummy ov a teddy"- this childlike image is not one of conventional Ven I return from di tickle ov my bride
beauty, but one of genuine affection, which perhaps suggests that Singh loves his wife as much as a child loves and di shoppers always point and cry:
values their teddy. The deterioration of the "worst Indian shop" distinctly contrasts with the prosperity of the love Hey Singh,ver yoo bin?
between the speaker and his wife. Nagra depicts a realistic love which is very personal, eliciting a positive emotional Di milk is out ov date
reaction from the reader who can appreciate the earnest affection felt in this poem. and di bread is alvays stale,
di tings yoo hav on offer yoo hav never got in
stock
Nagra highlights the conflict between cultures, but, more significantly, the conventions and expectations of the
in di worst Indian shop
Sikh culture are both cleverly and amusingly subverted, exemplified through the wife wearing a "Tartan sari", an
on di whole Indian road -
amalgamation of British(tartan is a traditionally British fabric) and Sikh cultures. Her appearance is not conventionally
feminine with a military "red crew cut" and "donkey jacket" , inciting an impression of a domineering woman in the
Late in di midnight hour
reader. The colour of the wife's hair, "red", is an unorthodox feature, as women of Indian descent usually have longer,
ven yoo shoppers are wrap up quiet
dark hair, with the colour "red" symbolic of rebellion and fervour. This wife has an atypically independent attitude,
ven di precinct is concrete-cool
yet Singh is attracted to her, perhaps all the more because of her individuality, allowing readers to experience the vee cum down whispering stairs
passion and zeal of the couple. and sit on my silver stool,
from behind di chocolate bars
Nagra employs a semantic field of childhood attraction to convey the enduring romance between the speaker and his vee stare past di half-price window signs
wife l ‘midnight hour, silver, chocolate bars, brightey moon" there is something joyous, innocent and exciting about the at di beaches ov di UK in di brightey moon -
love he feels for his wife. The "chocolate bars" act as a comic contrast- the shop appears to imprison the couple: the
‘bars’ reminiscent of the bars of a prison. Significantly, the couple don’t seem to be affected, as they ‘stare past’ the stock from di stool each night she say,
of sweets and other shop clutter to the romantic moon- symbolically there are infatuated by each other and rise How much do yoo charge for dat moon baby?
above their mundane daily tasks.
from di stool each night I say,
The repetition of "each night" demonstrates their enduring love which symbolises the rejection of platonic love and Is half di cost ov yoo baby,
the desire to break boundaries and conventions, mirroring the breaking of conventional stereotypes. The speaker's love
for his wife becomes explicit as he states he is "priceless", demonstrating his infatuation. Unlike everything else in the from di stool each night she say,
shop, the narrator's feelings for his wife are something that cannot be sold. How much does dat come to baby?

from di stool each night I say,

Is priceless baby -

POEMS Page 11
 Walking Away- Cecil Day Lewis It is eighteen years ago, almost to the day –
06 July 2017 22:50 A sunny day with leaves just turning,
The touch-lines new-ruled – since I watched you play
BASIC OVERVIEW: Your first game of football, then, like a satellite
• The poem explores sacrificial nature of parental love, how relationships change over time Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away
• Day-Lewis both establishes a poignant and reflective tone as the poem revolves around a father's retrospective view of his
son's first venture towards emotional and physical independence. Although the traumatic and "scorching" nature of the experience
Behind a scatter of boys. I can see
overshadows the separation, there is an underlying sense of acceptance which culminates in finding solace in the idea that
You walking away from me towards the school
"love is proved in the letting go"
With the pathos of a half-fledged thing set free
• The profound acknowledgement from the poet that his own sense of "self" as a parent is achieved by "walking away" acts as the
point of enlightenment in the poem- the reader receives the impression that the father realises he must accept what is Into a wilderness, the gait of one
happening to his child in order to be a wise adult. Ironically, this choice mirrors what his child is doing, literally "walking away" in Who finds no path where the path should be.
order to explore and find his own "self" as an increasingly mature individual.
• Day-Lewis provides the reader with a resolution- the most complete love can be "proved" by allowing their child to grow and That hesitant figure, eddying away
mature as an independent individual, perhaps aiming his message at the whole of modern society. The child must also let go- he Like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem,
must let go of his independence on his parents. Has something I never quite grasp to convey
About nature’s give-and-take – the small, the scorching
Day-Lewis uses the seasons as a metaphor to reflect the sense of loss and pain felt by the speaker- the idyllic "sunny" Ordeals which fire one’s irresolute clay.
setting distinctly contrasts with the harsher reality of the transition from summer to autumn on a literal level, but, on a
symbolic level it represents the emotional journey from childhood to adolescence; "turning" away from his father into a I have had worse partings, but none that so
new more mature person. The significant imagery of fleeting nature reinforces the lack of control the father has- nature is Gnaws at my mind still. Perhaps it is roughly
ordained by life and the transition is inevitable. A perceptive reader may argue that the father is also "turning", as he faces Saying what God alone could perfectly show –
the challenge of watching his child break free from him and the pain that the transition involves. How selfhood begins with a walking away,
And love is proved in the letting go.
Day-Lewis emphasises the inextricable link between a son's childhood and their parents- just as a satellite cannot stray from
its given path because of the laws of physics, the father is also trapped by the overwhelming affection he feels for his son .
Perhaps Day-Lewis uses the powerful verb "wrenched" to expose the reluctance of a parent to adapt to separation and
demonstrate how the speaker's control of his son is weakened, just like a satellite without orbit floating as debris in space.
Furthermore, Day-Lewis juxtaposes the violence associated with verb "wrenched" with the gentle "drifting" of the son,
the present participle "drifting" demonstrating the vulnerability of the child as, in his immaturity, he seeks direction and
purpose, free of parental guidance. Day-Lewis compels the reader to empathise with the speaker, and may be referring to a
child's lack of awareness of others. Typically, children of this age regard their parents as invincible, and cannot conceive
the pain and vulnerability of an adult.
COMPARE WITH MOTHER ANY DISTANCE: Disturbingly, the child is without anchor, rooting them to the ground

Symbolically, the "half-fledged thing" both strengthens the mental image of vulnerability and elicits sympathy from In thesome versions "eddying" is substituted for
reader, as we desire to accompany the son on his emotional and literal journey. The striking comparison to the "ebbing"- both make effective images. "Ebbing"
vulnerable bird just beginning to venture from the parental nest allows Day -Lewis to construct an extended metaphor that
suggests receding tide- lost closeness,
continues in the next stanza with the "winged seed"- we speak idiomatically of a maturing child "spreading its wings"
increasing distance between child and father,
hence the reader identifies with the universality of the conflict between letting go and holding on. The "winged seed"
continues the bird imagery, suggesting helplessness in the face of nature's forces just as a bird is driven by instinct the to alternative "eddying" suggests ripples and
leave the nest, echoing the inevitability of growing up. The adjective "hesitant" could refer to how the child is nervous ongoing
of movement, the fluctuating and forever
breaking from the security of his father, but may also link to the feelings of the poet, as he emotionally accepts his child' s changing relationship that is part of the overall
increasing desire for independence. process of separation

Day-Lewis employs a semantic field of religion to implicitly refer to the lack of power the speaker has- the transition from
childhood to maturity is inevitable. The lack of control of the speaker is reflected in Day -Lewis' deliberate use of
structure- the ordered quintets mirrors the desire of the father to tightly control the life of his son. However, the
enjambement "drifting away/Behind" signifies a shift as they become more distant, challenging the control the father has.
Symbolically, the wilderness is the metaphorical description of undiscovered terrain that acts as a metaphor for growing up.
The noun "wilderness" carries religious connotations, perhaps suggesting that the process of maturing has the significance of a
religious journey, with the sacrificial 'scorching' and 'fire' foreshadowing the climactic 'what God alone could perfectly s how" -
here then, Day-Lewis is possibly emphasising the futility of individual decisions in the face of larger forces.

Day-Lewis conveys the disempowerment of the speaker as he describes how he can never express the "give-and-take" of
the natural world, in that nature offers gifts, such as the joy of parenthood and then snatches them back. Perhaps the poet is
"irresolute" because of his internal conflict, the acceptance of the process and attempting to cope with the loss of the
dependent "half-fledged" boy. The Biblical reference to clay is intriguing in itself for the modern reader - there are numerous
examples of humans described as "clay", malleable, until fired by the spirit of God into something superior. Lewis refers to his
inner turmoil as a struggle to be "fired" by this parental pain into something more noble and spiritual; the courage to accept
his child's growth. Alternatively, a reader may argue that the child is also "fired" from clay into a larger and mature human
hence readers of differing opinions can appreciate how the poem revolves around both struggles.

Significantly, the use of the material process of the dynamic verb "gnaws" exposes the persistent raw pain the father
feels, but the poet acknowledges that this pain is a sign of deep endearment as "love is proved in the letting go". Again, Da y-
Lewis refers to the power of religion as the speaker urges himself to think about what God can "perfectly show" - for a
religious readership in the 20th century, God's lessons were deemed to be always perfect thus introducing an element of
morality. God created man to have a relationship with man- but man sinned, so the relationship was broken. But God allows
Jesus to pay for our sins so God sacrificing his son emphasises how letting go is the morally right thing to do.

POEMS Page 12
 When we two parted
When We Two Parted- Lord Byron In silence and tears
06 July 2017 22:47 Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
BASIC OVERVIEW: Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
• *THESIS* Byron's bitter reflection is underscored by a sense of underlying resentment as Byron may perhaps be implying that Colder thy kiss;
love that is built upon the promiscuous sin of adultery shall always end in "silence and tears . Truly that hour foretold
• Although the title denotes the theme of loss that permeates the poem, there are bitter undertones as Byron uses the speaker t o convey his underlying Sorrow to this.
thesis that love can desecrate the mind.
• Byron expresses his sombre emotions undertones of restraint and sorrow The dew of the morning
Sank chill on my brow -
Byron accentuates the emotional detachment of the speaker through their apparent fixation with preserving the relationship, y et this desire is It felt like the warning
ultimately undermined by the sense of fatalism as their relationships are irrecoverable, reflecting how the poem acts as a manifestation of Of what I feel now.
Byron's bitter emotions- Byron reveals the universal impotence against the harrowing effects of unrequited love. Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
Mirroring the cyclical structure used in "Neutral Tones", Byron uses the significant repetition of "in silence and tears" at the both the beginning
I hear thy name spoken,
and end of the poem to perhaps imply that ongoing grief has no resolution. Although Byron's use of a cyclical structure symbolically
And share in its shame.
reflects the tormenting nature of a sinful relationship, yet another reader may argue that Byron may be referring to his incessant
passion for his former lover to suggest that unrequited love is inevitable throughout our lives.
They name thee before me.
Byron employs a semantic field of deception to accentuate the speaker's grief as the speaker acknowledges that she is left with lasting A knell in mine ear;
emotional wounds which he shall "rue". Extrapolated further, Byron subtly shifts the culpability of the end of the relationsh ip on to the subject as A shudder come o'er me -
"thy spirit deceive", perhaps revealing his latent frustration. Byron deliberately uses an extended metaphor of death to refl ect the metaphorical Why wert thou so dear?
death of the relationship and perhaps also his future as he mourns the loss of his love, yet a cynical reader may argue that Byron reveals the They knew not I knew thee.
speaker's inherent hypocrisy and selfishness through their reluctance to acknowledge the sin of adultery- the symbolic resonance of the death Who knew thee too well -
"knell" perhaps reflects the shame he feels as he is haunted by the salacious gossip, the perpetual reminder of his sinful relationship. The Long, long shall I rue thee,
brutal monosyllables as the speaker describes how "pale grew thy cheek and cold", coupled with Byron's use of pathetic fallacy symbolically Too deeply to tell.
reflects how his life is devoid of domestic warmth without his love, contributing to the underlying sense of futility and permeates the poem.
Extrapolated further, the monotonous coldness, coupled with the speaker's desolation revealed through the pathetic fallacy as the hostile In secret we met -
"dew of the morning/ Sunk chill on my brow" mirrors the decay of the warmth of the affection they may have shared, whilst als o revealing a lack In silence I grieve,
of compassion, reflecting Byron's bitterness. The dynamic verb "sever" encapsulates the brutality of the separation as it carries connotations That thy heart could forget,
of wounds and lasting damage, consequently amplifying the indelible "shame" the speaker feels. Thy spirit deceive.
-The chill on the speaker's brow is a sombre image that reflects the speaker's deep sadness and dissatisfaction at the relatio nship having come to If I should meet thee
an end. Ordinarily, the dawn of a new day might be used to symbolise new beginnings and convey a sense of optimism. Here, how ever, the cold After long years,
dew helps to signify that he is still in a wretched state
How should I greet thee?
With silence and tears.
Byron's adoration of his lover is immediately exemplified as he employs the collective pronoun "we", amplifying the sentimental tone of the
poem. However, this pronoun is later contrasted with the use of "thee" in stanza 3 - the informal pronoun reveals how this relationship is
founded on illicit love, reiterated through the use of syntactical parallelism "In secret we met -- in silence I grieve" which emphasise the
clandestine nature of the relationship, yet a perceptive reader may argue the element of monotony symbolically reflects the speaker, and
thus Byron's persistent anguish. Byron employs a motif of secrecy is reinforced through the abstract noun "silence" as the speaker
describes how they parted in "silence and tears", to imply that the parting was not amicable, with the shift in pronouns from "we" to "I" eliciting
sympathy from the reader as the speaker is grieving, perhaps for himself out of self -pity. Furthermore, the use of past tense amplifies the
condemned aspect of the relationship, consequently evoking an underlying sense of inevitability.

Byron introduces an element of duplicity to perhaps reveal the speaker's desire to gain the presence of the subject by descri bing her as "dear",
yet we may infer that the speaker's monetary perspective encapsulates their focus on preserving their reputation, regardless of the emotional
losses they make. .
ALTERNATIVE INTERPRETATION: The rhetorical question in the third stanza "Why wert thou so dear?" suggests that the poet is em otionally
traumatised by the affair even though he has escaped with his anonymity intact.

POEMS Page 13
 Winter Swans- Owen Sheers The clouds had given their all –
06 July 2017 22:51 two days of rain and then a break
in which we walked,
• The Farmer's Bride- excessive desire to be close to lover- here, reluctance- contrast
• Love's Philosophy- inevitable sense of togetherness, more flirtatious tone, imagery here is more poignant the waterlogged earth
• Poignant imagery- inevitable return after conflict in tempestuous times, portrays a "flight" - an emotional journey gulping for breath at our feet
• Temporarily troubled- the couple still love each other as we skirted the lake, silent and apart,
Although most readers would argue that the adjective "Winter" in the title establishes a sense of foreboding, barrenness and until the swans came and stopped us
loss, this sterility and lack of growth is undermined by the notion that winter acts as a precursor to spring, to renewed
with a show of tipping in unison.
life, vitality and "afternoon light"- hence, we can infer that Sheers uses the relationship to perhaps reflect how dormancy
As if rolling weights down their bodies to their heads
is necessary for regeneration.

• Sheers employs pathetic fallacy to amplify the despairing tone of the speaker, with the element of futility manifested in the they halved themselves in the dark water,
description of how the "clouds had given their all" contributing to the sense of a relentless conflict. This unresolved confl ict, icebergs of white feather, paused before returning again
coupled with the past tense intensifies the sense of inevitability that permeates the poem, perhaps hinting at the idea that like boats righting in rough weather.
the relationship is already condemned. Although the tone is poignant as the speaker finally reflects on how their hands are l ike
a "pair of wings settling after flight", symbolically echoing the swans, a cynical reader may argue that there is an unsettli ng ‘They mate for life’ you said as they left,
element of uncertainty, as if their reconciliation is so delicate like "porcelain" that ultimately this fractured relationship porcelain over the stilling water. I didn’t reply
cannot be repaired. However, Sheers' use of pronouns furthers the speaker's appreciation of his partner - "we, us and our" but as we moved on through the afternoon light,
indicates their proximity.
slow-stepping in the lake’s shingle and sand,
• Sheers accentuates the lack of communication at the root of the relationship as the "silent" couple "skirted" the lake - here, the I noticed our hands, that had, somehow,
sense of discordance is intensified as the couple metaphorically avoid discussing the issues that threaten them most. Sheers swum the distance between us
deliberately employs the alliterative "g's" in "waterlogged" and gulped to perhaps amplify the inarticulacy at the core of th e
relationship, as they "skirted the lake". Macroscopically, however, Sheers exemplifies the prevalent role a relationship play s in and folded, one over the other,
one's life as the world becomes a physical manifestation of the pair's inner monologues as the "waterlogged" earth has reache d like a pair of wings settling after flight
its point of saturation and is "gulping for breath" Sheer's employs the dynamic verb "gulping" to encapsulate the emotional
struggle and lack of vitality embodied in the relationship - the relationship is based on insubstantial foundations, a
"waterlogged" earth thus Sheers hints at how platonic love is a fragile construct through this metaphor of porcelain".
Sheers subtly hints at the insubstantial foundations of the relationship through the precarious movement of the couple
"slow-stepping", yet the sibilance of "slow-stepping… shingle and sand" perhaps hints at the lack of friction, sharply contrasting
with the disharmony encapsulated in the "waterlogged earth gulping for breath".

• Sheers uses the swans as an emblem of the couple's conflicted relationship that is decline. The depiction of the swans is
essential as it illuminates not only what the couple want to be but what they already are. Sheers subtly undermines the
optimistic hints of interdependence as the swans "halved themselves" with an underlying lack of intimacy, with the cold
emotional parallels to be drawn from "icebergs" reflects the inherent fragility that acts as the root of their conflict in their
relationship. Extrapolated further, perhaps the conflict between the "icebergs" and "porcelain" symbolically reflects the
metaphorical distance in the relationship as one is emotionally cold and the other emotionally fragile. Furthermore, the
description of the swans greeting the couple with a "show of tipping in unison" is particularly intriguing - a perceptive reader
may argue that the underlying metaphor of a "show" is evocative of a performance, which symbolically reflects the deception
and façade of their solidarity that shrouds their turbulent relationship

• As the poem progresses, Sheers skilfully develops a sense of optimism, with the use of a volta as the speaker describes how " I
didn't reply/ but as we moved on" signifying a point of enlightenment, illuminated in the "afternoon light". Furthermore, Sh eers'
deliberate use of enjambement as their hands "swum the distance between us/ and folded" encapsulates the fluidity of nature
and their natural reunification, symbolically echoing the swans who act as healing entities as they are "tipping in unison". Sheers
provides the reader with a comfortable sense of redemption as the speaker describes how their hands are "like a pair of
wings settling after flight", with the couplet at the end of the poem confirming the sense of resolution.

• Sheers constructs a narrative of strained optimism in the face of trauma and difficulty to encapsulate the emotional "flight" of
the speaker, thus hinting at the transience of conflict which culminates in an inevitable return after tempestuous times.

The "white feather" has complex associations- purity, protection, death of a loved one, cowardice during World War One -
could also imply that the couple are also cowards in not facing the problems in their relationship - left for the reader to intrrept.
• The silence is broken by direct speech and marks the beginning of the couple communicating and resolving their issues.

POEMS Page 14
 Neutral Tones- Thomas Hardy WE stood by a pond that winter day,
06 July 2017 22:49 And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,
And a few leaves lay on the starving sod;
OVERALL COMPARISONS: They had fallen from an ash, and were gray.
• Compares with Winter Swans- link points on language to context- older poem- discuss the growing obsolescence of nature in our
world, and yet its importance in relationships
Your eyes on me were as eyes that rove
• -Changing problems faced in relationships over time; the internet age and its destruction of fulfilled intimacy against, say, Hardy's
Over tedious riddles solved years ago;
decrepit presentation of nature in Neutral Tones, because of both Victorian industrialisation, and the 'sold out' idea of romantic poetry
And some words played between us to and fro
• -Love's Philosophy- nature imagery, destructive power of relationships, deceit of love
On which lost the more by our love.

Hardy could be expressing a message that love should be entirely abstained from, which differs from Byron’s continued The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing
endearment of his former lover. Hardy could be implying that the rest of society throughout the Romantic era, including Byron, Alive enough to have strength to die;
ha a view of love which “deceives”. And a grin of bitterness swept thereby
Like an ominous bird a-wing.... o
Hardy immediately employs pathetic fallacy to create a sombre atmosphere- the "winter day", coupled with the white sun
create a bleak landscape wherein decay is prevalent, symbolically echoing the death of the relationship. The sun, "white", is Since then, keen lessons that love deceives,
bleached of its colour- literally, it echoes the neutrality of the title, but metaphorically, the sun has been stripped of life. A And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me
perceptice reader may argue that Hardy's use of monotonous imagery in the first stanza of “white”, as well as “grey”, is Your face, and the God-curst sun, and a tree,
antithetical to the vibrant concept of love. The semantic field of decay is exemplified through the "starving sod"- the natural earth, And a pond edged with grayish leaves.
a symbol of renewal and fertility and is struggling to survive, mirroring the lack of vitality in the relationship. Hardy subverts
the reader's expectations- the ash trees, symbolic of growth are dead to implicitly refer to the lack of growth in the relationship.
On a deeper level, the use of ‘ash’ suggests the presence of a fire before it burned out; this is indicative of the passion that died
out between the lovers.The death of nature is symbolic of the death of the romantic genre, which had passed its peak by the time
Hardy was writing. Thus Hardy rejects the romanticisation of breaking up and separation: they are fundamentally the opposed to
love, not part of love.

Hardy's reticence- the disdainful tone of "some words" indicates that language has lost significance and is now completely
forgettable. The images of "eyes" and smiles are clichés of love poetry, yet Hardy subverts them as the eyes "rove " to perhaps
hint at the idea of inevitable disappointment with love. A perceptive reader may detect the deviation from rhyme "rove", "love"
which possibly reflects the speaker's intense anguish at the subject's weak attempt to 'rove'; he perhaps wants her to take
greater interest in him, and such intense emotion is exposed through the deviation from the otherwise 'neutral' regularity of the
rest of the rhyme scheme. The adjective "tedious" reinforces the speaker's hopelessness, with the oxymoron "tedious riddles"-
conventionally, riddles are supposed to be interesting, contributing to the underlying sense of frustration- the riddles,
unsolved arguments with no solution continually plague the speaker, evoking sympathy from the reader. However, the speaker's
view is subjective.

Hardy's skilful use of contrast exemplified in the "grin of bitterness" and "deadest thing" emphasises the foreboding nature of
the relationship- where there is love, there is coldness, where there should be intimacy between them, there is roving and where
there should be warmth and genuine emotion, there is a forced grin, deception and frustration. The smile that turned into a
grin of bitterness should have been his "ominous" warning the relationship was doomed- again, Hardy subverts typical
romantic characteristics to intensify his despair and possible shock. A typical reader will find this oxymoron unsettling- the
smile, a respectable façade is the "deadest thing"- the superlative "deadest" both emphasises the ir of the relationship and possibly
evokes an element of deception. Here then, there is an underlying tone of resentment which perhaps alludes to the poet's inner
turmoil, contradicting the poet's professed neutrality exemplified in the title. The adjective "ominous" derives from the Latin
"omen", reflecting how the speaker felt an inauspicious omen about his lover and, perhaps, saw her as something sinister. Hardy
alludes to the haunted aspect of the relationship using the "ominous bird-a-wing" which alludes to connotations of ravens or other
birds which symbolise death and darkness due to their dark coloured plumage

The semantic field of torment presented in the words "keen" and wrings" possibly refers to the emotional turmoil and
anger beneath the surface of the poem which overshadows the subjective narrator's attempt to stay neutral. Hardy's notable use
of polysyndeton hints at the speaker's underlying frustration, creating a tired, lethargic effect, with the effect of the list
suggesting it is something that has been repeated many times before. Furthermore, the significant use of the conjunctive "and"
perhaps reflects the speaker's emotional outburst as he struggles to repress his desire to be reunited with his lover. Whilst
Hardy establishes a tone of indignation, perhaps the speaker is intentionally directing his anger towards God- Hardy’s
demonstration of God’s omnipotence, through his control of nature, suggests that Hardy feels God has allowed his unavailing love
to manifest.

Hardy's tone becomes more resentful in the final stanza; the bitter register as love "deceives" coupled with the alliteration of
"wrings with wrong" emphasise the speaker's anguish as they acknowledge the deceit they felt. The sun changes from "white" to
"God-curst", indicating that his feelings are no longer neutral but angry and inflamed. The subtle change in reference to God
from "chidden" to "curst" perhaps implies that God is complicit in this failed relationship, perhaps reflecting Hardy's
persistent anger towards God who has “curst” his love. The rejection of religion, particularly if the poem is interpreted as a
dramatic monologue and therefore it is not Hardy himself speaking, is representative of the isolation experienced after
separation in a relationship; the end of a relationship is also the end to far much more.

Many of Hardy's language choices reflect a much more archaic period than the Victorian times, ‘chidden’ is derived from the 12th
century word meaning rebuked- this deliberate choice perhaps demonstrates how the speaker is trapped in inescapable turmoil as
they stay in the past. Like Byron, Hardy is trapped in a destructive emotional cycle-. The irregular rhythm of the final stanza
demonstrates the increasing instability of Hardy's thoughts. Furthermore, the cyclical structure as the speaker remains at the
"pond" perhaps reveals Hardy's inability to move forward from this memory as the pain is too raw, contributing to the theme of
unresolved emotion- a reader may view the cyclic structure as a symbol of the lack of progress, amplified by the inevitable
passing of time.

The use of past tense typifies the irrecoverable and fated aspect of the relationship- it is already condemned. The speaker
returns to his melancholic, sombre state gazing at the pond, returning to the beginning- he is fated to never leave the moment
being described. The poem ends in the same geographical nature that has now decayed, which serves to mirror the relationship
between Hardy and his first wife Emma.

POEMS Page 15
 Love's Philosophy- Percy Shelley The fountains mingle with the river
06 July 2017 22:48 And the rivers with the ocean,
CONNECTIONS: The winds of heaven mix for ever
-Love's Philosophy- harmonisation of nature/ Sonnet 29- metaphysical conceit, uses the conceit of trees and vines to represent ideal love. With a sweet emotion;
-The Farmer's Bride- underlying frustration, excessive desire for proximity. On first glance, the title, "Love's Philosophy" implies there is a higher knowledge or Nothing in the world is single,
wisdom about love than the thoughts and feelings of individual people, as though there are generally accepted, logical and unwritten laws about love. Although All things by a law divine
the title denotes the theme of logic that pervades the poem, there are more passionate, and arguably sinister undertones reinforced by a sense of pathos towards In one another’s being mingle—
the subject as the possessive speaker argues that every part of nature has a counterpart and "nothing in the world is single". Why not I with thine?

Shelley skilfully constructs a logical and persuasive argument to blind his lover with logic, wherein the premise of nature as being naturally See the mountains kiss high heaven,
interconnected is inextricably linked to the inevitable conclusion that "nothing in the world is single". Shelley may be implicitly suggesting that we are And the waves clasp one another;
governed by an intrinsic desire to feel complete as he desires to eradicate the distance between their bodies and unite to form a unified one- Shelley No sister-flower would be forgiven
poses an implicit question- if nothing in life is alone and the elements, even the "wind" has a partner, why, therefore, doesn't the If it disdain’d its brother;
speaker have his lover? The speaker of "Love's Philosophy" is trapped in a delusion, questioning the meaning of life as he fantasises about a And the sunlight clasps the earth,
relationship he can no longer be in.Shelley illustrates the inextricable link between love and nature; love shares the same philosophy as the natural And the moonbeams kiss the sea—
world- one thing complements other. What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
Shelley adheres to the conventions of Romanticism by demonstrating a great reverence for the beauty of nature which symbolically mirrors
the speaker's desire for his lover, amplifying the passion permeating the poem as the sunlight "clasps" the earth- the dynamic verb "clasps" is
evocative of the speaker's willingness to protect his love, yet there are erotic undertones. Maybe more significantly, Shelley manifests a sense of
entrapment here which hints at the speaker's reluctance to lose control and their arguably disconcerting desire for excessive proximity. Here,
Shelley illustrates how force of nature can be the root of human joy and goodness, yet there is also an indiscriminately destructive aspect to nature.

Shelley accentuates the speaker's yearning for the presence of his lover by establishing elemental relationships in nature as the "fountains
mingle with the other" to invoke a comparison between nature and the primordial aspect of love, with the use of enjambement symbolically
reflecting the fluidity of his obsessive thoughts and the fluidity of nature.

Shelley uses irrefutable statements to endow his argument with a sense of conviction, with the powerful religious and celestial imagery employed
as he comments on how "nothing in the world is single/all things by a law divine" reinforcing the sense that her submission to him is morally right
and virtuous. However, Shelley's position as an Atheist enables the reader to interpret this submission as something slightly more manipulative and
unscrupulous- indeed, Shelley was temporarily expelled from Oxford University for writing a pamphlet titled "The Necessity of Atheism", hence
the repeated references to the divine demonstrate the influence of the society at the time and strengthen the argument, implying their love is divine
providence, yet a perceptive reader may argue that the notion the elements bend "for ever" in a warped process of eternal mixing is hyperbolic.

Shelley personifies powerful natural elements "fountains", "rivers", "ocean", "wind" to deliberately draw a sharp parallel between the actions of
nature and the couple- he focuses on the intermingling of nature. Symbolically, Shelley cleverly uses the increasing size of the mingled elements as
they grow in size when joined together, symbolising the increased strength and power of the collective versus the individual which magnifies the
importance of the concept of love. However, it may also be argued that the expansive nature of the elements reflects Shelley's personal desperation.

Shelley deliberately focuses on the combination of the solid "mountains" with the elusive "heaven", as the "sunlight clasps the earth"- on first glance,
this evocative imagery may reflect Shelley being persuasive and unscrupulous, hinting that his love is the elusive sunlight. Symbolically, however,
perhaps Shelley uses the elusive nature of the embrace to make a further comment on the difficulties of holding onto love. If his loved one accepts
this warped philosophy of nature, then she cannot deny that they too should "mingle" and "mix" and reject platonic love.

Shelley's skilful use of structure is key in demonstrating Shelley's persistence in the quest for love, with the echoing rhetorical questions in both
stanzas perhaps revealing the speaker's intellectual superiority. On first glance, Shelley's noticeable use of monosyllables as he questions "What is
all this sweet work worth/ If thou not kiss me? reflects a sense of simplicity and innocence, yet there are arguably more sinister undertones as we
realise that the question is so straightforward that the woman has no reason to demur. Shelley almost teases the lover and the reader, daring them
to respond and put forward a philosophy- but we are never permitted to hear the response. Additionally, the rhyme scheme mixes masculine rhyme
(single final syllable rhyme) with feminine rhyme (two syllable rhyme", subtly enhancing the poet's potential philosophy that males and females
should "mix" and "mingle". The noticeable simplicity of language echoes the simplicity and purity . Shelly is alluding to with his passionate intentions
and desire, typical of the Romantic poet. Each stanza ends with a question which forms a refrain, Furthermore, the rhythmic and coherent structural
logic of the poem firs with the meaning; this is about philosophy, which in itself involves logic.

The device of capitalising a cosmic phenomenon, like Ocean or Heaven to express an abstract idea underpinning the reality is typical of Shelley
Shelley's deep, mystical appreciation for nature, exemplified through the semantic field of nature- this is the central conceit of the poem- the
argument that in the same way natural elements mix, humans are designed to behave in a similar way. Furthermore, nature is a typical Romantic
motif, with Shelley focusing the lady's attention on the most beautiful natural elements to appeal to her.. Likewise, her restraint and rejection is seen
as unnatural and unforgiveable.

MORE BASIC POINTS:

Ironically, Shelley uses typical motifs and symbols of romantic love to suggest that his intentions and desires are natural and pure so he can win the
opportunity to seduce her into a physical relationship. As a passionate lover, he would be prepared for anything in his attempt to seduce his lover. .
In the final line, Shelley refers to the "sweet work", perhaps of God, implying that the lady is directly responsible for making the mixing of the natural
world meaningless by refusing him "if thou not kiss me?". . A reader may view something metaphysical about the idea of divine forces taking charge
of human affairs on earth. Autobiographical- satirical/ fertility/reproduction vs sterility in nature

The second stanza begins with an imperative "See" to demonstrate how the persona is becoming slightly more impatient with her reluctance and
restraint, which sharply contrasts with the persona's oppressive tone. This shift is demonstrated with the significant change from gentle verbs such as
"mix" and "mingle" to "clasps", the verb "clasps" conveying the sense of a more urgent and forceful desire. ". Shelley personifies the cosmic elements
"moonbeams", "sunlight" which imitate human behaviour. The skilful use of polysyndeton both overwhelms the reader and reinforces Shelley's
argument

There is a noticeable motif of guilt as Shelley then proceeds to use an emotionally manipulative appeal, claiming that "no sister flower"(symbolising
the lady) "would be forgiven if it disdained its brother"(symbolising Shelley)- this appeal is designed to make the lady feel guilty for rejecting his
advances, however, another reader may argue that it acts as a subtle ploy to convince the woman that he is in favour of platonic love. Throughout
the stanza the repetition of the connective "and" is used, the listing effect providing reasons for why the woman should succumb to his wishes.

POEMS Page 16
 I decide to do it free, without a rope or net.
Climbing My Grandfather- Andrew Waterhouse First, the old brogues, dusty and cracked;
06 July 2017 22:52 an easy scramble onto his trousers,
pushing into the weave, trying to get a grip.
COMPARISONS: By the overhanging shirt I change
❖ Family relationships- Before You Were Mine and Follower- children looking at an adult – in their case mother and father . direction, traverse along his belt
❖ BYWM: more bitter, wants different information (her mother then, whereas Waterhouse wants his grandfather now). to an earth-stained hand. The nails
❖ Heaney’s speaker is, like Waterhouse, in awe of his father and the two speakers both undergo a process of discovery- Waterhouse’s is more are splintered and give good purchase,
optimistic whereas Heaney’s shows nostalgic regret- the clouds, birds and heart of the end contrast with the sad understanding that Heaney’s the skin of his finger is smooth and thick
father is walking behind the speaker as their roles have reversed with age. like warm ice. On his arm I discover
❖ Simple details- the focus on shoes as symbolic of personality, for example, and the brief physical details, here the “smooth and thick” fingers with the glassy ridge of a scar, place my feet
nails ripped and stained with dirt, Heaney’s father’s “eye that narrowed and roved”, Duffy’s Monroe dress. gently in the old stitches and move on.
❖ Letter’s from Yorkshire- both relationships are being processed and further understood. The men seem similar, their physical, natural descriptions At his still firm shoulder, I rest for a while
both suggesting their connection with their environment which for Dooley creates some emotional distance, contrasting with her own
in the shade, not looking down,
technologically driven urban life whereas Waterhouse’s love of nature enables him to consider his grandfather a different way.
for climbing has its dangers, then pull
Waterhouse endows the grandfather with an aura of superiority through the metaphor of a mountain, yet there are arguably sadder myself up the loose skin of his neck
undertones, reinforced by a lack of fulfilment as the speaker is inadequate when compared to the superiority of the grandfather. to a smiling mouth to drink among teeth.
Refreshed, I cross the screed cheek,
Waterhouse typifies the detrimental effects of ageing through the semantic field of physical decay as the speaker describes the "loose to stare into his brown eyes, watch a pupil
skin of the neck" and the "wrinkles" which exemplifies the speaker's naivety and poignant realisation as he is compelled to come to terms slowly open and close. Then up over
with the inevitable mortality of his grandfather, despite appearing timeless and immortal. the forehead, the wrinkles well-spaced
and easy, to his thick hair (soft and white
at this altitude), reaching for the summit,
Although Waterhouse characterises the grandfather as the embodiment of stability and solidity, with the physical distance between where gasping for breath I can only lie
them reflecting the metaphorical distance between generations due to changing values, this hostility is undermined through the metaphor watching clouds and birds circle,
of climbing as the hard wall of emotional hostility is broken down as the speaker is feels the "slow pulse of his good heart". Waterhouse uses feeling his heat, knowing
the speaker's poignant realisation that his grandfather does emit a warmth and love that the speaker had not been expected, the slow pulse of his good heart.
consequently exemplifying the speaker's desire for domestic warmth . Here then, the use of structure is key in providing a resolution as it
encapsulates the grandfather's kindness and undermined the perceived daunting nature hinted earlier, thus providing an end to the spiritual
journey and a satisfying conclusion for the reader. Structurally, Waterhouse's use of enjambement reflects the relentless perseverance of
the speaker in a continuous struggle, but a sympathetic reader may argue it reiterates the continuity of love- "heat" is symbolic of
compassion and vitality.

Extrapolated further, the initial sense of the speaker's aversion to the perceived physical appearance of his grandfather with his "splintered
nails" is undermined by the prevalent romanticisation of the man's connection with nature- there is something honourable about working
on the land- r the personal relationship between the narrator and his grandfather dominates this cold due to the warmth which his
grandfather emits. Waterhouse creates a sense of pride as the speaker states how he decided to do "it free, without a rope or net"- the
ambiguity of the line emits both a sense of liberation and danger as the speaker embarks on his "easy" ascent.

Waterhouse immerses the reader in the speaker's emotional journey through the present tense, as he eulogises his grandfather, whilst
also revealing the speaker's audacity through his bold intention of deciding to climb the mountain "without a rope or net", consequently
undermining the associated risk with mountain climbing. Waterhouse employs a metaphor of climbing to illustrate an emotional discovery as
the speaker gradually moves from foot to head to reach the "summit" of their grandfather- the act of climbing also reminiscent of the childish
activity of clambering across a relative. Symbolically, however, a cynical reader may argue the speaker feels literally and metaphorically
overshadowed by his grandfather, revealed through their lack of communication, hence the immensity and power of this man leaves
his descendants always in his shadow.

The grandson acknowledges that "climbing has its dangers"- perhaps symbolically reflecting how Waterhouse is implicitly suggesting that in
our journey to knowing or "climbing" our relatives, there is always a risk in our discoveries and what we may discover from the past. As a
wider purpose, Waterhouse grasps the childish perspective of viewing grandparents as infallible, untouchable beings of immense wisdom
that are distant from us in some unknowable way- closing the gap and learning about them, their pasts, their secrets can make them more
human which is key in developing a close relationship, yet may be unsatisfactory if we lose that sense of inspiration as their
human weaknesses and faults are revealed.
More sympathetically,the speaker does places his feet "gently in the old stitches" of his grandfather's scar, with the adverb "gently" implies an
acknowledgement of the pain that may have resulted from this- he does not explore the scar in any further detail, which symbolically
reiterates his emotional sensitivity as he is careful to avoid opening up wounds by probing into them- he accepts his voyage could end
negatively.

Waterhouse illustrates the contrast between the symbolic wealth of the grandfather and the ignorance of youth as a perceptive
reader may recognise how there is an honour associated with the "earth-stained hands"-the scars and marks acquired over the years. The
subtle shift from how the speaker is "trying to get a grip" of the mountain to the more definitive verb of "knowing" the grandfather's
good heart reiterates his benevolence as it offers a sense of finality which complete the extended metaphor of developing an
understanding.

Waterhouse immerses the reader in the grandfather's benevolence, with the oxymoronic "warm ice" used to describe the grandfather's skin-
highlighting something both deeply familiar and reassuring, yet perhaps something unnerving- possibly because of the awe and wonder
the speaker feels for his grandfather. The patience of the grandfather, allowing the boy to climb and explore illustrates a reciprocal love
and tenderness. There is a silent wisdom about the grandfather, that knows the young boy must undertake life's adventures on his own,
but he will always be a dependable and "unshakeable" rock for support.

- This idea could be linked to Mother Any Distance, which is unostentatious (e.g. Armitage describes everyday objects that seem to
almost undermine the important ultimatum that the speaker grapples with throughout the poem) to reflect how it is the everyday
things that are the repositories of love.

• The grandson reaches "his still firm shoulder"- shoulders are symbolic for carrying weight, bearing troubles etc. The fact that the
grandfather's shoulders are still "firm" illustrates a man who is resolute and strong, emotionally and physically.
• The grandson stares into his eyes, as he slowly blinks "watch a pupil slowly open and close"- the inactivity of the grandfather shows the
immense patience and affection for his grandson.
• The summit is also symbolic- the speaker cannot see any more of his grandfather, having reached the top of his head, only "clouds
and birds", but he does now feel deeply connected to him, feeling his warmth and the "slow pulse" of his "good heart".

POEMS Page 17
Passionate Love- Love's Philosophy and Sonnet 29 KEY QUOTES: LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY:
31 March 2018 00:18  "fountains mingle with each other"
 "clasps"
 "nothing in the world is single/all
Although "Sonnet 29" appears to be overtly pure and morally upstanding, there is an underlying sense of sexual tension, reinforced by things by a law divine"
passionate and arguably sinister(subversive) undertones (1) as the speaker's obsessive and "wild" thoughts consume her as Browning subtly subverts  "wind"
our perceptions of a typical Victorian decorous woman, whereas Shelley uses the speaker' persuasive argument which encapsulates their lack of KEY QUOTES: SONNET 29:
satisfaction to reflect the universal desire for fulfilment, a desire only fulfilled by eternal love.  "wild"/"tree"/"strong tree"/"vine"
 "wild vines, about a tree"
Both Browning and Shelley skilfully establish the speakers' desire to transcend the boundaries of platonic love as their obsession  "burst, shattered everywhere"
with the subject perhaps reflects their persistent desire for sexual gratification.(2) Browning employs a motif of entrapment to encapsulate the  "straggling green"
speaker's innate desire for human interaction, with the distinct contrast between the speaker's obsessive fixation with her lover and their physical  "thee"
distance allowing Browning to subtly explore the dynamic between masculinity and femininity; the man, metaphorically a "strong tree" sharply
juxtaposes the instability of the speaker's oscillating thoughts. Although the constricting imagery of "wild vines, about a tree" hints at a desire to
protect her lover, Browning subtly manifests ominous undertones in this imagery as it exposes an interesting power imbalance between the speaker
and her lover- the lover is a substantial, stable "tree" and she is the parasitical "vine" that suffocates it. (3)Furthermore, this imagery has contextual
significance as Browning was a housebound invalid, hence the extended metaphor of a tree (her husband) and vine (herself) is possibly representative of her
anguish and reliance on him, clinging on to his stable foundations. (4) Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may interpret the adjective "wild" as
suggestive of her uncontrolled and untamed passion, which symbolically reflects her desire to reject platonic love as the fantasy of her lover acts as
an insubstantial replacement for her desire.

More subtly, Shelley accentuates the speaker's yearning for the presence of his lover by establishing elemental relationships in
nature as the "fountains mingle with each other", consequently invoking a comparison between nature and the primordial nature of love, with the use of
enjambment symbolically reflecting the fluidity of his obsessive thoughts, yet also subtly reiterating the natural inevitability of their reunification.
Furthermore, Shelley cleverly uses the increasing size of the mingled elements to symbolise the increased strength of power of the collective versus the
individual which magnifies the importance of reuniting, yet a cynical reader may argue that the references to nature expanding perhaps reveal his desperate
tone. (5) By contrast, Browning depicts the fracturing of nature as the greenery "burst, shattered everywhere" to highlight the speaker's mental
discordance as her mind oscillates between her outward decorous appearance and her innate desire for sexual fulfilment, with the chaos manifested in the
onomatopoeic verb "shattered" evoking an image of irreparable damage. Symbolically, this foreshadows her psychological decay as her relationship
with reality is fractured, solely fixating on her lover. However, this violent moment of explicit passion may be viewed positively as Browning evokes a
sense of enlightenment- perhaps the violence signifies a newfound freedom from the prison of the speaker's constricting, intense and "wild"
thoughts. (6)

In contrast to the fragility of nature and the "straggling green" depicted in "Sonnet 29", Shelley adheres to the conventions of Romanticism by
demonstrating a great reverence for the beauty of nature which symbolically mirrors the speaker's desire for his lover, amplifying the underlying erotic
passion permeating the poem as the sunlight "clasps" the earth- the dynamic verb "clasp" reflects the speaker's desire to exert control over his lover.
Maybe more significantly, Shelley manifests a sense of metaphorical entrapment here which reveals the speaker's reluctance to lose control and their
arguably disconcerting desire for excessive proximity. Similarly, Browning deliberately employs the "palm-tree" to accentuate the speaker's blind god-
like worship of her lover as a palm tree is symbolic of faith and belief. Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may argue the metaphor is
representative of her love that is growing in a life that had been devoid of love previously like a barren landscape, a desert, in which palm-trees are
the only plants that can grow, thus Browning skilfully positions her husband as an elusive oasis, a thought of relief in an endless desert of illness and
loneliness. (7)

Both Shelley and Browning endow the subject with an element of elusiveness as they evade the speaker's grasp- Shelley uses
irrefutable statements to endow his argument with a sense of conviction and perhaps reveal the tone of underlying frustration, with the powerful
religious and celestial imagery as he comments on how "nothing in the world is single/ all things by a law divine" reinforcing the sense that her
submission to him is morally right and virtuous, consequently eliciting pathos towards the subject. Shelley uses the premise of nature being naturally
interconnected to pose an implicit question- if nothing in life is alone and the elements, even the "wind" has a partner, then why, therefore, does the
speaker not have his lover? (8)Mirroring the persistent desire and latent frustration exemplified in "Love's Philosophy", Browning's skilful use of a cyclical
structure as the speaker fixates on "thee" intensifies the sense of a lack of mental progression, consequently confirming the infatuation of the speaker- the
inability to reconnect with reality and control her thoughts.

Although both Browning and Shelley focus on a speaker trapped in an illusion as they fantasise about the love they cannot have, Shelley focuses
on the speaker's desire to reject platonic love(9), whereas Browning uses the disparity between illusion and reality, coupled with the speaker's
obsession with her lover to subtly hint at the perpetual conflict between suffocation and protection in human relationships.

FEEDBACK:
1. Dr Adamson
Excellent introduction – I wonder if the word ‘sinister’ is right here – I’m thinking potentially subversive would be better here as you’re discussing the way in which the speaker
rejects the image of a typical Victorian woman.
2. Dr Adamson
Super topic sentence.
3. Dr Adamson
Good – it’s a paradoxical symbol combining elements of both strength and weakness.
4. Dr Adamson
Great AO3 here.
5. Dr Adamson
You could also point to the humorous persuasive appeal here – Shelley’s speaker’s grand ambition links back to an earlier school of 17thC Cavalier court poetry where men
would playfully persuade women to get into bed in their verses (see ‘To His Coy Mistress’, ‘The Scrutiny’)
6. Dr Adamson
Yes – also imagery of sexual release?
7. Dr Adamson
Really nice examination of the metaphors in both poems here, with a good overview of the question.
8. Dr Adamson
You could take a look at the images and consider – are some of the links tenuous? How much of the ‘philosophy’ of pairing is pure fantasy and an elaborate conceit?
9. Dr Adamson
In favour of... – complete the thought.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 18

Loss/Memories in When We Two Parted and one other When we two parted
poem(Neutral Tones)- In silence and tears
Half broken-hearted
28 March 2018 23:54
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Although both Hardy and Byron's speaker lament the end of their relationship, Hardy focuses on the erosion of vitality evoked by Colder thy kiss;
the loss of a partner, yet Byron's bitter reflection is underscored by a sense of underlying resentment as Byron may perhaps be implying that Truly that hour foretold
love that is built upon the promiscuous sin of adultery shall always end in "silence and tears". Sorrow to this.

Both Hardy and Byron skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their lover by focusing on the erosion The dew of the morning
of vitality. Notably, Hardy immerses the reader in a state of despair and desolation by employing pathetic fallacy- the "winter day", coupled Sank chill on my brow -
with the "white sun" intensify the sense of sterility and create a bleak atmosphere wherein decay is prevalent, symbolically echoing the death It felt like the warning
of the relationship. The "sun", white is literally bleached of colour, echoing the neutrality of the title, but metaphorically, we can infer that Of what I feel now.
the sun has been stripped of life, thus exemplifying the all-encompassing nature of loss. Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may argue Thy vows are all broken,
that Hardy's use of monotonous imagery is antithetical to the vibrant concept of love which intensifies the speaker's persistent anguish. And light is thy fame;
Hardy's deliberate use of a cyclical structure as the speaker remains at the "pond" perhaps reveals Hardy's inability to recover from the loss I hear thy name spoken,
of his lover as the pain manifested in the memory is too raw, contributing to the theme of unresolved emotion- a discerning reader may And share in its shame.
view the cyclical structure as symbolic of a lack of mental progression, amplified by the inevitable passing of time.
They name thee before me.
Mirroring the cyclical structure used in "Neutral Tones", Byron uses the significant repetition of "in silence and tears" at both the A knell in mine ear;
beginning and end of the poem to perhaps imply that ongoing grief has no resolution. Although Byron's use of a cyclical structure
A shudder come o'er me -
symbolically reflects the tormenting nature of a sinful relationship, this lack of progression perhaps reveals the speaker's incessant passion for
Why wert thou so dear?
their former lover. Byron employs a semantic field of deception to accentuate the speaker's grief as the speaker acknowledges that he is left
They knew not I knew thee.
with lasting emotional wounds which he shall "rue". On closer inspection, Byron subtly shifts the culpability of the end of the relationship
onto the speaker as "thy spirit deceive", revealing their latent frustration. Byron deliberately uses an extended metaphor of death to Who knew thee too well -
symbolically reflect the metaphorical death of the speaker's future as he mourns the loss of is love, yet a cynical reader may argue that Byron Long, long shall I rue thee,
reveals the speaker's inherent selfishness through their reluctance to acknowledge that adultery occurs within society; the brutal Too deeply to tell.
monosyllables as the speaker describes how "pale grew thy cheek and cold", coupled with Byron's use of pathetic fallacy contributes to the
lack of compassion and sense of inevitability/ futility that permeates the poem. In secret we met -
In silence I grieve,
Both Hardy and Byron accentuate the emotional detachment of the speaker through their apparent fixation with preserving That thy heart could forget,
the relationship, yet this desire is ultimately undermined by the sense of fatalism as their relationships are irrecoverable. Hardy's reticence, Thy spirit deceive.
revealed through the disdainful tone of "some words" indicates that language has lost significance, echoing the sense of loss and death of the If I should meet thee
relationship. Hardy intensifies the sense of despair as ash trees, symbolic of growth and fertility are dead, reiterating the lack of growth in the After long years,
relationship and subverting the readers' expectations. Furthermore, the presence of "ash" reflects the presence of a fire before it burned out, How should I greet thee?
which is metaphorically indicative of the passion that was extinguished in the relationship. A perceptive reader may argue that the death of With silence and tears.
nature has contextual significance is symbolic of the death of the Romantic genre, which had passed its peak by the time Hardy was writing.
Simlilarly, the speaker's reflection on how "pale grew thy cheek and cold" is symbolic of a progressive destruction as we would associate the
verb "grew" with development. More cynically, however, Byron introduces an element of duplicity to perhaps reveal the speaker's desire to
gain the presence of the subject by describing her as "dear", yet we may infer that the speaker's monetary perspective encapsulates their
focus on preserving their reputation, regardless of the emotional losses they make.

Mirroring the deception illustrated in "When We Two Parted", Hardy's skilful use of contrast exemplified in the "grin of
bitterness" and the "deadest thing" is key in demonstrating the deception at the root of the relationship- where there is love, there is
coldness, where there should be intimacy between them, there is roving and where there should be warmth and genuine emotion, there is a
forced grin, deception and frustration. More subtly, Byron hints at the speaker's desolation through the use of pathetic fallacy as the "dew of
the morning/ Sunk chill on my brow" as his life is devoid of warmth without the presence of the lover. Similarly, Hardy employs the
superlative "deadest" reflects the irreparable nature of the relationship, with Hardy's notable use of polysyndeton "And some words/And a
grin of bitterness" reveals the speaker's frustation. Hardy intensifies the speaker's discordance through the subtle change in reference to God
from "chidden" to "curst" which perhaps implies that God is complicit in this failed relationship, reflecting Hardy's persistent anger towards
God who has "curst" his love, contradicting the professed indifference of the title. Perhaps Hardy uses the rejection of religion as
representative of the emotional isolation experienced after separation and subtly advocates the message that love should be entirely
abstained from , which differs from Byron's continued endearment of his former lover.

Ultimately, both Byron and Hardy hint at the universal impotence against the harrowing effects of the end of a relationship,
whilst also revealing the speakers' subconscious yearning for the fire of their relationship to be enkindled as both poets hint at the lasting
emotional damage invoked by unrequited love.

Dr Adamson
Just a small thing but make sure to say Byron and Hardy’s speakers (even when it’s thinly-veiled autobiography).
Dr Adamson
Beautifully phrased!
Dr Adamson
Yes and you might extrapolate that the sun as typifying life and energy symbolises this loss.
Dr Adamson
I like that your AO3 is implicit and embedded with AO1 and AO2 throughout.
Dr Adamson
Or at least a cynical reader might appreciate that, from an autobiographical standpoint, Byron is employing double standards – he is a known ‘rake’ and yet his
lady should not be?!
Dr Adamson
Pick one or use a conjunction.
Dr Adamson
A sophisticated and impressive comment.
Dr Adamson
Quite a bold claim! I don’t know if I buy it, but I do like that you’re pushing yourself in terms of the contextual side of things.
Dr Adamson
Again a sophisticated prose style which is still very much clear and controlled – keep this up.
Dr Adamson
Super – come back to the key word of loss at times in your argument to keep your examiner aware that you’re fully engaged in the ques tion.
Dr Adamson
Smashed the conclusion – well done!

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 19

Independence in Walking Away
09 April 2018 21:21

Although both Day-Lewis and Armitage focus on the fleeting nature of parental authority and control, Day-Lewis uses the son's desire for independence
to explore the sacrificial nature of parental love whereas Armitage uses the speaker's dependence on their mother as an "Anchor" to accentuate the necessity of
parental guidance when entering unchartered territory.

Whereas Day-Lewis initially focuses on the conflict between the speaker's desire for independence and the father's reluctance, Armitage skilfully juxtaposes the
speaker's innate desire for independence and their reliance on their mother to accentuate the inextricable bond of parental relationships, with the use of asyndetic lists
being not only practical for the tasks as they measure "the windows, pelmets, doors… floors" but also masking the emotional bond that is being stretched.
Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may argue that the "acres" and "prairies" are symbolic of how the poet beings to aspire to greater distances- the walls become
"acres", the floors become "prairies"- both are metaphors for the symbolic distance he will travel spiritually as he breaks free from his the restrictive and inhibiting bonds
of childhood. Similarly, Day-Lewis establishes the emotional distance in the relationship as he describes the ordeals which "fire one's irresolute clay"- the reference to
"clay" has symbolic resonance as there are numerous examples in the Bible of humans being described as "clay", malleable, until fired by the spirit of God into something
superior. Here, perhaps Day-Lewis is referring to his inner turmoil as a struggle to be "fired" by this parental pain into something more noble and spiritual; the courage to
accept his child's growth. Alternatively, a reader may argue that the child is also "fired" from clay into a larger and mature human, hence readers appreciate how the poem
revolves around both struggles.

Although Armitage initially characterises the mother as the embodiment of stability, the dichotomy embodied in the juxtaposing image of "Anchor. Kite"
hints at the restrictive and hindering aspect of parental affection. Armitage skilfully uses the metaphor to juxtapose the inhibiting force of the mother as the "anchor"
with the speaker's aspiration as a kite, symbolic of freedom. Similarly, Day-Lewis uses the stark contrast between the speaker's desire for progression and his vulnerability
as a "half-fledged thing" to intensify the father's inner conflict. Symbolically, the "half-fledged thing" both strengthens the mental image of vulnerability and elicits sympathy
from the reader, as we desire to accompany the son on his emotional and literal journey. The striking comparison to the vulnerable bird just beginning to venture from the
parental nest allows Day-Lewis to construct an extended metaphor that continues in the next stanza with the "winged seed"- we speak idiomatically of a child "spreading its
wings" hence the reader identifies with the perpetual conflict between letting go and holding on and suffocation and protection in human relationships. The "winged seed"
continues the bird imagery, suggesting helplessness in the face of nature's forces, just as a bird is driven by instinct to leave the nest, echoing the inevitability of growing
up- here, Day-Lewis subtly expresses the futility of individual decisions in the face of larger forces.

Armitage skilfully keeps the reader in a state of uncertainty by ending the poem ambiguously, with the inevitability of the monosyllabic "fall or fly" introducing
an element of doubt which overshadows the limitless freedom manifested in the adjective "endless"- the use of fricatives perhaps reflecting the speaker's increasing
momentum. In contrast to the speaker's increasing momentum in "Mother, Any Distance" which intensifies the emotional distance, Day Lewis evokes a sense of resolution
as "selfhood begins with a walking away". Although the dynamic verb "gnaws" exposes the persistent raw pain the father feels, the speaker acknowledges that this anguish
will culminate in a resolution as "love is proved in the letting go". A perceptive reader may argue the abundance of metaphors Day Lewis employs perhaps reflects his own
inarticulacy as he struggles for the words to express this division, a satellite out of orbit, a fledgling bird, a winged seed, and it feels as if he cannot settle on one image that fits
perfectly, he cannot find the way to describe his son and the shift in their relationship, yet the imagery of fleeting nature as leaves are "just turning" reinforces the lack of
control the father has- nature is ordained by life and the transition from childhood to adolescence is inevitable, consequently intensifying the underlying sense of despair.

Although Armitage focuses on the importance of guidance when entering unchartered territory, with the speaker's unostentatious perspective as he
seemingly undermines the important ultimatum the speaker grapples with throughout the poem by describing everyday objects to reflect how it is the everyday things that
are the repositories of lover, Day-Lewis skilfully conveys the disempowerment of the speaker as he describes how he can never accept the "give-and-take" of the natural
world, in that nature offers gifts, such as the joy of parenthood and then snatches them back. Day-Lewis reveals the speaker's desire to exert control over their child by
accentuating the inextricable link between a person's childhood and their parents- just as a satellite cannot stray from its given path because of the laws of physics, the
father is also metaphorically trapped by the overwhelming affection he feels for his son. Day-Lewis employs the brutal dynamic verb "wrenched" accentuate the speaker's
yearning for their child, with the juxtaposition with the gentle "drifting" of the son evoking a sense of vulnerability as the son, in his immaturity, seeks direction and purpose,
free of parental guidance- this desire confirms to the conventional perspective of children of this age regarding their parents as invincible, and cannot conceive the possible
agony and vulnerability of an adult.

Ultimately, whereas Day-Lewis uses the distinct contrast between the sense of entrapment and the son's increasing independence to expose the fleeting
nature of parental power and control, Armitage underscores the inseparable bond between a parent and child as "any distance greater than a single span/ requires a
second pair of hands".

“MARRIAGE IS SEEN AS FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED”

In light of this scene and elsewhere in the play, examine Othello’s view of marriage.

Although marriage is conventionally perceived as a strong and amorous union, Shakespeare undermines this view by subtly implying that marriage, as a construct, is
fundamentally flawed. The fracturing of Desdemona and Othello’s love, coupled with the susceptibility of their marriage to corruption exemplifies how marriage is
incompatible with basic human traits of jealousy and insecurity. fragile nature of their relationship is notion that concepts of power, control and...

Shakespeare illustrates how marriage is subtly underpinned by the desire to control another person through the depiction of Othello and Desdemona's marriage, adhering to
John Donne’s view of love as a “possessory affection”. At this moment in the play, we see how Othello desires the mastery of a falconer over Desdemona, comparing her to a
"haggard", a wild female hawk, which not only symbolically reflects his perception of her as a wild and untamed animal he needs to train but contextually reflects the
challenge of confining women to the domestic sphere .o Othello here likewise considers love in hierarchic terms:"Yet, 'tis the plague of great ones;/Prerogativ'd are they less
than the base". Shakespeare employs the metaphor of falconry to transform the figurative bond of marriage into literally binding jesses, contributing to the sense of
entrapment that underscores the flaws within their marriage.Furthermore, the use of animal imagery as he describes how "if I do prove her haggard" is perhaps reflective of
how there is a latent wildness within people which culminates . Shakespeare uses Othello's agonisation to demonstrate how Othello e laments an arrangement that grants
men ownership of women but which cannot grant them the usual correlatives of possession, knowledge and control which accompany marriage, consequently highlighting
the fundamental flaws within marriage.

Despite the seemingly progressive nature of Othello and Desdemona’s interracial marriage, Othello still exhibts the possessive attitudes towards women characteristic of
Venetian society . At this moment in the play, Shakespeare exploits the common fear of a woman’s insatiable lust. the frustration and fear of an 'untamed' woman is palpable
here as Shakespeare seems to suggest that men can control a woman's physicality to a certain extent but her thoughts and 'appetites' will inevitably be beyond their
control. Masculine behaviour- this concurs with Othello's own insight when he describes murderous jealousy as innate in the husband-wife relationship which posits the wife
as the exclusive possession of the husband and is thus at odds with the human condition wherein one can never know another person's in most thoughts and desires:
"O curse of marriage!/That we can call these delicate creatures ours/ And not their appetites!" (3.3.265-67). Furthermore,. Othello- who had earlier asked that the Venetian
senators grant Desdemona leave to follow him so as to be "free and bounteous of her mind" (1.3.265)- now wants to possess or bind Desdemona's appetite, or is troubled by
the fact he cannotShakepeare critiques the possessive attitudes men in "Othello" share a predisposition to regard women as possessions and to fear the appetites of those
women because men cannot control th., struggle with inability to confine them Shakespeare exemplifies how marriage a fundamentally flawed construct in light of the
entrenched attitudes towards women in Venetian society

Shakespeare uses the fundamental flaws arising from concepts of insecurity and control to portray marriage as a fragile and fleeting construct. Earlier in the play, in Act 2
Scene 1, Iago employs a metaphor of music as he compares Othello and Desdemona to “well tuned” stringed instruments who are currently in harmony, but who he will
ensure are discordant before long. More subtly, Shakespeare captures the precariousness of their relationship and, by extension, the susceptibility of marriage to external
corruption as instruments only work in very narrow conditions, so this metaphor implies just the slightest adjustment is needed to ruin the harmony. In the extract,
Shakespeare illustrates how marriage is in contradiction with the human condition wherein no one can own another's thoughts hence it must inevitably give rise to insecurity.
"Tis the plague of great ones" suggests that insecurity is endemic to power of any kind and contextually reflects the fear of cuckoldry and obsession with chastity.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 20

 Shakespeare uses the breakdown of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage to reflect the consuming nature of insecurity which Othello internalises; due to the cultural isolation
of England duriing the Jacobean era, Shakespeare may be highlighting the dangers of extreme racial prejudices within his society. Having been convinced of Desdemona’s
treachery, Othello projects his self-loathing upon her. In his diseased imagination she becomes, paradoxically, the stereotype of the Moor: cunning, “Black”, sexually depraved
and diabolic. He calls her at various timex a "slave"(3.3.442), a "lewd minx" (3.3476), a "fair devil" (3.3.479) and a "subtle whore" (5.2.21). This transformation of white virgin
into "fair devil" is doublyironic: not only does Desdemona become the opposite of herself; she becomes the image of disgusting sensuality that Iago had conjured up of
Othello in the first scene of the play. Infected by Iago's imagery of licentiousness, Othello converts Desdemona into his own alterego, subjecting her to the same abuse that
Roderigo andIago had hurled against him in the streets of Venice.

stung by her secret deceprion and warns Othello that since Desdemona has deceived her father she may very well deceive her husband. (1.2.96,1.3.289-90). This intimation of
Desdemona's secrecy returns later in the play with Othello's suspicions of her virtue, and the images of secrecy are again used:"This is a subtle whore,/ A closet lock and key
ofvillainous secrets" Othello says of her. "I pray you turn the key, and keep our counsel" he tells Emilia in the same scene. (4.1.21-22,94). Othello is infuriated at the notion of
his wife's lack of subservience to him and his inability to confine her. The references to secrecy reinforced by the lock and key imagery in Othellp- enclpse heroine literally and
psychologically. With interracial marriage, commercial wealth and political control of state dissipates, law forbade Venetians to marry our side their oligarhic caste. she
senselessly destroyed, a harmless bystander caught in the backlash of the unreeling of Othello's life? g

Shakespeare uses the fragility of Othello’s mind to portray marriage as a fleeting and vulnerable construct which is incompatible with basic human emotions. Shakespeare
seems to present the provocative idea that if social order is to continue, the marriage and what it represents must be destroyed. Shakespeare highlights the contribution of
societal ideals to the fundamental flaws within the union of marriage.

Shakespeare captures how the locus of Othello’s vulnerability is his age and colour- e the debased animal lust which Iago
. Othello proves to be the irreclaimable outside- “a malignant and turban’d Turk” (5.2.353) who cannot be tamed by the cultivated white Venetian society into which he has
married. More disturbingly, however, Othello desires the mastery of a falconer Worthless in her husband’s eyes, Desdemona becomes mere chattel, as disposable as a
hawk. When Othello speaks of his own colour he speaks derogatorily- “Haply, for I am black”. Othello’s thoughts are shaped by Iago- h adopts those thoughts as his own, and
explicitly associates them with his colour and age. He belives that Desdemona cannot be true because he becomes convinced that he himself is unloveable and, believing that,
he also becomes convinced that Desdemona’s manifest attraction to him is in itself perverse, a “proof” of her corruption.

• Iago: "Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!" Iago aligns Desdemona with commodites and objects, an item belonging to Brabantio that isn't even prioritised
above his house.
• "Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe"- this phrase alludes to witchcraft through its association to a witch's familiar, indicative of lust and
deviance, as well as horns foreshadowing cuckoldry and Satan imagery. Iago is thus manipulating the evidently misogynstic Brabantio through the Senator's own language-
Iago may not be racist himself, merely capitalising on language to achieve his aims. The phrase "white ewe" makes a pun on the word "you", that Iago uses to victimise
Brabantio as a victim of social and natural disorder. Misogynistic undertones also connote Desdemona as a mere extension of the patriarchal body- she doesn't belong to
herself, only the men around her.
he love of Othello and Desdemona issomething abovwould make it, something above race prejudice and snobbery and the sheer evil malice which these things generate-
cannot overcome difficulties prejudice causes. Agonized "I am abused, and my relief/ Must be to loathe her
Othello laments that husbands cannot control every aspect of their wives' lives: "O curse of marriage,/That we can call these delicate creatures ours/ And not their
appetites!" (3.3.284-86). A basic insecurity at the heart of their characters acounts for their need to be in control. Despite a storied career that has brought him to the
pinnacle of his profession, othello7is a black man in a white society who is taking potentially catastrophic emotional, social and political risks by marrying Desdemona.
Completely self-absorbed, he does not defend his wife to her accuser and cannot bring himself to communicate his suspicions in an open and honest manner to the woman
he has married. On the contrary, he decides that the only way to control his wife is to destroy her. Othello hyperbolically tells Iago that Desdemona's supposed infidelity
makes it impossible for him to continue to be a soldier "Othello's occupation's gone" (3.3.373) but then he proceeds to regard his wife and his lieutenant as snemies who have
insulted his honour and must be hunted down. Othello experiences Iago's questioning of Cassio's and Desdemona's loyalty as an invasion of his privacy and a violation of his
property rights. When his sense of control is undermined, the possessiveness inherent in his love becomes explicit "O curse of marriage! /That we can call these delicate
creatures ours, /And not their appetites" (2.268-70). But an identity grounded in control and lossession cannot tolerate the vulnerability of being possessed, so Othello must
destroy love. em. Othello laments his wife's separateness, even while puzzling over the sense in which she is his own.. As Iago had previously told Roderigo that "they say
base men being in love have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to them,", so Othello here likewise considers love in hierarchic terms:"Yet, 'tis the plague of
great ones;/Prerogativ'd are they less than the base". Othello is concerned about things other than Desdemona's virtue; he objects to any sharing of property rights in his wife
"I had rather be a toad...others uses". When Othello does think that Desdemona has betrayed him and her duty by an improper love, he becomes jealous.
• . Interracial marriage where man belongs to victimised race does notweaken the man's power over his life, to be cuckholded is the "plague of great ones." He is inconsolably
sorry for himself as a man of nobility, fated to endure the "plague of great ones".

Indeed, the use of 'must' suggests this is the ONLY logical consequence of her betrayal at this point.
-t's important to note that here, he's not interested in killing her - his punishment would be to turn her loose to hunt her 'prey' is she proves too wild to tame.
Great insight into male/female dynamics - he sees himself as in possession of a wild animal he needs to 'train'
To make her fit for her domestic life, she needs her spirit reeling in. Quite why this is desirable, I don't know, but it also speaks to the attitudes; women were
dangerous & unpredictable creatures who need managing. 3/3
The entrenched attitudes to women are established here. Iago screams 'thieves' x5 (78-80) & describes Brabantio as 'robbed' (84), firmly establishing women as
possessions which will seriously impact the later plot. 2
Othello only understands two ‘types’ of women: chaste wives and promiscuous adulterers - she must be one or the other
Fickle, Tis
destiny unshunnable, like death- Even then this forked plague is fated to us When we do
quicken.' 279-81 So, women's infidelity is as certain as death (and, presumably, taxes, as the old adage
goes)? Now Othello is blaming fate - he is condemned to this from conception 1/
('to 'quicken' is to feel the first stirrings in pregnancy). The 'forked plague' is clearly evocative of the serpent & therefore evil - but remember, the serpent came to
EVE, who then led Adam to his downfall. There's a parallel being drawn here 2/
Othello considers himself the innocent party here, while the audience watch him betraying Desdemona minute-by-minute. Remember, this is all one scene - it's
happening incredibly quickly as we watch him become the very thing he fears his partner is. 3/
It also reminds us of the precarious role of women; while confined to the domestic sphere their behaviour could have public consequences for their husbands.
Perhaps Othello feels her infidelity will lose him the respect of his soldiers & hence his loss of professional status?Obsession with chastity
"Plague of great ones" equates to the loss of reputation brought about by a wife's adultery. When Othello says that great ones are "prerogativ'd...less than the base", he
means that members of nobility suffer more from the problem of reputation than do the base,since a man of lower classes has no worry about that peculiarly aristocratic
fiction. The "forked plague" is synonymous with scorn or loss of reputation, since the cuckold was a common figure of derision in Renaissance England.

From <https://euc-word-edit.officeapps.live.com/we/wordeditorframe.aspx?new=1&ui=en%2DGB&rs=en%2DUS&WOPISrc=https%3A%2F%2Fbrightfuturesedutrust%2Dmy%2Esharepoint%2Ecom%2Fpersonal%
2F13kchaddah%5Faggs%5Fbfet%5Fuk%2F%5Fvti%5Fbin%2Fwopi%2Eashx%2Ffiles%2F43c04eadf270443692d98c9ae82adba7&wdNewAndOpenCt=1548616877755&wdPreviousSession=3970dd0a%2Dd5ad%
2D4593%2D8062%2D24f76a553bb1&wdOrigin=ohpAppStartPages&wdEnableRoaming=1&mscc=1&wdODB=1&hid=f22eba9e-20f3-7000-77be-493b3c0f6251&wdorigin=ohpAppStartPages&jsApi=1&NewSession=1
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THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 21

Strong relationships in Climbing My Grandfather
04 April 2018 23:22

Although Heaney illustrates a familial relationship fractured by time, with the idea of lives so intimately connected, yet separated most profoundly by time
dominating the poem, Waterhouse depicts a familial relationship strengthened by time as the speaker revels in the warmth of the grandfather's "good heart".

Both Waterhouse and Heaney skilfully establish the speaker's adoration of the subject as they elevate their family member by endowing them with an aura of
perfection as the speaker of "Follower" describes his father as an "expert". Heaney evokes a sense of admiration as the speaker regards the father as an "expert" whose
"shoulders globed like a full sail strung"- the simile literally reflects how the young speaker perceives his father as Atlas, a mythological Greek God condemned to carry the weight
of the world on his shoulders, yet Heaney may also be referring to how young children view their parents as invincible, unaffected by pain and suffering. More
sympathetically, however, the speaker of "Climbing My Grandfather" acknowledges that "climbing has its dangers", perhaps symbolically reflecting Waterhouse's implicit
suggestion that in our journey to knowing or "climbing" our relatives, there is always a risk in our discoveries and what we may discover from the past. As a wider purpose,
Waterhouse grasps the childish perspective of viewing grandparents as infallible, untouchable beings of wisdom that are distant from us in some unknowable way-
closing the gap and learning about them, their pasts, their secrets can make them more human which is key in developing a close relationship, yet may be unsatisfactory if we
lose that sense of inspiration as their human weaknesses and faults are revealed.

Although Waterhouse endows the grandfather with an aura of superiority through the metaphor of a mountain, there are arguably sadder undertones,
reinforced by a lack of fulfilment as the speaker is inadequate when compared to the superiority of the grandfather, echoed in "Follower". Heaney develops an underlying sense
of resentment exemplified through the speaker's bitter tone as they reflect on how "all I ever did was follow"- the passive nature of the verb "follow" reveals the speaker's sense
of personal failure and inadequacy as a subservient child. Heaney cleverly contrasts the aspiration demonstrated in the first two lines as the speaker wants to "grow up" with
the later sense of inferiority, evoked by the anticlimax as the speaker both literally and metaphorically is shrouded by his father's shadow. Similarly, a cynical reader may argue that
the speaker of "Climbing My Grandfather" feels feels literally and metaphorically overshadowed by his grandfather as a patriarch, revealed through their lack of
communication, hence the immensity and power of the grandfather will perhaps inevitably leave his descendants always in his shadow. However, in contrast to how the
emotional journey of the speaker in "Follower" culminates in despair as his father "will not go away", The subtle shift from how the speaker is "trying to get a grip" of the
mountain to the more definitive verb of "knowing" the grandfather's good heart reiterates his benevolence as it offers a sense of finality which completes the extended metaphor
of developing an understanding.
Waterhouse illustrates the distinct contrast between the symbolic wealth of the grandfather and the ignorance of youth as a perceptive reader may recognise how there is an
honour associated with the "earth-stained hands"- the scars and marks acquired over the years.

In contrast to the bitter sense of resentment embodied in the role of being a "Follower", as you can never equal, rival or supercede the person you are following,
Waterhouse develops a sense of compassion, reinforced by a satisfying conclusion as the speaker feels the "slow pulse of his good heart". Although Waterhouse initially
characterises the grandfather as the embodiment of stability and solidity, with the physical distance between them reflecting the metaphorical distance between
generations due to changing values, this initial sense of hostility is undermined through the metaphor of climbing as the hard wall of emotional hostility is broken down
Waterhouse uses this point of enlightenment as the speaker realises that his grandfather does emit a warmth and love that the speaker had not expected to reveal the
speaker's innate desire for domestic warmth. Here then, Waterhouse's use of structure is key in providing a resolution as it encapsulates the grandfather's kindness and
undermined the perceived daunting nature hinted earlier, thus providing an end to the spiritual journey. Structurally, Waterhouse's use of enjambement reflects the relentless
perseverance of the speaker in a continuous struggle, but a sympathetic reader may argue it reiterates the continuity of love- "heat" is symbolic of compassion and vitality.
Contrastingly, Heaney subtly foreshadows the decay of the emotional warmth of the relationship through the noticeable shift in focus between stanzas four and five that
begin with "I", revealing the growing desire for independence.

Both Heaney and Waterhouse focus on a relationship that is fractured by the inevitable passing of time as the subjects decay in their old age. Waterhouse typifies
the detrimental effects of ageing through the semantic field of physical decay as the speaker describes the "loose skin of the neck" and the "wrinkles", which exemplifies the
speaker's naivety and the poignant realisation as he is compelled to come to terms with the inevitable mortality of his grandfather, despite appearing timeless and immortal.
More significant, however, is Heaney's employment of a volta to introduce a change into the harsh reality and the poignant reversal of roles that follow as Heaney typifies the
detrimental effects of ageing- in the father's old age, he has become infantilised, incapable and helpless- the vivid image evoked by the dynamic verb "stumbling" both
creates a sense of distress and ironically contrasts with the earlier depiction of the speaker who "stumbled" in his shadow. In the same way the speaker would not leave the father
because of his devotion to helping him, the decrepit father is now mimicking his son in his old age- readers who have watched their relatives deteriorate will understand the
exasperation, guilt and distress it involves, even if the relationship is loving. Whereas Waterhouse immerses the reader in the speaker's emotional journey through the
present tense as he eulogises his grandfather to evoke a sense of idolisation, Heaney ends the poem bitterly as he describes how the father "will not go away" which not only
refers to an ongoing burden and duty, but also the relentless worry and sadness which perhaps reflects the transient nature of unbroken relationships, as they will inevitably
be strained by time.

Ultimately, whereas Waterhouse accentuates the speaker's yearning for his grandfather to reflect the strength at the core of the relationship, Heaney
develops a sense of exasperation by describing the father as a relentless burden who "will not go away", exposing the fragile nature of the relationship, contributing to the
pathos felt throughout the poem.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 22

Distance in Porphyria's Lover and The Farmer's Bride
15 November 2017 21:18

Although the titles "Porphyria's Lover" and "The Farmer's Bride" denote the theme of possession that permeates each poem, Browning depicts an existential distance,
amplified by sinister undertones as Browning refers to the inherent corruption of the mind created by an excessive desire to be close in human relationships-Mew, however,
focuses on the corruption of societal ideals which leads to a vulnerable woman being ostracised from society.

Both Browning and Mew skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and reality as their precarious mental state intensifies their persistent desire for
sexual gratification. Notably in "The Farmer's Bride", there is an underlying tone of frustration of “but a stair betwixt us” as Mew subtly addresses the conflict between chastity
and sexual union. Mew uses the significant repetition of "her eyes, her hair, her hair" to accentuate the speaker's lingering imaginings of the bride's elusive body. Here, Mew may
be implicitly critiquing the inherent assumption of what is conventionally expected of women- Mew depicts men to reject sentimentality and choose function- a woman's
function is to reproduce and if they try to deviate from that function they will be "chased". For the reader, the final stanza acts as a long and shuddering climax that is sexually
suggestive, with the exclamative "Oh! My God!" demonstrating how the speaker is consumed by the overwhelming desire to be physically close to his lover. A perceptive
reader may argue that the uneasy use of the dramatic monologue ironically makes the bride more the elusive and tragic object than ever, for she is trapped within the farmer’s
home as well as within the poem itself.

More disturbingly, however, is Browning's construction of a psychopathic speaker whose obsessive focus with his lover culminates in a loss of control as the
speaker, desperate to preserve the ephemeral moment of reunification kills his lover. Mirroring "The Farmer's Bride", the use of the dramatic monologue amplifies the disturbing
aspect of the poem as the readers have an insight into the callousness of the deprived speaker’s mind. However, the regularity of the structure, with one long stanza comprising
of enjambement- perhaps reflecting how the self-deceptive speaker feels morally correct in killing his wife in order to eternally be close to her and the fluidity of his obsessive
thoughts. By contrast, the instability of the structure in “The Farmer’s Bride” draws the reader’s attention to the speaker's distorted perception of love and the conflict created
by emotional separation and physical closeness, reinforced by the breakdown in rhythm which symbolises the speaker's growing agitation.

Both poets refer to the social distance imposed on women by a patriarchal society, reflecting the subjects’ enforced detachment from reality. Mew refers to the
dehumanisation of women as the speaker uses a simile to metaphorically ostracise the bride; the supernatural element manifested in "fay" coupled with the adjective "frightened"
portray her emotions as alien, inexplicable and unaccounted for. It could also be argued that this simile also hints at the speaker's desire to reject platonic love, reiterated in the
final stanza as the speaker’s comment on the ‘soft young down of her’ and ‘her eyes’ reflect his erotic desires. A discerning reader may also detect evidence of dehumanisation
through the bride's "wide brown stare", possibly reminiscent of an animal and reflecting her isolation from reality.

More subtly, Browning employs the verb "glided" which emits a supernatural element, reflecting how Porphyria epitomises warmth and stability. However, a bitter
tone emerges in the final stanza as Porphyria is objectified and infantilised by being referred to as ‘it’ and ‘little’. The context of the time is inextricably intertwined here; the
speaker believes that murdering Porphyria has preserved the ‘perfectly pure’ beauty that defines her as a Victorian decorous woman. The monosyllabic and child-like nature of
the climactic final line "And yet God has not said a word!" reflects his detachment from society- he believes he will not be judged as he has not committed sin. Alternatively, the
unreliable narrator could be mocking religion as he knows murder is sinful, but has received no punishment.

Both Browning and Mew allude to the emotional distance between a man and a woman, and a discerning reader may argue that Mew is criticising the treatment of
those who are emotionally vulnerable and unstable in society; the girl was content before the relationship but the marriage causes a deep trauma as she becomes withdrawn and
isolated. The reader immediately receives a sense of this in the first stanza as the triplet of "love and me and all things human" escalates, eliciting sympathy from the reader and
reflecting her growing detachment from the world. Mew’s use of pronouns as a means of categorisation further reinforces the metaphorical distance in the relationship,
reinforcing the girl's isolation and low status- she is ostracised by the farmer, separate from "we". The simile, "like the shut of a winter's day" compares her frigidity to winter, in
which hope and vitality are "shut" out. The pathetic fallacy reveals how her essence of youthfulness extinguished by withdrawing from society, with the seasonal imagery
"Fall" symbolically reiterating the decay and increasing detachment of the relationship.

However, Browning takes the theme of the social dominance of men further as he constructs a narcissistic speaker consumed by the lust for his wife- disturbingly,
the speaker believes his irrational efforts to become closer to his wife are logical, highlighted by the regular rhyme scheme. The idea that Porphyria “worshipped” the speaker
exemplifies the recurring motif of dominance laced throughout the poem, with the past participle both evoking connotations of godlike power and adding to the sense of
inevitability. It may be argued that the subject’s behaviour is also sexually subjective as she aims reduce the emotional distance between them by breaking moral boundaries as
she evocatively makes her “smooth white shoulder bare”. Here then, Browning poses an implicit question- how is it that society considers the beauty of the female body to be
immoral while never questioning the morality of language’s sensuality—a sensuality often manifest in poetry? As the speaker succumbs to his desire to be intimate with his lover,
Browning may be implying that even the most avid conformers to social constructions cannot ignore their immoral instincts.

Ultimately, whereas Browning is able to manipulate the idea of distance to emphasise the destructive nature of excessive proximity, Mew’s poem holds a wider purpose
as she uses the excessive desire of the speaker to be close to a woman to hint at the erosion of youthful innocence and dehumanisation of women, using the young girl as a
microcosm for the voiceless women of society at the time.

30/30: FEEDBACK:
Well written and controlled throughout
Don't forget explicit connotations- godlike power for "worshipped"
"essence of youthfulness extinguished"- lovely prose style, keep it up!

Good- and how do we as readers relate to the speaker

T- Yes and also a wild animal- the farmer compares her to the animals he cannot tame and control her
Great A03 context here
Lovely prose style Kimi- keep up the good work
Don't forget to explicitly mention connotations- godlike power
Well-written and controlled throughout

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 23

 Family relationships in Eden Rock
17 February 2018 23:23

Although both Duffy and Causley illustrate the symbolic importance of guidance in a child's life, Duffy hints at a familial relationship that is fractured by time, reinforced
by possessive undertones as the speaker fixates on the mother's past, whereas Causley uses the disparity between reality and fantasy to intensify the speaker's yearning to be
with their parents as they beckon him into the realms of the afterlife.

Both Duffy and Causley skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their parents as their naïve mental state intensifies their admiration of
their parents. Although Duffy uses the title to denote the theme of possession that permeates the poem, with pronouns such as "I" and "I'm" suggesting the speaker wanted to
assert her presence even before she was born, there are sadder undertones reinforced by a sense of a lack of fulfilment as the speaker admits she wanted the "bold girl
winking" in Portobello; the cyclical structure not only reflects the speaker's lack of mental progression but also accentuates the monotonous cycle of fate as the speaker is
trapped within the boundaries of time. Duffy uses the symbolic resonance of the "relics" to hint at a child's desire to emulate the mother and embody her youthful vitality and
exuberance- the metaphor of "relics" illuminates the seep reverence for the life her mother experiences, with the literal connotations of godlike power adding to the symbolic
value of the mother. Extrapolated further, perhaps the speaker's fixation on the past reflects how she has lost the bounds of linear time itself as the speaker's imagination
transports her beyond the limitations of the present.

Mirroring the elevation of the mother in "Before You Were Mine", Causley endows the mother with an aura of divinity through the celestial symbolism of the
mother's hair which "takes on the light" which conjures an angelic image of a halo, consequently amplifying the speaker's idealisation of their mother. Here, perhaps Causley
hints at the necessity of having guidance from a maternal and moral figure. Similarly, Duffy immerses the reader in the mother's exuberance, with the semantic field of
glamour as the speaker describes how "you sparkle and waltz and laugh" accentuating their desire to transcend the boundaries of time and emulate their mother. Here then,
Duffy subverts the typical idea of children desiring to leave their parents- instead she depicts a situation where the speaker feels the need to be excessively close to be her
parents early life, from which she was inevitably separate. However, Duffy subtly reveals the speaker's naivety as the transience of youthful promise is embodied in the
carefree image of "Marilyn", which is antithetical to the responsibility of motherhood. As the poem progresses, Duffy develops a sense of futility through the conflict between
physical and emotional distance as the speaker "wanted" the youthful and vivacious mother. Here, the relationships and context are inextricably intertwined; the religious
expectations of being a Catholic coupled with the historical context of being a woman in the 1940s culminates in the lack of freedom and "sparkle"

Although Duffy uses the speaker's constant reimagining of her mother's life to intensify her longing for her presence and overtly reflect a desire for domestic
warmth, Duffy undermines this perception by explicitly stating her desire for "glamorous love"- a cynical reader may argue that Duffy reveals the self-absorbed nature of the
speaker, with the adjective "glamorous" implying a level of personal disconnection as the love is neither natural nor genuine. More sympathetically, however, Causley
constructs a divine setting where the "sky whitens as if lit by three suns". Causley uses the "three suns" to refer to the Holy Trinity, thus emphasising the prominence of his
parents, yet arguably, there are bleaker undertones as a reader may consider the light to be blinding and unnatural, reflecting the poet's sense of incompleteness as he is
separated from his parents by time. Similarly, Duffy exemplifies the speaker's profound disconnection from her mother due to time, with Duffy's reflection on the hope of
"fizzy movie tomorrows" exemplifying the speaker's romanticisation of an ideal future, yet a perceptive reader may recognise the implicit sense of guilt in knowing that the
"fizzy" hope and promise dissolved with the arrival of the speaker.

Whereas Duffy uses the speaker's emotional detachment from reality to intensify her desire for the past, Causley's use of ambiguity keeps the reader in a state of
uncertainty as the speaker describes how "they are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden Rock"- a cynical reader may argue that the lack of clarity revealed through
"somewhere" reflects the futility of attempting to establish a connection to the parents. Although the title, "Eden Rock", is a location invented by Causley, a perceptive reader
may perceive as an idyllic paradise, deriving this interpretation from the Garden of Eden in which mankind was essentially created thus Causley perhaps uses this prominence
to poignantly address the symbolic importance of his parents in his life. Maybe more significantly, Causley's skilful use of structure which is key in encapsulating the physical
and metaphorical distance between the parents and the speaker, contributing to the sense of pathos, as the ambiguous monosyllabic line at the end of poem as the speaker
describes how "he had not thought it would be like this" is isolated from the others; it breaks the perfection of the quatrains and could perhaps demonstrate the distinct
contrast between the ignorance of youth as the speaker naively concludes that "crossing is not as hard" as he thought and the wealth of the parents' experience as they
beckon him to cross into the unknown realms of the afterlife

Ultimately, both Causley and Duffy use the speakers lack of fulfilment and their desire to lose the bounds of linear time to encapsulate familial relationships fractured by time;
the idea of lives so intimately connected, yet separated most profoundly by time dominates both poems.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 24

Attitudes towards a parent in Before You Were Mine and
Follower
11 December 2017 22:26

Although the titles "Before You Were Mine" and "Follower" denote the theme of admiration that permeates each poem, Heaney undermines a child's admiration
of their parent with an underlying sense of frustration as the father "will not go away" , reinforced by exasperated undertones whereas Duffy uses the speaker's fixation with
her idealised mother to reflect how she has lost the bounds of linear time itself as the speaker's imagination transports her beyond the limitations of the present.

Both Heaney and Duffy skilfully establish the speaker's adoration of their parent as their naïve mental state intensifies their desire to embody the earlier and more
youthful version of their parent. Duffy uses the symbolic resonance of the speaker describing the mother's shoes as "relics" to reflect the universality of a child's desire to
emulate their parent as the speaker wants to literally follow in her mother's footsteps. Furthermore, the metaphor of "relics" illuminates the speaker's deep reverence for the
life her mother experiences, with the literal connotations of godlike value adding to the symbolic value of the mother. Here then, Duffy subverts the readers' expectations of a
child wanting to leave their parents- instead, she depicts a conflicted situation where the speaker feels the need to be excessively close to the mother's earlier life in a
"ballroom with a thousand eyes", from which she was inevitably separate. Duffy deliberately immerses the reader in the mother's exuberance, with the semantic field of
glamour as the speaker describes how "you sparkle and waltz and laugh" accentuating the speaker's romanticisation of their mother, their desire to transcend the boundaries
of time and emulate their mother

Both Heaney and Duffy poignantly juxtapose the experiences of youth with maturation and having responsibilities, with the transience of youthful promise embodied
in the carefree image of "Marilyn" antithetical to the responsibility of motherhood. Duffy skilfully deludes the reader into believing the mother has died as the speaker
describes how her mother's "ghost clattered"- a perceptive reader may argue that the "ghost" symbolically represents the mother's metaphorical death- the part of her that
revelled in freedom, attention and the "ballroom with a thousand eyes" has died. Extrapolated further, Duffy illustrates how the mother's essence of youthfulness has been
extinguished, the sense of exuberance manifested in the dynamic verb "shriek" distinctly contrasts with the later images of domestic duty as the mother "walks home from
Mass", a situation in which freedom is absolved- a knowledgeable reader may recognise how the relationships and context of the timer are inextricably intertwined- the
religious expectations of being a Catholic coupled with the historical context of being a woman in the 1940s culminates in th e lack of freedom and "sparkle".In contrast to the
speaker's lack of fulfilment as she "wanted the bold girl winking", Heaney uses the speaker's lack of satisfaction to intensify their sense of inferiority, with the subtle shift from
full rhyme when the focus is on the father "round, ground" to half-rhyme when focusing on the son "wake, back" perhaps reflects Heaney's personal sense of inadequacy- the
half rhyme of the speaker is insubstantial compared to the fully fledged father, eliciting sympathy from the reader.

Mirroring the elevation of the mother in "Before You Were Mine", Heaney endows the father with an aura of perfection by regarding him as an "expert"
whose "shoulders globed like a full sail strung"; the simile literally reflects how the young speaker perceives his father as Atlas, a mythological Greek God condemned to carry
the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet Heaney may be referring to how young children view their parents as invincible, unaffected by pain and suffering. However,
although both speakers idolise their parents, Heaney develops an underlying sense of resentment exemplified through the speaker's bitter tone as they reflect on how "all I
ever did was follow"- the passive nature of the verb "follow" reveals the speaker's sense of personal failure and inadequacy. Heaney cleverly contrasts the aspiration
demonstrated in the first two lines as the speaker wants to "grow up" with the later sense of inferiority, evoked by the anticlimax as the speaker both literally and
metaphorically is shrouded by his father's "shadow". Contrastingly, a perceptive reader may argue that the speaker of "Before You Were Mine" is the shadow that haunts the
mother; there is an implicit sense of sense of guilt in knowing that the "fizzy" hope and promise dissolved with the arrival of the speaker.

More significantly, however, is Heaney's employment of a volta to introduce a change into the harsh reality and the poignant reversal of roles that follow as Heaney
typifies the detrimental effects of ageing- in the father's old age, he has become infantilised, incapable and helpless- the vivid image evoked by the dynamic verb "stumbling"
both creates a sense of distress and ironically contrasts with the earlier depiction of the speaker who "stumbled" in his shadow. Heaney subtly foreshadows the decay of the
emotional warmth of the relationship through the noticeable shift in focus between stanzas four and five that begin with "I", hinting at the growing desire for independence.
Duffy also reiterates this obsession with self-preservation; although Duffy uses the speaker's constant reimagining of her mother's life to intensify her longing for her presence
and overtly reflect a desire for domestic warmth, Duffy undermines this perception by explicitly stating her desire for "glamorous love"- a cynical reader may argue that Duffy
reveals the self-absorbed nature of the speaker, with the adjective "glamorous" implying a level of personal disconnection as the love is neither natural nor genuine. However,
in contrast to the desire for independence, Duffy's use of a cyclical structure not only reflects the speaker's lack of mental progression but also accentuates the monotonous
cycle of fate as the speaker is trapped within the boundaries of time.

Ultimately, whereas Duffy uses the disparity between reality and the past to accentuate the speaker's yearning for her mother, Heaney depicts the father as a
relentless burden who "will not go away" ,yet more significantly, both Heaney and Duffy illustrate a familial relationship fr actured by time- the idea of lives so intimately
connected, yet separated most profoundly by time dominates both poems.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 25

Desire/Intense Love in Porphyria's Lover
09 April 2018 21:28

Although the titles "Porphyria's Lover" and "The Farmer's Bride" denote the theme of possession that permeates each poem, Browning depicts an
existential distance, amplified by sinister undertones as Browning refers to the inherent corruption of the mind created by an excessive desire to be close in human
relationships- Mew, however, focuses on the speaker's desire to exert complete control over a woman, consequently revealing the corruption of societal ideals which
leads to a vulnerable woman being ostracised from society.

Both Browning and Mew skilfully establish an emotional detachment between the speaker and reality as their precarious mental state intensifies their desire for sexual
gratification. Notably in "The Farmer's Bride", there is an underlying tone of "but a stair betwixt us" as Mew subtly addresses the conflict between chastity and sexual
union, with the significant repetition of "her eyes, her hair, her hair" accentuating the speaker's lingering imaginings of the bride's elusive body. Here, Mew may be
implicitly critiquing the inherent assumption of what is conventionally expected of women, as Mew depicts men to reject sentimentality and choose function- a
woman's function is to breed and if they try to deviate from that function they will be "chased". For the reader, the final stanza acts as a long and shuddering climax
that is sexually suggestive, with the exclamative "Oh!My God!" demonstrating how the speaker is consumed by the overwhelming desire to be physically close to his
lover. A perceptive reader may argue that the uneasy use of the dramatic monologue ironically makes the bride the more elusive and tragic object than ever, for she
is trapped within the father's home as well as within the poem itself.

More disturbing, however, is Browning's construction of a psychopathic speaker whose obsessive focus with his lover culminates in a loss of control as the speaker,
desperate to preserve the ephemeral moment of reunification kills his lover. Mirroring "The Farmer's Bride", the use of the dramatic monologue amplifies the
disturbing aspect of the poem as we have an insight into the callousness and lust of the sexually deprived speaker's mind. However, Browning uses the regularity of
the structure, with one long stanza comprising of enjambement to perhaps reflect how the self-deceptive speaker feels morally correct in killing his wife in order to
be close to her, thus Browning encapsulates how the speaker is trapped in an illusion as his desire for erotic love is merely a construct of his imagination. By contrast,
the instability of the structure in "The Farmer's Bride" draws the reader's attention to the speaker's distorted perception of love and the conflict created by
emotional separation and physical closeness, reinforced by the breakdown in rhythm which symbolises the speaker's growing agitation/

Both poets encapsulate the speakers' view of women as subordinates to accentuate their desire to exert control over their lover, reflecting the subjects' enforced
detachment from reality. Mew subtly refers to the dehumanisation of women as the speaker uses a simile to metaphorically ostracise the bride; the supernatural
element manifested in "fay" coupled with the adjective "frightened" portray her emotions as alien, inexplicable and unaccounted for. It could also be argued that this
simile hints at the speaker's desire to reject platonic love, reiterated in the final stanza as the speaker's comment on the "soft young down of her" and "her eyes"
reflect his erotic desires. Similarly, Browning employs the dynamic verb "glided" which emits a supernatural element, symbolically reflecting how Porphyria epitomises
warmth and stability. However, a bitter tone emerges in the final stanza as Porphyria is objectified and infantilised by being referred to as "it " and "little". Here, the
context of the time is inextricably intertwined as the speaker believes that murdering Porphyria has preserved the "perfectly pure" beauty that defines her as a
Victorian decorous woman. The monosyllabic and child-like nature of the climactic final line "And yet God has not said a word!" encapsulates the speaker's self-
delusion, and a cynical reader may argue that ultimately love is an illusion- it is a construct of the imagination.

Both Browning and Mew allude to the emotional distance between a man and woman which amplifies the speaker's yearning for their lover, and a
discerning reader may argue that Mew is criticising the treatment of those who are emotionally vulnerable and unstable in society, as the marriage invokes a deep
trauma in the girl as she becomes withdrawn and isolated. The reader immediately receives a sense of this desolation in the first stanza as the triplet of "love and me
and all things human" escalates, with the asyndeton highlighting her growing detachment from the world which sharply contrasts the speaker's desire for connection,
thus eliciting pathos from the reader. Mew's compares the subject to the "shut of a winter's day" to compare her frigidity to Winter, in which hope and vitality are
shut out- the pathetic fallacy reveals how her essence of youthfulness has been extinguished by withdrawing from society. Browning takes the theme of the social
dominance of men further as he constructs a narcissistic speaker consumed by the lust for his wife- the idea that Porphyria "worshipped" the speaker exemplifies the
recurring motif of dominance laced throughout the poem, with the past participle both evoking connotations of godlike power and adding to the sense of inevitability.
It may be argued that the subject's behaviour is also sexually subjective as she aims to break moral boundaries by evocatively making her "smooth white shoulder
bare", thus Browning implicitly suggests that the even the most avid conformers to social constructions cannot ignore their immoral instincts.

Ultimately, whereas Browning manipulates the idea of distance to emphasise the destructive nature of excessive proximity, Mew's poem holds a wider purpose
as she uses the excessive desire of the speaker to be close to a woman to hint at the erosion of youthful innocence and dehumanisation of women, using the young
girl as a microcosm for the voiceless of society at the time.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 26

Role of Nature in Relationships in Love's Philosophy
09 April 2018 21:22

Although "Sonnet 29" appears to be overtly pure and morally upstanding, there is an underlying sense of sexual tension, rein forced by the subtle perversion of
nature as the speaker's constricting and "wild" thoughts consume her, thus Browning subtly subverts our perceptions of a typical Victorian decorous woman, whereas
Shelley portrays the world as the epicentre of connections to encapsulate the speaker's personal lack of satisfaction to ref lect the universal desire for satisfaction and
fulfilment which is only fulfilled by eternal love.

Both Browning and Shelley skilfully establish the speakers' desire to transcend the boundaries of platonic love as their obsession with the subject reflects their
persistent desire for sexual gratification. Browning employs a motif of entrapment to encapsulate the speaker's innate desir e for human interaction, with the distinct
contrast between the speaker's obsessive fixation with her lover and their physical distance allowing Browning to subtly expl ore the dynamic between masculinity and
femininity; the man, metaphorically a "strong tree" sharply juxtaposes the instability of the speaker's oscillating thoughts. Although the constricting imagery of "wild vines,
about a tree" hints at a desire to protect her lover, Browning subtly manifests ominous undertones in this imagery as it exposes an interesting power imbalance between the
speaker and her lover- the lover is a substantial, stable "tree" and she is the parasitical "vine" that suffocates it; this imagery has contextual significance as Browning was a
housebound invalid, hence the extended metaphor of a tree (her husband) and vine (herself) is possibly representative of her anguish and reliance on him, clinging on to his
stable foundations- it is a paradoxical symbol combining elements of both strength and weakness. Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may interpret the adjective
"wild" as suggestive of her uncontrolled and untamed passion, which symbolically reflects her desire to reject platonic love as the fantasy of her lover acts as an insubstantial
replacement.

More subtly, Shelley accentuates the speaker's yearning for the presence of his lover by establishing elemental relationships in nature as the "fountains mingle
with each other" , consequently invoking a comparison between nature and the primordial relation of love, with the use of enj ambement symbolically reflecting the fluidity of
his obsessive thoughts, yet also subtly reiterating the natural inevitability of their reunification. Furthermore, Shelley cl everly uses the increasing size of the mingled elements
to symbolise the increased strength of power of the collective versus the individual which magnifies the importance of reunit ing, yet a cynical reader may argue that the
references to nature expanding perhaps reveal his desperate tone. By contrast, Browning depicts the fracturing of nature as the greenery "burst, shattered everywhere" to
highlight the speaker's mental discordance as her mind oscillates between her outward decorous appearance and her innate desire for sexual fulfilment, with the chaos
manifested in the onomatopoeic verb "shattered" evoking an image of irreparable damage. Symbolically, this foreshadows her p sychological decay as her relationship with
reality is fractured, solely fixating on her lover. However, this violent moment of explicit passion, yet the imagery of viol ence may be viewed positively as Browning evokes a
sense of enlightenment- perhaps the violence signifies a newfound freedom from the prison of the speaker's constricting, intense and "wild" thoughts.

In contrast to the fragility of nature and the "straggling green" depicted in "Sonnet 29"Shelley adheres to the conventions of Romanticism by demonstrating a
great reverence for the beauty of nature which symbolically mirrors the speaker's desire for his lover, amplifying the erotic passion permeating the poem as the sunlight
"clasps" the earth- the dynamic verb "clasp" is evocative of the speaker's desire to exert control over his love, which mirrors the speaker's Maybe more significantly, Shelley
manifests a sense of metaphorical entrapment here which reveals the speaker's reluctance to lose control and their arguably disconcerting desire for excessive proximity.
Similarly, Browning deliberately employs the "palm-tree" to accentuate the speaker's blind god-like worship of her lover as a palm tree is symbolic of faith and belief.
Extrapolated further, a perceptive reader may argue the metaphor is representative of her love that is growing in a life that had been devoid of love previously like a barren
landscape, a desert, in which palm-trees are the only plants that can grow, thus Browning skilfully positions her husband as an elusive oasis, a thought of relief in an endless
desert of illness and loneliness.

Both Shelley and Browning endow the subject with an element of elusiveness as they evade the speaker's grasp - Shelley uses irrefutable statements to endow his
argument with a sense of conviction and perhaps reveal the tone of underlying frustration, with the powerful religious and ce lestial imagery as he comments on how nothing
in the world is single/ all things by a law divine" reinforcing the sense that her submission to him is morally right and vir tuous, consequently eliciting pathos towards the
subject. Shelley uses the premise of nature being naturally interconnected to pose an implicit question - if nothing in life is alone and the elements, even the "wind" has a
partner, then why, therefore, does the speaker not have his lover? Mirroring the persistent desire and latent frustration exe mplified in "Love's Philosophy", Browning's skilful
use of a cyclical structure as the speaker fixates on "thee" intensifies the sense of a lack of mental progression, consequen tly confirming the infatuation of the speaker- the
inability to reconnect with reality and control her thoughts.

Although both Browning and Shelley focus on a speaker trapped in an illusion as they fantasise about the love they cannot have, Shelley uses the parallels between
nature and eternal reunification to reflect the speaker's desire to reject platonic love in favour of arguably excessive prox imity, whereas Browning uses the disparity between
illusion and reality, coupled with the prevalence of nature to subtly hint at the perpetual conflict between suffocation and protection in human relationships.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 27

 Distance in Winter Swans
19 February 2018 22:43

Although both Sheers and Hardy depict a fractured relationship wherein both of the speakers are isolated from the subjects, H ardy focuses on the erosion of vitality which intensifies the
hostility within the relationship, whereas Sheers evokes a sense of enlightenment through the symbolic reconciliation as the couple's "hands/swum across the distance"

Both Sheers and Hardy skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their lover by depicting the erosion of vitality, which accentuates their yearning to be
with their lover. Although we would conventionally argue that the adjective "Winter" in the title evokes a sense of forebodi ng, barrenness and loss, this sterility and lack of growth is
undermined by the notion that Winter acts as a precursor to spring, renewed vitality and "light", hence we can infer that She ers uses the tempestuous conflict within the relationship to
reflect how a period of dormancy is necessary for regeneration. More bleak, however, is Hardy's use of pathetic fallacy which immerses the reader in a state of despair and desolation the
"winter day", coupled with the "white sun" intensify the sense of sterility and hostility, creating a bleak atmosphere wherei n decay is prevalent which symbolically echoes the death of the
relationship. The "sun", white is literally bleached of colour, echoing the neutrality of the title, but metaphorically, we can infer that the sun has been stripped of life, thus exemplifying the all -
encompassing nature of loss which intensifies the sense of emotional distance in the relationship. Extrapolated further, a pe rceptive reader may argue that Hardy's use of monotonous
imagery is antithetical to the vibrant concept of love which intensifies the speaker's persistent anguish as they desire to b e closer to their lover. Hardy's deliberate use of a cyclical structure
as the speaker remains at the "pond" perhaps reveals Hardy's inability to recover from the loss of his lover as the pain mani fested in the memory is too raw, contributing to the theme of
unresolved emotion- a discerning reader may view the cyclical structure as symbolic of a lack of mental progression, amplified by the inevitable passing of time.

Mirroring the anguish felt in "Neutral Tones", Sheers employs pathetic fallacy to immerse the reader in a state of despair, w ith the element of futility manifested in the pathetic fallacy
of how the "clouds had given their all", contributing to the sense of a relentless conflict. This unresolved conflict, couple d with the past tense intensifies the sense of inevitability that
permeates the poem, perhaps hinting at how the relationship is already condemned. Although the tone is poignant as the speake r reflects on how their hands are like a "pair of wings settling
after flight", symbolically echoing the swans, a cynical reader may argue there is an element of uncertainty, as if their rec onciliation is so delicate like "porcelain" that ultimately his fractured
relationship cannot be repaired. Similarly, Hardy's reticence, revealed through the disdainful tone of "some words" indicates that language has lost significance, echoing the sense of distance
and death of the relationship. Hardy intensifies the sense of despair as ash trees, symbolic of growth and fertility are dead , reiterating the lack of growth in the relationship and subverting the
readers' expectations. Furthermore, the presence of "ash" reflects the presence of a fire before it burned out, which is meta phorically indicative of the passion that was extinguished in the
relationship. A perceptive reader may argue that the death of nature has contextual significance is symbolic of the death of the Romantic genre, which had passed its peak by the time Hardy
was writing. Here then, although Hardy accentuates the emotional detachment of the speaker revealed through their apparent fi xation with preserving the relationship, this desire is
ultimately undermined by the sense of fatalism as their relationship is irrecoverable.

Both Sheers and Hardy focus on a relationship fractured by tempestuous times as Sheers uses the swans as an emblem of the cou ple's conflicted relationship that is decline. Sheers
subtly undermines the optimistic hints of interdependence as the swans "halved themselves" with an underlying lack of intimac y, with the cold emotional parallels to be drawn from "icebergs"
perhaps reflecting the inherent fragility acting as the root of the conflict in their relationship. Extrapolated further, a p erceptive reader may argue the subtle conflict between "porcelain" and
"icebergs" symbolically reflects the metaphorical distance in the relationship as one is emotionally cold and the other emoti onally fragile. A cynical reader may detect evidence of deception as
the swans greet the couple with a "show of tipping in unison"-the underlying metaphor of a "show" is evocative of a performance, which symbolically reflects the deception and arguable
façade of their solidarity that shrouds their turbulent relationship. Mirroring the deception illustrated in "Winter Swans", Hardy's skilful use of contrast exemplified in the "grin of bitterness"
and the "deadest thing" is key in demonstrating the deception at the root of the relationship - where there is love, there is coldness, where there should be intimacy between them, there is
roving and where there should be warmth and genuine emotion, there is a forced grin, deception and frustration.

Sheers accentuates the lack of communication at the root of the relationship as the "silent" couple "skirted" the lake - here, the sense of discordance is intensified as the couple
metaphorically avoid the issues that threaten them most, with the alliterative "g's" in "waterlogged" and "gulped" perhaps re flecting the inarticulacy at the core of the relationship. Sheers
employs the dynamic verb "gulping" to encapsulate the emotional struggle and lack of vitality embodied in the relationship - the relationship is based on insubstantial foundations, a
"waterlogged earth" that has reached its point of saturation, reiterated through the precarious movement of the couple "slow -stepping", yet the sibilance of "slow-stepping…shingle and
sand" perhaps hints at the lack of friction, sharply contrasting with the disharmony encapsulated in the "waterlogged earth g ulping for breath" . More significantly, Sheers provides the reader
with a comfortable sense of redemption as the speaker describes how the swan's hands are "like a pair of wings settling after flight", with the couplet at the end of the poem, coupled with
the healing nature of the swans confirm the sense of resolution. Contrastingly, Hardy's bitter tone is evident as he employs the superlative "deadest" reflects the irreparable nature of the
relationship, with Hardy's notable use of polysyndeton "And some words/And a grin of bitterness" reveals the speaker's underl ying frustratio. Hardy intensifies the speaker's discordance
through the subtle change in reference to God from "chidden" to "curst" which perhaps implies that God is complicit in this f ailed relationship, reflecting Hardy's persistent anger towards
God who has "curst" his love, contradicting the professed indifference of the title. Perhaps Hardy uses the rejection of reli gion as representative of the emotional isolation experienced after
separation and subtly advocates the message that love should be entirely abstained from , which differs from Byron's continue d endearment of his former lover.

Although both Sheers and Hardy accentuate the speaker's subconscious yearning for the fire of their relationship to be enkind led, Sheers constructs a narrative of strained
optimism in tempestuous times to hint at the transience of conflict which culminates in an inevitable return, Hardy hints at the universal impotence against the harrowing effects of distance
in a relationship which amplifies the lasting emotional damage invoked by unrequited love.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 28

Memories of Relationships in Before You Were Mine
09 April 2018 23:53

Although both Duffy and Causley illustrate the symbolic importance of guidance in a child's life, Duffy uses the speaker's reflection to hint at a familial relationship that is fractured by
time, reinforced by possessive undertones as the speaker fixates on the mother's past, whereas Causley uses the disparity between reality and fantasy to intensify the speaker's
yearning to be with their parents as they beckon him into the realms of the afterlife.

Both Duffy and Causley skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their parents as their naïve mental state intensifies their admiration of their parents and
yearning to be with their family. Although Duffy uses the title to denote the theme of possession that permeates the poem, with pronouns such as "I" and "I'm" suggesting the speaker wanted
to assert her presence even before she was born, there are sadder undertones reinforced by a sense of a lack of fulfilment as the speaker admits she wanted the "bold girl winking" in
Portobello; the cyclical structure not only reflects the speaker's lack of mental progression but also accentuates the monotonous cycle of fate as the speaker is trapped within the boundaries
of time. Duffy uses the symbolic resonance of the "relics" to hint at a child's desire to emulate the mother and embody her youthful vitality and exuberance- the metaphor of "relics"
illuminates the deep reverence for the life her mother experiences, with the literal connotations of godlike power adding to the symbolic value of the mother. Extrapolated further, perhaps
the speaker's fixation on the past reflects how she has lost the bounds of linear time itself as the speaker's imagination transports her beyond the limitations of the present.

Mirroring the elevation of the mother in "Before You Were Mine", Causley endows the mother with an aura of divinity through the celestial symbolism of the mother's hair
which "takes on the light" which conjures an angelic image of a halo, consequently amplifying the speaker's idealisation of their mother as Causley perhaps hints at the necessity of having
guidance from a maternal and moral figure. Similarly, Duffy immerses the reader in the mother's exuberance, with the semantic field of glamour as the speaker describes how "you
sparkle and waltz and laugh" accentuating their desire to transcend the boundaries of time and emulate their mother. Here then, Duffy subverts the typical idea of children desiring to leave
their parents- instead she depicts a situation where the speaker feels the need to be excessively close to be her parents early life, from which she was inevitably separate. However, Duffy
subtly reveals the speaker's naivety as the transience of youthful promise is embodied in the carefree image of "Marilyn", which is antithetical to the responsibility of motherhood. As the
poem progresses, Duffy develops a sense of futility through the conflict between physical and emotional distance as the speaker "wanted" the youthful and vivacious mother she idealises in her
memory but is faced with a metaphorical "ghost". Here, the relationships and context are inextricably intertwined; the religious expectations of being a Catholic coupled with the historical
context of being a woman in the 1940s culminates in the lack of freedom and "sparkle"

Although Duffy uses the speaker's constant reimagining of her mother's life to intensify her longing for her presence and overtly reflect a desire for domestic warmth, Duffy
undermines this perception by explicitly stating her desire for "glamorous love"- a cynical reader may argue that Duffy reveals the self-absorbed nature of the speaker, with the adjective
"glamorous" implying a level of personal disconnection as the love is neither natural nor genuine. More sympathetically, however, Causley constructs a divine setting where the "sky whitens as
if lit by three suns". Causley uses the "three suns" to refer to the Holy Trinity, thus emphasising the prominence of his parents, yet arguably, there are bleaker undertones as a reader may
consider the light to be blinding and unnatural, reflecting the poet's sense of incompleteness as he is separated from his parents by time. Similarly, Duffy exemplifies the speaker's profound
disconnection from her mother due to time, with Duffy's reflection on the hope of "fizzy movie tomorrows" exemplifying the speaker's romanticisation of an ideal future, yet a perceptive
reader may recognise the implicit sense of guilt in knowing that the "fizzy" hope and promise dissolved with the arrival of the speaker.

Whereas Duffy uses the speaker's emotional detachment from reality to intensify her desire for the past, Causley's use of ambiguity keeps the reader in a state of uncertainty as the
speaker describes how "they are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden Rock"- a cynical reader may argue that the lack of clarity revealed through "somewhere" reflects the futility of
attempting to establish a connection to the parents. Although the title, "Eden Rock", is a location invented by Causley, a perceptive reader may perceive as an idyllic paradise, deriving this
interpretation from the Garden of Eden in which mankind was essentially created thus Causley perhaps uses this prominence to poignantly address the symbolic importance of his parents in
his life. Maybe more significantly, Causley's skilful use of structure which is key in encapsulating the physical and metaphorical distance between the parents and the speaker, contributing to
the sense of pathos, as the ambiguous monosyllabic line at the end of poem as the speaker describes how "he had not thought it would be like this" is isolated from the others; it breaks the
perfection of the quatrains and could perhaps demonstrate the distinct contrast between the ignorance of youth as the speaker naively concludes that "crossing is not as hard" as he thought
and the wealth of the parents' experience as they beckon him to cross into the unknown realms of the afterlife

Ultimately, both Causley and Duffy use the speakers lack of fulfilment and their desire to lose the bounds of linear time to encapsulate familial relationships fractured by time; the idea of lives
so intimately connected, yet separated most profoundly by time dominates both poems.

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 29

FINAL EXAM PREP DOC
16 July 2018 11:29

FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS: EDEN ROCK AND BEFORE YOU WERE MINE: Dr Adamson
Fab.
Although both Duffy and Causley illustrate the symbolic importance of guidance in a child's life, Duffy hints at a familial
relationship that is fractured by time, reinforced by possessive undertones as the speaker fixates on the mother's past, Dr Adamson
whereas Causley uses the disparity between reality and fantasy to intensify the speaker's yearning to be with their Your ideas are good but I’d look at this wording specifically –
there’s something flirtatious about the youthful mother, a
parents as they beckon him into the realms of the afterlife.
vibrancy that is missing now? Also think about tone – there’s
a kind of role reversal as this sounds like playful scolding (like
Both Duffy and Causley skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their parents as their naïve
the ‘sweetheart’) elsewhere in the poem.
mental state intensifies their admiration of their parents. Although Duffy uses the title to denote the theme of
possession that permeates the poem, with pronouns such as "I" and "I'm" suggesting the speaker wanted to assert her Dr Adamson
presence even before she was born, there are sadder undertones reinforced by a sense of a lack of fulfilment as the Very good.
speaker admits she wanted the "bold girl winking" in Portobello; the cyclical structure not only reflects the speaker's lack
of mental progression but also accentuates the monotonous cycle of fate as the speaker is trapped by the boundaries of Dr Adamson
time. Duffy uses the symbolic resonance of the "relics" to hint at a child's desire to emulate the mother and embody her Glamour also means magical – so that might link not only to
youthful vitality and exuberance- the metaphor of "relics" illuminates the deep reverence for the life her mother the movie star aspect but that the past is a kind of
experiences, with the literal connotations of godlike power adding to the symbolic value of the mother. Extrapolated supernatural place of wonder?
further, perhaps the speaker's fixation on the past reflects how she has lost the bounds of linear time itself as the
speaker's imagination transports her beyond the limitations of the present. Dr Adamson
Good.
Although Duffy uses the speaker's constant reimagining of her mother's life to intensify her longing for her presence and
Dr Adamson
overtly reflect a desire for domestic warmth, Duffy undermines this perception by explicitly stating her desire for
It is, but don’t worry about context if it ends up hampering
"glamorous love"- a cynical reader may argue that Duffy reveals the self-absorbed nature of the speaker, with the
you!
adjective "glamorous" implying a level of personal disconnection as the love is neither natural nor genuine. More
sympathetically, however, Causley constructs a divine setting where the "sky whitens as if lit by three suns". Causley Dr Adamson
uses the "three suns" to refer to the Holy Trinity, thus emphasising the prominence of his parents, yet arguably, there Nothing wrong with the paragraph other than it’s too long –
are bleaker undertones as a reader may consider the light to be blinding and unnatural, reflecting the poet's sense of just split it up and start a new one at ‘More significantly’
incompleteness as he is separated from his parents by time. Similarly, Duffy exemplifies the speaker's profound
disconnection from her mother due to time, with Duffy's reflection on the hope of "fizzy movie tomorrows"
exemplifying the speaker's romanticisation of an ideal future, yet a perceptive reader may recognise the implicit sense of
guilt in knowing that the "fizzy" hope and promise dissolved with the arrival of the speaker.

Ultimately, both Causley and Duffy use the speaker’s lack of fulfilment and their desire to lose the bounds of linear time
to encapsulate familial relationships fractured by time; the idea of lives so intimately connected, yet separated most
profoundly by time dominates both poems. -Is it worth going into the cyclical structure of Before You Were Mine as
suggestive of a woman’s predetermined and fated role as dreams and aspirations are abandoned- the religious
expectations of being a Catholic coupled with the historical context of being a woman in the 1940s culminates in the
lack of freedom and “sparkle”..

DISTANCE IN WINTER SWANS:

Both Sheers and Hardy skilfully establish an emotional distance between the speaker and their lover by depicting the
erosion of vitality, which accentuates their yearning to be with their lover. Although we would conventionally argue that
the adjective "Winter" in the title evokes a sense of foreboding, barrenness and loss, this sterility and lack of growth is
undermined by the notion that Winter acts as a precursor to spring, renewed vitality and "light", hence we can infer that
Sheers uses the tempestuous conflict within the relationship to reflect how a period of dormancy is necessary for
regeneration.

Both Sheers and Hardy focus on a relationship fractured by tempestuous times as Sheers uses the swans as an emblem
of the couple's conflicted relationship that is decline. Sheers subtly undermines the optimistic hints of interdependence
as the swans "halved themselves" with an underlying lack of intimacy, with the cold emotional parallels to be drawn from
"icebergs" perhaps reflecting the inherent fragility acting as the root of the conflict in their relationship. Extrapolated
further, a perceptive reader may argue the subtle conflict between "porcelain" and "icebergs" symbolically reflects the
metaphorical distance in the relationship as one is emotionally cold and the other emotionally fragile. A cynical reader
may detect evidence of deception as the swans greet the couple with a "show of tipping in unison"-the underlying
metaphor of a "show" is evocative of a performance, which symbolically reflects the deception and arguable façade of
their solidarity that shrouds their turbulent relationship. Mirroring the deception illustrated in "Winter Swans", Hardy's
skilful use of contrast is key in…..

Sheers accentuates the lack of communication at the root of the relationship as the "silent" couple "skirted" the lake-
here, the sense of discordance is intensified as the couple metaphorically avoid the issues that threaten them most, with
the alliterative "g's" in "waterlogged" and "gulped" perhaps reflecting the inarticulacy at the core of the relationship.
Sheers employs the dynamic verb "gulping" to encapsulate the emotional struggle and lack of vitality embodied in the
relationship- the relationship is based on insubstantial foundations, a "waterlogged earth" that has reached its point of
saturation, reiterated through the precarious movement of the couple "slow-stepping", yet the sibilance of "slow-
stepping…shingle and sand" perhaps hints at the lack of friction, sharply contrasting with the disharmony encapsulated in
the "waterlogged earth gulping for breath" . More significantly, Sheers provides the reader with a comfortable sense of
redemption as the speaker describes how the swan's hands are "like a pair of wings settling after flight", with the couplet
at the end of the poem, coupled with the healing nature of the swans confirm the sense of resolution. Contrastingly,
Hardy's bitter tone is evident as he employs the superlative "deadest" reflects the irreparable nature of the relationship,
with Hardy's notable use of polysyndeton "And some words/And a grin of bitterness" reveals the speaker's underlying
frustration. Hardy intensifies the speaker's discordance through the subtle change in reference to God from "chidden" to
"curst" which perhaps implies that God is complicit in this failed relationship, reflecting Hardy's persistent anger towards
God who has "curst" his love, contradicting the professed indifference of the title. Perhaps Hardy uses the rejection of
religion as representative of the emotional isolation experienced after separation and subtly advocates the message that
love should be entirely abstained from ,

THEMES-EXAMPLE ESSAYS Page 30

"LONG DISTANCE" AND "STOP ALL THE CLOCKS"(PUPIL READ AREA)
martes, 20 de marzo de 2018 15:42

Although the title "Long Distance" establishes the literal distance between the speaker's father and his dead wife, this focus is undermined as Harrison focuses on the
father's attempt to establish a detachment from reality, culminating in the son's "blight of disbelief"- Harrison uses the loss of the mother to exemplify how grief manifests
itself in irrational ways.

Harrison creates an immediate contrast at the beginning of the poem- although the mother is "already two years dead", the father still puts "hot water bottles" by
the side of her bed- the image of hot water bottles, symbolic of domestic comfort subtly juxtaposes the agony of the father as he feels compelled to acknowledge his wife's
presence. Extrapolated further, we see how the unshakeable love the father has for his wife invades his consciousness and infiltrates into every aspect of his life as he
memorialises his wife, keeping her "slippers warming" by the gas and still renewing her transport pass. As a wider purpose, therefore, we can infer that Heritage deliberately
employs the distinct contrast between the mundanity of reality and the chaotic nature of the father's routine to not only illustrate how requited love outlives death, but also
to convey how loss invokes irrational manifestations of grief as the father engages in a compulsive routine, culminating in the underlying sense of despair that permeates the
poem.

Harrison employs a semantic field of disease to illustrate the detrimental effects of losing a loved one- the son's description of his "blight of disbelief" coupled with
the harsh adjective "raw is evocative of unhealed wounds, perhaps foreshadowing the father's psychological decay. Harrison uses the metaphor of disease to demonstrate
the persistent "raw" agony one endures when a loved one dies and a cynical reader may argue that due to the overwhelming sense of loss felt by the father, life hurts more
than death. Structurally ,the use of enjambment as the speaker describes the father's obsessive routine as he had to have "time/ to clear away" and "to be alone/ as though his
raw love were such a crime" literally emphasises the monotony of the father's compulsive routine, but on a symbolic level, Harrison may be using the structure to reflect the
continuity of love and the fluidity of the father's thoughts. However, a perceptive reader may argue that the perception of structure as a metaphor for life amplifies the sense
of loss felt throughout the poem- there may be pauses, illustrated by the commas and the pace may be overwhelming and beyond control, demonstrated through
enjambement but ultimately life ends with a full stop. Here then, Harrison uses the father's excessive fixation with preserving the memories of his wife to perhaps emphasise
the futility of individual actions in the face of larger forces.

Harrison uses the father as a microcosm for the victims of the death of a family lover- his grief is further reinforced by his certainty that he would hear his wife's key
"scrape in the rusted lock"- the adjective "rusted" symbolically reflects the corrosion of the father's initial state of mind. Harrison subverts the reader's expectations as the
father must "clear away her things and lock above" before somebody visits the house, as we would expect him, a figure of guidance, to share the grief with his son as they
mourn together. However, the father's emotional detachment from reality is highlighted through his isolation as he remains consumed by "grief" and loss. His attitude
contrasts with the acceptance of his son as he affirms the notion that "life ends with death, and that is all", yet the somewhat fatalistic tone coupled with the ambiguity as the
"death" may refer to the death of another person or the father's metaphorical death as the speaker still keeps her phone number in her "black leather phone book".

Ultimately, Harrison uses the distinct contrast between the poverty of the present and the comparative richness of the past to accentuate the speaker's raw pain and
yearning as he tries to regain the presence of his wife- his life is ultimately tainted by wife's death
FEEDBACK:
Good- and unwilling to move on?
Also the speaker can't move on, too?
Top band- consider the more immediate human issues before going philosophical- grief, loss, routine?
Good concise overview
Yes- hot and cold
Good- and unwilling to move on?
Also the speaker can't move on too?
Top Band- Consider the more immediate human issues before going philosophical- grief, loss, routine

Both poets highlight the conflict invoked by death as the father is consumed by "grief" and haunted by the persistent unhealed pain implied by the adjective "raw" and
illustrate an attempt to regain control, revealed through the consistent use of imperatives in "stop all the clocks" as the speaker demands to "silence the pianos". Auden's
deliberate choice of the dynamic verb "dismantle" as the speaker requests to "dismantle the sun", symbolically reflecting her irreparable emotional damage as she requests for
the extinction of illumination. Furthermore, Auden's use of a volta as the soeaiespeaker describes her delusion of how she thought "love would last forever:/I was wrong"
amplifying the sense of despair felt throughout the poem. This sense of futility is echoed in "Long Distance" as the speaker describes the inevitability of light ending in death,
yet perhaps this confirmation acts as a resolution, contrasting with the unresolved conflict in "Stop All The Clocks"

Whereas Harrison uses the metaphor of a disease insinuated by the son's "blight" of disbelief to accentuate the lasting emotional damage evoked by the death of a loved one,
Auden focuses on the speaker's reluctance to move on as they demand to "stop all the clocks", reinforced by the sense of futility manifested in the nihilistic tone of the
speaker as they conclude that "nothing now can ever come to any good". However, mirroring the obsessive routine of the father in "Long Distance", Auden illustrates the
speaker's fixation on his possible lover, reinforced by the use of asyndetic lists as the lover was "my moon, my midnight, my talk, my song". Furthermore, Auden emphasises
the loss felt by the speaker as she describes how he was "my North, my South, my East and West" thus demonstrating the all-encompassing power of the speaker's lover
which culminates in his inability to move on as they are trapped in the permanent boundaries of "North, South, East and West"
Full marks- just remember that W.H Auden is a man writing about his love- a man(you used the pronoun "her")

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 31

 The Place’s Fault
"THE PLACE'S FAULT"
jueves, 15 de marzo de 2018 15:46 Another afternoon, after a rotten day at school
Hating this place, hating them, and feeling like a fool
Sweat on my fingers, pages dirty with smears
I stumbled up the street, still swallowing my tears
How does the poet present the speaker's feelings about his school days? Held my head high in pride I walked on the hot concrete
I blinked out to the sunlight, exhausted from the heat
Hobsbaum uses the speaker's despair as he admits that "nothing could make these wounds heal" to illustrate the
At the gate they stood. Same old looks thinking I chose to stay
erosion of youthful innocence, yet this despair is undermined by an underlying bitter sense of resentment as the
I looked back with disgust. Shouted swear words and walked away
speaker reflects on his "childhood lost with no return".
"****" they called me. "Freak!" they yelled and ran
Hobsbaum creates a sense of pathos towards the speaker by illustrating the speaker's constant despair of facing a It hurt and I didn't understand. But I tried to keep it in as hard as I can
"rotten day" at school where he feels like a "fool" which reveals the speaker's innate insecurity. Furthermore, the I didn't want to seem weak. And that anger started to build up
present continuous verb "hating" reflects the speaker's prolonged misery and bitter hatred directed towards I thought I was right, yet I was punished when I tried to make it stop
his school days. Hobsbaum develops speaker's sense of futility as he "stumbled" up the street- the dynamic that's when I knew, only I take care of myself but don't get caught.
verb "stumbled" suggests a lack of control, which symbolically reflects the lack of control the speaker had as he More anger and more violence. No other choice. It was the place's fault
was tormented by bullies and could only shout "swear words" in defence. Hobsbaum employs a semantic field of Time could not fix that, nothing could make these wounds heal
fragility as the boy felt like a "fool" and didn’t want t seem "weak" to accentuate the somewhat turbulent nature That's just how they damage you, my innocence they did steal
of the speaker's school days. Extrapolated further, Hobsbaum uses the vulnerability of the boy to illustrate the There was nothing there for me. Nothing I haven't had to learn.
futility of the individual in the face of the collective, yet subtly contrasts this depiction with how the underlying Nothing I'd care to teach. A childhood lost with no return.
resentment manifests itself in "more anger and more violence"
by Philip Hobsbaum
As the poem progresses, the reader gains an insight into the depths of despair of the speaker as he realises he
must partake in "more anger and more violence" to protect himself, which perhaps contributes to the underlying
tone of regret permeating the poem. Hobsbaum's use of enjambement symbolically reiterates the fluidity
of the speaker's memory, whilst also hinting at the chaotic and uncontrolled nature of his school days.
Hobsbaum establishes the speaker as a victim as he reflects on how "my innocence they did steal"- the callous
verb "steal" is evocative of malicious intent and Hobsbum manifests a sense of permanence in the verb to hint at
the lasting emotional damage of the speaker as he despairingly mourns over the loss of his innocence. Hobsbaum
subverts the reader's expectations- although school days are typically regarded as days that embody nostalgia and
vitality, there is an element of remorse as the speaker's despondence is revealed through the metaphorical
loss of his mind and innocence- his essence of youthfulness has been extinguished, his "rotten" school days
tainted by bullies.

Hobsbaum juxtaposes the speaker's inferiority with his desire to persevere- his isolation symbolically manifests
iself in his desire to withdraw from reality and the pain of facing the bullies. The notable repetition o f "nothing"
reflects the nihilistic perspective of the speaker- "nothing" can repair the fragments of his innocence, nothing can
heal the wounds of his memories. Furthermore, the use of the past tense as the speaker reflects on how he
"tried" to make the bullying stop, coupled with the semantic field of anguish as the speaker was "hurt" and
"punished" for trying to respond accentuates the speaker's . The speaker's bitter tone is evident as he reflects on
the futility of larger forces, as even "time could not fix that" which reiterates his frustration, thus Hobsbaum
emphasises the lack of redemption evident at the end of the poem. . A cynical reader may recognise the
speaker subtly shifting the culpability on to other people as he felt he had "no other choice" and argue that his
suffering is self-inflicted, yet this idea is undermined through how Hobsbaum subtly critiques our stoic nature as
human beings- we do not want to "seem weak" and must resort to "anger and more violence" to maintain the
façade,

Ultimately, Hobsbaum uses the speaker as a microcosm for the oppressed victims of society, with the speaker's
bitter reflection on his past contributing to the despair and lack of fulfilment felt throughout the poem.

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 32

"ENTIRELY"- FULL MARK ANSWER
jueves, 28 de junio de 2018 22:26

In "Entirely" how does the speaker present the human issues and joys of everyday living?
Macneice implicitly focuses his poem upon the aphorism "perfect is the enemy of the good" to demonstrate the relief in knowing there is no "road that is right entirely", thus
conveying how the speaker feels joy in chaos and uncertainty. Although Macneice does create a sense of futility in knowing there is "no road that is right" in "brute reality",this sense is
ultimately undermined by the exhilaration the speaker feels when enduring the tumultuous nature of life.
Macneice creates an immediate contrast at the beginning of the poem- the title, comprising of the adverb "Entirely" carries connotations of inevitability, which distinctly
contrasts with the speaker's use of conditional language "if " and "could", evoking a sense of unpredictability. The contrast attracts the reader's attention- the precarious possibility of succeeding in
life is a greater prize than having a set path. The poet uses the ambiguous pronoun "it" as a reference to life, perhaps suggesting that the poet views life as a skill that relies on being mastered. The
references to the power of knowledge are prevalent in this stanza as Macneice replaces the traditional expression of a "fountain of knowledge" with a "splash of words", implying that ultimately as
human beings our knowledge is limited, the "falling twigs" reinforcing the idea that knowledge is decaying and contributing to the sense of despair. However, a perceptive reader may argue that
we should be grateful for the "splash of words" we receive- perhaps there is something attractive about having fragments of information, reinforced by the abstract noun "luck"Alternatively, perhaps
this "splash" protects us from an overwhelming fountain- the poet is possibly implying that information can be harmful. Here then, Macneice poses an implicit question- "is ignorance bliss, or do
knowledge and learning provide true happiness?
The focus of the poem changes in the second stanza- Macneice uses military imagery- "spears" to metaphorically emphasise the importance of receiving love in our lives. The
reader is able to empathise with the speaker, who acts as a reflection of their thoughts- at the core of all human beings there is a desire to feel complete, to be loved "entirely" . The pain of
unrequited love is manifested in the noun "spears", with the harsh alliteration of the consonant "b"in "bell of siren banishing the blue" mirroring the piercing sound of "spears", contributing to
the sense of pain. The initial reflective tone of the poet is disrupted through the use of the adjective "yammering", conveying the sense of chaos in modern life. Structurally, each stanza is
comprised of a sentence with enjambement- on a symbolic level, this could reflect the continuity of love, but the structure acts as a metaphor for the tumultuous nature of life- there ay be pauses,
illustrated by the commas and the pace may be overwhelming, demonstrated by the enjambement but ultimately life ends.
In the final stanza, the juxtaposing themes of "happiness" and "pain" are developing using the idea of morality, reiterated through the idea of following the right path.Macneice uses
symbolism of colour perhaps to suggest that the beauty of life lies in its intricacies, the grey areas between the "black and white". The lack of a colourful world could possibly mirror the lack of hope
in a tempestuous life where "aall charts were plain". The "prism of delight and pain" both acts as a metaphor and an oxymoron to echo the disorder of modern life- the reader identifies with the
chaos of modern life. Macneice may be suggesting that within humans there is a self-destructive aspect- we thrive off pain and suffering, there is something joyous about suffering in silence.
The semantic field of suffering is exemplified through the speaker's comment on the "brute reality" we live in and the "tigerish" waters, both strengthening the mental image of oppression, .
However surprisingly, we may be "bored" by the banal nature of life. The poet uses ambiguity in the final line to create a sense of uncertainty, yet this uncertainty is almost welcomed by
the speaker- here is something comforting in knowing there is no road is right and freedom in wandering many paths.
Macneice's attitude changes from a tranquil to bleak perspective, with the ambiguous final line that there is no "road that is right entirely" echoing the sense of inner turmoil
as humans try to win the elusive prize of peace. However, perhaps Macneice is encouraging the reader to deviate from social convention as he confirms the notion that life is not right, "entirely".
24/24 "Well-written and controlled throughout"
"Consider what is reasonable in timed conditions"

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 33

PAIN- (FROM POWERPOINT)
jueves, 28 de junio de 2018 22:39

Although the title, "Pain" denotes the theme of suffering that pervades the poem, there is an underlying sense of eternal con flict between nature, reinforced by sadder undertones as the
speaker is consumed by the fear of the "tyrant" approaching.

From the beginning of the poem, the reader gains a sense of foreboding, the semantic field of torment "agony","gasping" coupl ed with the demonic portrayal of the storm as a "tyrant"
invoke tension and elicit sympathy from the reader. Dipoko employs the dynamic verb "gasping" to strengthen the mental image of oppression as the "branches talk in agony". A
perceptive reader may argue that the wind has been exhausted by the relentless and unwavering force. As a wider purpose, perh aps Dipoko uses the contrast between the "gasping" wind
and the "raging storm" to illustrate the conflict between nature and the submission of one part of nature to another. Dipoko portrays the storm as the caricature of malice, it's vengeance
exemplified by the powerful dynamic verbs " slashed" and "menaced"- the verb "menacing" carries connotations of malevolence and sin, perhaps foreshadowing the grave extent of the
damage the storm will cause.

Dipoko's skilful use of enjambement "as we fell/ Slashed by the cold blade" amplifies the sense of chaos that pervades the po em and possibly demonstrates the inevitable destruction
provoked by nature- the trees are reduced to a powerless state as they "fell" which juxtaposes the power of the storm. Dipoko creates a sense of isolation as the branches only spoke
when "the storm menaced"- we receive a sense of the branches' vulnerability as they are intimidated by the storm. Dipoko's use of the adjective "invisi ble" to describe the "sword" like
aspect of the storm perhaps reiterates the stealthy and malicious aspect of nature as she depicts the storm as a force of nature that cannot be extinguished. The intimidating aspect of the
storm is intensified as the speaker uses direct address which acts as an emotional appeal to the reader, with the pejorative pronoun "that raging storm" implying that the storm is an
unwelcome guest that has imposed itself on the rest of vulnerable nature.

In the final stanza, however, Dipoko evokes a sense of resilience- although the graphic verb "mutilated" encapsulates the terror created by the storm, Dipoko employs a volta "But not
our blood" to perhaps hint at the ultimate futility of the storm's power- although it wreaks destruction the blood remains "indelible" not eradicable. A discerning reader may argue this
futility is symbolic of how Dipoko views power as a fragile construct- ultimately there are some aspects of nature and life that the storm cannot destroy, reducing the power of the storm.
However, a perceptive reader may argue that the use of the past tense as the blood "stuck" to the walls symbolically represen ts the inevitability of the defeat of the storm. Earlier, Dipoko
deludes the reader into believing that the permanent damage created by the storm is inevitable as it eradicates its opposition yet there are "indelible" traces that cannot be removed. As a
wider purpose, Dipoko uses the conflict between nature to perhaps hint at the conflict between individuals in society- "raging" individuals who demand power will only fail in their pursuit.

Ultimately, Dipoko portrays the storm as an inextinguishable force yet chooses to subvert our expectations as fragments of th e environment remain. Although Dipoko lulls the reader
into a false sense of security at the beginning with the seemingly serene "quiet" being thwarted by the brutal storm.
22/24- Excellent AND in timed conditions!
Remember to link to overall concepts behind the poem- a common theme in literature is the encroachment of nature

Whereas Dipoko uses the deceptive aspect of the "invisible" storm to demonstrate the conflict between different parts of natu re, Thomas welcomes nature, amplified by the sense of
satisfaction as the speaker reflects on the "great diamonds" of rain. Thomas employs a semantic field of enchantment to demon strate the attractive force of nature with the metaphor of
"diamonds" of rain symbolically reflecting the speaker's attraction towards nature. By contrast, Dipoko employs powerful dyna mic verbs such as "slashed" and "gasping" to illustrate the
unforgiving and rebellious aspect of nature. The graphic imagery as the "mutilated" limbs were swept away intensifies the sen se of horror and strengthens the mental image of oppression.
Thomas' deliberate repetition of the adjective "happy" is perhaps indicative of how nature epitomises stability and comfort, opposing the damage caused by the storm in "Pain".

Thomas depicts an idealised fantasy as he portrays the "dense" forest as a symbol of romance where he imagines lovers to be " kissing" but forgetting the "kisses of the rain". Here then, it
is clear that Thomas shares affection for nature and desires the warmth provoked by its presence. Contrastingly, there is an ominous sense of defeat and isolation in Dipoko's poem as
nature is defeated by the "cold blade of an invisible sword"- the "cold blade" metaphorically reflects the callousness of the storm. In both poems there is a volta towards the end
representing changing perspectives- on the one hand Dipoko creates a sense of courage as the blood "stuck" on the trees, unable to be removed. By contrast, Thoma s' poem creates a
sense of futility in recognising figures that are ghostly white.
6/8- Relate close language analysis to meaning- don't just language spot

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 34

AQA JUNE 2017- AUTUMN
lunes, 25 de junio de 2018 16:47

Although Bold creates a sense of despair through the notion that Autumn is an "experienced robber" and the title "Autumn" is symbolic of decay, this sense is ultimately
undermined by an underlying sense of conflict as Bold encapsulates nature's power to create an "air of chaos" and inevitable destruction.

From the beginning of the poem, the reader gains a sense of foreboding- the present tense coupled with the semantic field of torment as the speaker describes how Autumn is
"grabbing the green stuff" evokes a sense of unpredictability. Furthermore, a perceptive reader may argue that Autumn "grabbing the green stuff" is symbolic of how Autumn eradicates
the vitality and vivacity of Summer. Bold employs the dynamic verb "grabbing" to hint at the ruthless aspect of nature as it forcefully exerts control. Bold subverts the readers'
expectations by using the pejorative simile "like an experienced robber" which reflects the capacity of Autumn to wreak destruction- as a wider purpose, perhaps Bold views Autumn as
an inextinguishable force, with the overwhelming power of nature eliciting pathos from the reader.

Bold further develops the theme of eternal conflict between parts of nature as the speaker describes how Autumn "cunningly" covers its track- the ominous adverb
"cunningly" reflects nature's powerlessness, contributing to the sense of despair. As readers we gain a sense that man is pitted against the elements- the wind is an "accomplice" and we are
the victim. Throughout the poem, there is a distinct contrast between serenity and disruption- the placid "sky" and the "chaos" with the speaker's description of how the "branches shake"
illustrating the submission of one part of nature to another. On closer inspection, the dynamic verb "shake" evokes a sense of distress and strengthens the mental image of oppression and
discordance. Furthermore, a perceptive reader may recognise how the power of nature Autumn is manifested in Bold's skilful use of structure- the use of enjambement as the "branches
shake/And dead" amplify the sense of chaos that permeates the poem. Extrapolated further, the use of commas as "the theft chills the world, /Changes the temper of the earth" is perhaps
symbolic of how Autumn inhibits the exhilaration and "green" vitality of Summer. (Comment to self: try to avoid analysing punctuation)

Bold intensifies the sense of oppression and fear as the speaker describes how the theft "chills the world" until the "sky/Glows red with a quiet rage". The colour red, is
symbolic of anger and perhaps sin- the reader gains a sense of the rest of nature's metaphysical rage as Autumn wreaks destruction. Furthermore, the sharp juxtaposition between the
adjective "placid" and "rage" amplifies the sense of conflict and uncertainty created by Autumn as it has the power to distort the most tranquil elements. Bold employs the adjective "quiet
rage" to perhaps hint at the repression of anger- the universality of this symbolism resonates with the reader as the repression of anger will only intensify the release. As a wider purpose,
however, perhaps Bold views power as a fragile construct exemplified by the sense of another element repressing their "rage" until it is released with devastating consequences.

Ultimately, Bold develops a sense of hope towards the end of poem, with the volta of "Till the normally placid sky" perhaps hinting at the ever-changing power dynamic of nature.
22/24- *Teacher Comment*- "Consider tone and overall concepts- the tone here is quite conversational and jokey- more mischief than oppression, surely!"

Whereas Bold uses the extended metaphor of a robbery to hint at a season's power to cause irrecoverable change, Collins depicts an idealised view of nature, reinforced by a
sense of fulfilment as the speaker reflects on the possibility of a "perfect" spring day. However, a perceptive reader may argue that the uncertainty demonstrated by the conditional tense
"if there were a spring day so perfect" may indicate that the poet views the seasons as incomplete. This uncertainty is mirrored in "Autumn" as Bold depicts a conflict between parts of
nature. "Autumn", symbolic of decay, is demonised as an "experienced robber", thus establishing the sense of foreboding. However, Collins employs a semantic field of enlightenment
"perfect" to amplify the sense of fulfilment and underlying satisfaction.

Whereas Bold portrays the seasons as an irrepressible force, Collins encourages the reader to embrace the changing nature of the seasons, using direct address, "you want",
"you felt" to encourage the reader to identify with the speaker's longing to revel in the attractive aspect of nature. Collins employs hyperbole "rip the little door" to demonstrate how
nature epitomises stability and comfort, distinctly contrasting with the destruction and lasting damage evoked by the season in "Autumn". Furthermore, Collins elevates the seasons and
respects their characteristics and intricacies- their picturesque "promise" opposing the "rage" of the sky in "Autumn" as it is oppressed. There is a distinct contrast between the eternal
conflict in Autumn and tranquillity in "Today" as the day is uplifted and elevated by the storm.
8/8 "Fantastic response!"

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 35

REJECTION Rejection is orange
05 May 2018 22:36 Not, as one might think,
Grey and nondescript.
Although the title, "Rejection" denotes the theme of despair that permeates the poem, this bleak tone is undermined by a bitt er sense of underlying It is the vivid orange of
resentment as the speaker reflects on the "acrid" taste of rejection, contributing to the pathos felt towards the end. A council worker’s jacket.
A coat of shame that says he
Sullivan skilfully subverts the reader's expectations from the beginning of the poem as the speaker describes rejection as "o range" which is antithetical
doesn’t want you.
to the monotonous despair we conventionally associate with rejection. Symbolically, however, the speaker's choice perhaps ref lects her desire to
Rejection tastes like ashes
establish a connection to reality as she identifies the colour with a "council worker's jacket" as concepts such as rejection are often magnified in the
world of the partner. However, Sullivan develops the sense of futility through the metaphor of a "coat of shame" which symbol ically reflects how Acrid, bitter.
rejection has evolved into a permanent burden as it is something she wears, but also reveals her paranoia as her isolation is revealed to the outside It sounds
world. Here then, Sullivan implicitly critiques our stoic necessity for facades, consequently eliciting pathos towards the sp eaker. Like the whisper of voices
Behind my back.
Sullivan immerses the reader in a state of despair to accentuate the way rejection has infiltrated every aspect of the speake r's consciousness, with ‘He didn’t want her.
the skilful use of enjambment exemplifying the fluidity of her thoughts as it "sounds/Like the whisper of voices" and it "fee ls/Like the scraping of He dumped her.’
fingernails". Sullivan encapsulates the perpetual damage invoked by rejection with the onomatopoeic verb "scraping" reflectin g the corrosion of the It feels
speaker's mind which erodes her stoic exterior and exposes her vulnerability as she feels like she has a "layer of skin missi ng". Sullivan reveals the Like the scraping of fingernails
speaker's loss of existential security as the speaker describes how rejection sounds like the "whisper of voices/Behind my ba ck" intensifying her On a blackboard,
paranoia, with the distinct contrast between her fixation on rejection and the triviality of a "whisper" perhaps reflecting h er emotional detachment Not ache or stab of pain
from reality. But like having a layer of skin missing.
Rejection looks like - me,
Sullivan hints at the universal impotence against the harrowing effects of unrequited love as Sullivan employs a semantic fie ld of decay to I suppose.
accentuate the speaker's lasting emotional damage- "ashes" reflect the presence of a fire before it burned out which is metaphorically indicative of the
passion that was extinguished in the relationship. Extrapolated further, Sullivan perhaps reveals the speaker's subconscious yearning for the fire of Slightly leftover
their relationship to be enkindled and domestic warmth as she focuses on the sense of alienation the speaker experiences afte r being rejected. Like the last, curled sandwich
Sullivan reiterates the sense of isolation at the end of the poem as rejection looks like the speaker when "all the guests/Ha ve gone", contributing to When all the guests
the lack of resolution at the end of the poem.
Have gone.
Ultimately, Sullivan grasps the human desire for fulfilment through the speaker's desire for a personal connection.

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 36

QUESTION 2 ANSWERS:
jueves, 28 de junio de 2018 22:39

Whereas Bold uses the extended metaphor of a robbery to hint at a season's power to cause irrecoverable change, Collins depic ts an idealised view of nature,
reinforced by a sense of fulfilment as the speaker reflects on the possibility of a "perfect" spring day. However, a percepti ve reader may argue that the uncertainty
demonstrated by the conditional tense "if there were a spring day so perfect" may indicate that the poet views the seasons as incomplete. This uncertainty is mirrored
in "Autumn" as Bold depicts a conflict between parts of nature. "Autumn", symbolic of decay, is demonised as an "experienced robber", thus establishing the sense of
foreboding. However, Collins employs a semantic field of enlightenment "perfect" to amplify the sense of fulfilment and under lying satisfaction.

Whereas Bold portrays the seasons as an irrepressible force, Collins encourages the reader to embrace the changing nature of the seasons, using direct address, "you
want", "you felt" to encourage the reader to identify with the speaker's longing to revel in the attractive aspect of nature. Collins employs hyperbole "rip the little door"
to demonstrate how nature epitomises stability and comfort, distinctly contrasting with the destruction and lasting damage ev oked by the season in "Autumn".
Furthermore, Collins elevates the seasons and respects their characteristics and intricacies- their picturesque "promise" opposing the "rage" of the sky in "Autumn" as it
is oppressed. There is a distinct contrast between the eternal conflict in Autumn and tranquillity in "Today" as the day is u plifted and elevated by the storm.
8/8 (See main page for feedback)

Both poets highlight the conflict invoked by death as the father is consumed by "grief" and haunted by the persistent unheale d pain implied by the adjective "raw" and
illustrate an attempt to regain control, revealed through the consistent use of imperatives in "stop all the clocks" as the s peaker demands to "silence the pianos".
Auden's deliberate choice of the dynamic verb "dismantle" as the speaker requests to "dismantle the sun", symbolically reflec ting her irreparable emotional damage as
she requests for the extinction of illumination. Furthermore, Auden's use of a volta as the speaker describes her delusion of how she thought "love would last forever:/I
was wrong" amplifying the sense of despair felt throughout the poem. This sense of futility is echoed in "Long Distance" as t he speaker describes the inevitability of light
ending in death, yet perhaps this confirmation acts as a resolution, contrasting with the unresolved conflict in "Stop All Th e Clocks"

Whereas Harrison uses the metaphor of a disease insinuated by the son's "blight" of disbelief to accentuate the lasting emoti onal damage evoked by the death of a loved
one, Auden focuses on the speaker's reluctance to move on as they demand to "stop all the clocks", reinforced by the sense of futility manifested in the nihilistic tone of
the speaker as they conclude that "nothing now can ever come to any good". However, mirroring the obsessive routine of the fa ther in "Long Distance", Auden
illustrates the speaker's fixation on his possible lover, reinforced by the use of asyndetic lists as the lover was "my moon, my midnight, my talk, my song". Furthermore,
Auden emphasises the loss felt by the speaker as she describes how he was "my North, my South, my East and West" thus demonst rating the all-encompassing power
of the speaker's lover which culminates in his inability to move on as they are trapped in the permanent boundaries of "North , South, East and West"
8/8 (See main page for feedback)

Whereas Dipoko uses the deceptive aspect of the "invisible" storm to demonstrate the conflict between different parts of natu re, Thomas welcomes nature, amplified
by the sense of satisfaction as the speaker reflects on the "great diamonds" of rain. Thomas employs a semantic field of ench antment to demonstrate the attractive
force of nature with the metaphor of "diamonds" of rain symbolically reflecting the speaker's attraction towards nature. By c ontrast, Dipoko employs powerful dynamic
verbs such as "slashed" and "gasping" to illustrate the unforgiving and rebellious aspect of nature. The graphic imagery as t he "mutilated" limbs were swept away
intensifies the sense of horror and strengthens the mental image of oppression. Thomas' deliberate repetition of the adjecti ve "happy" is perhaps indicative of how
nature epitomises stability and comfort, opposing the damage caused by the storm in "Pain".

Thomas depicts an idealised fantasy as he portrays the "dense" forest as a symbol of romance where he imagines lovers to be " kissing" but forgetting the "kisses of the
rain". Here then, it is clear that Thomas shares affection for nature and desires the warmth provoked by its presence. Contra stingly, there is an ominous sense of defeat
and isolation in Dipoko's poem as nature is defeated by the "cold blade of an invisible sword"- the "cold blade" metaphorically reflects the callousness of the storm. In
both poems there is a volta towards the end representing changing perspectives- on the one hand Dipoko creates a sense of courage as the blood "stuck" on the trees,
unable to be removed. By contrast, Thomas' poem creates a sense of futility in recognising figures that are ghostly white.
6/8- Relate close language analysis to meaning- don't just language spot

UNSEEN POETRY EXAMPLES Page 37

 ANSWERING THE QUESTION
22 August 2017 19:29

ANALYSING AN UNSEEN POEM

➢ Read the poem three times to give yourself maximum chance to understand it, and hear it in your head- read it out loud in your head, sound is relevant to structure and form and the
tone of the speaker
➢ *A poem is designed to make you see the world differently*
➢ Draw a mental picture of the poem focus on the central image and explore methods- metaphor, imagery, symbolism
1. Explore the first three lines(after reading poem) and infer the poet's purpose from this- why is the poem written like this, what is the poet trying to get at?
Start with any word that grabs your attention and give alternative interpretations- find some imagery (SOAPAIMS) that seems significant, explore what is suggests
Get your ideas down- don't think too much about crafting sentences
2. Having explored the first three lines, to get the top grades, you need to link to the poet's purpose- what are they suggesting/analysing the mind of…/ attacking- attacking for lack of
understanding, typicality /believing- brainstorm. At the beginning of the poem, what is the poet trying to make us think? How does the writer convey these ideas?
3. Return to the title and see how this fits with what you have interpreted about the poet's purpose- may contrast to actual poem
4. Look at the form or structure of the poem, and show how this helps you interpret the poet's purpose- don't write anything about what it looks like visually on the page
5. Again, focus on the last three lines and the poet's point of view- pick what you thought at the beginning and explore how your perception has changed/remained the same- how has the
poet done this? Is the ending ambiguous? The poet's purpose may/will have changed slightly- interpret and explore the change.
➢ Consider what the key themes are;
- what aspects of those themes the writer is most interested in exploring;
- what ideas emerge from the narrative and the way it is told;
- what is unique and special about the way that particular text develops those themes (this is where you think about style, structure, voice and language

8 MARKER: HAMMER AO2+DON'T WASTE TIME WRITING LOADS ON THIS WASTE OF A QUESTION!
Only AO2 is assessed- analysis of language, form and structure
Think about significant moments, elements of form-dramatic
MAX 10 mins

UNSEEN POETRY Page 38

ANALYSING STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE
23 August 2017 21:45

ANALYSING STRUCTURE: ANALYSING LANGUAGE- DELIBERATE CHOICES:

➢ Narrative viewpoint ➢ Personification, metaphor, simile
➢ Repeated symbols- motifs ➢ Alliteration, sibilance, assonance, dissonance, onomatopoeia - sense of immediacy
➢ Sentence structure and punctuation ➢ Repetition- what type?
➢ Opening and closing ➢ Contrast, hyperbole
➢ Semantic field ➢ Imperative verbs, direct address, modal verbs, prepositions
➢ Rhythm ➢ Rhetoric
➢ Timeframe ➢ Emotive language, figurative language, literal and metaphorical meanings

❖ Consider how the narrative choice enhances the overall

meaning of the text. WHY do we hear the "story" from that ❖ Consider the language a character uses in his or her speech - is it
perspective? timid/authoritative/apologetic? Something else? What might this reveal about
❖ Consider how the sentence structures or specific punctuation reflect their character?
feelings or emotions within the text. How does it change or develop? ❖ Identify the specific techniques that have been used in text and consider what
❖ Analyse how a motif, idea or theme is carried throughout the impact they have upon the tone.
poem. ❖ Which words help you identify the tone or mood of the character/author? How
❖ Are there a group of words that belong to a specific semantic do the words imply his or her feelings or attitude? What are the reasons why?
field? What difference does this make to the atmosphere of the text? ❖ Which specific emotion are you encouraged to feel as a result of the words
❖ Can you identify a rhythm to the text- is it written in a particular style used?
or form? ❖ Choose adjectives, adverbs, verbs and nouns to explore- how do these words
❖ Compare the opening and the closing lines to see how they are suggest what the character/setting/poet's purpose is?
connected. What impact do they have on the reader?
❖ Is the timeline straightforward, or is there a flash back or
flash forward? Does the event occur in the distance past, recent
past or does it describe an ongoing event? Why would this
matter?

UNSEEN POETRY Page 39

POETRY ANALYSIS PROMPTS
22 August 2017 20:51

• Does the title change or complement your reading of the poem?

• Does the poem's context have an impact upon its meaning?
• Do we like/dislike the speaker- why?
• Does the structure of the poem reflect its meaning or oppose its meaning- regimented, regular stanzas versus irregular stanzas or experimental layouts?
• Is the structure of the poem unusual for the time it was written? Why might this structure help put across the poem's meaning?
• Are some stanzas longer than others? What does this impact have?
• Are different topics handled in each stanza? Why?
• What themes does this poem focus on- are these themes opposite(birth and death) or complementary(love and passion)? Is there a binary opposition/dualism?
• Who is the narrator or speaker in this poem? Is there more than one- how is this relevant to the poem's meaning?
• Is the narrator using personal language or more detached, is it an affirmative voice- how does this impact on meaning?
• Is the setting important to the poem, or its theme?
• Are metaphors or similes used? Does their meaning add to a greater theme?
• Are motifs used for effect?- colours, elements, weather etc
• Is repetition of language, rhyme or punctuation used for effect within the poem?
• Is nature imagery used? Does it complement or contrast with other imagery?
• Is the setting important to the meaning of the poem, or its theme?
• Is personification used to imply something? Is assonance or dissonance used to create a mood, atmosphere or character?
• Is enjambment used to emphasise certain lines? Are full stops used for impact? Do they separate ideas?
• Is the pacing of this poem significant? Does it change?
• Does the poem use positive, negative or ambivalent language- is there a conflict running through the poem?
• Does the rhythm of the poem have an impact upon how it is read? Its mood, meaning and symbolism?
• What rhyme scheme does this poem use? Is it important to the meaning? Does it emphasise key phrases or words.
• Do any objects, colours or people symbolise something else?
• Are foreign words or colloquialisms used within the poem- why?
• Would a modern audience react differently to a contemporary audience?
Generally: Enjambement- fluidity- obsessiveness, agitation, sustains tension, emotional/metaphorical journey, undermine expectations

EXPLAINING YOUR AND THE WRITER'S IDEAS.- don't use empty phrases...
Avoid using empty phrases such as "the language is effective/ this creates an image in the readers mind.
 The language creates a sense of…
 The writer uses… to imply/suggest/reinforce
 The tone of the noun/adjective/phrase/word indicates that
 In marked contrast…
 The phrase "…." creates the impression of/ strengthens the mental image of because/as…]
 The writer's use of … emphasises the idea that//motif of…
 The repeated collective noun emits a sense of…tone of….

UNSEEN POETRY Page 40

SOPHISTICATED SENTENCE STRUCTURES
28 August 2017 20:41

KEY SKILLS:
1) Reader/audience positioning
The reader/audience is positioned against/ in favour/ to feel
2) Analysing an alternative interpretation
The image could also be interpreted by a perceptive reader as representing…
3) Analysing the combined effect of several techniques
The writer uses….coupled with… to reflect
4) Tracing how key ideas are developed through a text
This idea/sense of……. Is further developed by
5) Peeling away the layers of characterisation
On the exterior…., yet on the interior we can infer
6) Deepening analysis
At first glance…….., however, on closer inspection

Use building connectives- in addition, moreover, likewise, similarly, as well as, culminating in
And contrasting connectives- in contrast, however
Evaluative adjectives- skilful, subtle, provocative, disturbing, pivotal, effective, striking, challenging, central concern, crucial, significant

EVALUATIVE SENTENCE STRUCTURES

Whereas (author) presents love as …….. (author 2) presents it as….
Whilst author uses a (technique) to define love, (author 2) use (technique) to present love as…
Although (author) suggests that love is ….. (author 2) offers the reader a different view, suggesting that…
Both writers wish to create a sense that…
Whilst (author) presents a … view of love/relationships/family, arguably (author 2) shows a more honest/real/difficult/natural etc. … view of love.

UNSEEN POETRY Page 41

VOCABULARY
11 September 2017 23:09

BEAUTIFUL
Word Definition Word Class
Alluring Very attractive or tempting A
Angelic Like or belonging to an angel A
Beauteous Beautiful A
Bewitching As if witches or some form of magic makes you like it A
Comely Pleasing in appearance A
Delicate Fragile and easily damaged A
Elegant Tasteful or luxurious in style or appearance A
Enticing To attract someone A
Exalted Raised or elevated to a high position of rank, power, character or quality A
Exquisite A special and rare beauty or charm A
Imposing Very impressive because of great size, appearance or elegance A
Pulchritudinous Physically beautiful A
Radiant Emitting rays of light or bright with joy and hope A
Ravishing Extremely beautiful A
Refined Free from impurities A
Resplendent Shining brilliantly A
Statuesque Like or suggesting a statue A
Sublime Impressing the mind with a sense of power and inspiring awe A
Transcendental Beyond ordinary or common experience A
Wondrous Wonderful or remarkable A

FEAR
Word Definition Word Class
Abhorrence A feeling of extreme dislike and loathing N
Agitation A feeling of physical unrest leading to pacing and hand-wring N
Angst A feeling of dread, anxiety or anguish N
Aversion A strong feeling of dislike or opposition N
Awe A feeling of something bigger and greater N
Bewilder To confuse or make a person puzzled V
Consternation A sudden feeling of alarming amazement or dread that caused confusion N
Despair A loss of hope N
Discompose To upset the order of things V
Dismay To break up a person’s courage NV
Disquietude A sense of being uneasy N
Doubt To hesitate to believe V
Dread To be in great fear V
Foreboding A strong feeling of something bad about to happen N
Misgiving A feeling of doubt or distrust N
Qualm An uneasy feeling or attack of conscience N
Revulsion A violent dislike of an item N

UNSEEN POETRY Page 42

Revulsion A violent dislike of an item N
Timid Lacking confidence or courage A
Tremor A shaking of the body called by fear N
Trepidation A feeling of alarm or anxiety about something about to happen N

HAPPY/SAD

Word Definition Word Class

Bitter Resentful or cynical – doesn’t like what happens A
Blissful Full of extreme happiness A
Contended Feeling satisfied A
Dismal Causing gloom A
Ecstatic Feeling extreme joy A
Elated Very happy or proud A
Glad A sense of joy created by being pleased with something A
Glum Silently miserable A
Grieved To feel grief or great sadness / sorrow V
Heartbroken Suffering from intense grief A
Joyous Full of joy A
Jubilant Feeling triumph or success – extreme joy A
Melancholy A depressed or gloomy state of mind A
Mournful A feeling of grief or mourning for the dead A
Overjoyed To create a feeling of great joy or delight V
Pessimistic Expecting the worst thing to happen A
Sombre Extremely serious A
Sorrowful A feeling of sadness caused by a loss A
Thrilled To cause a sense of excitement V
Upbeat Feeling cheerful and optimistic A

LONELINESS
Word Definition Word Class
Alienation Being an outsider or the feeling of being an isolated by society N
Aloof Having different feelings to others or no sharing feelings with others A
Concealment A way or place of hiding N
Confined To shut up or keep in V, A
Desolated Deprived of inhabitants V, A
Detachment The act of separating N
Disengage To free a person from something V
Insular Detached or standing alone N
Isolated Separated from other persons or things V, A
Partition Something that separates two things N
Privacy Being away from people or hidden from view N
Quarantine Isolation is enforced by the government N. V
Reclusive A person who lives on their own, usually for religious reasons N

UNSEEN POETRY Page 43

Reclusive A person who lives on their own, usually for religious reasons N
Retreat Withdrawing for safety or privacy N, V
Rootless Having no place in society A
Sanctuary A place of safety N
Secluded Sheltered or hidden from view V, A
Segregation Separating one part of society from another N
Solitude Living alone N
Withdrawal The act of retreating or removing a person from society N

LOVE
Word Definition Word Class
Adore To admire something very much V
Adulation Extreme admiration N
Affection A feeling of fondness or tenderness to a person N
Affinity A natural liking or attraction to a person N
Amorous Displaying love or desire A
Cherish To show great tenderness or to treasure a person A
Devotion A strong attachment demonstrated by dedicated loyalty N
Endearment An act or utterance that shows affection N
Fidelity Faithful to a loved one and keep to their promise N
Fondness Showing tenderness or affection N
Glorification Treating something as more splendid than it actually is N
Idolatry Excessive or blind devotion to a person N
Infatuation An obsessive attachment which makes the person act foolishly N
Lust Intense sexual desire N
Rapture Ecstatic joy or delight – as if taken to another place N
Tender Treating something as if it is soft or delicate A
Unconditional Without conditions or limits A
Unrequited Not returned or repaid A
Worship To be devoted to and full of admiration V
Yearning An intense or overpowering longing, desire or need N

PEOPLE AND SOCIETY

Word Definition Word Class
Aristocrat A member of the superior, privileged or upper class part of society N
Bourgeois A member of the middle class N
Commonwealth A group of people united in a common interest N
Conflux A coming together of people or a crowd N
Conservative Wanting to preserve existing conditions or restore traditional ones A
Democracy A form of government in which the people vote for who is in power N
Emancipation The act of freeing or the state of being freed N
Equalitarianism The belief that all people should be equal N
Federation A union by agreement of several different groups N
Mob A disorderly or riotous crowd of people N

UNSEEN POETRY Page 44

Mob A disorderly or riotous crowd of people N
Monocracy A government led by only one person N
Orthodox An established or traditional point of view A
Patrician A person of noble or high rank or a very good background N
Plebeian Belonging to the common people A
Populace The common people or the inhabitants of a place N
Proletariat A class of workers who earn their living by manual work – the working class N
Republic A state in which the power rests in the people and not a monarch N
Schism A division of group into opposing factions N
Sovereignty Supreme power or authority N
Suffrage The right to vote, especially in a political election N

POVERTY
Word Definition Word Class
Bankruptcy To lose all money or utter failure N
Beggarly Like a beggar A
Depleted To decrease by a large amount V
Deprive To remove or withhold something from the enjoyment or possession of a person N
Despair A loss of hope or hopelessness N, V
Destitute Lacking food, clothing or shelter A, V
Distressed Suffering from great pain or agony A
Famine Extreme hunger or a lack of food N
Hardship A situation that is hard to cope with or causes suffering N
Impoverish To reduce to poverty or to make worse V
Inadequate Not suitable A
Insufficiency Not having enough power, money or amount of something N
Malnourish Not fed enough food A, V
Meagre Small, thin or lacking richness A
Neglect To pay no attention or pay too little attention to N, V
Pauper A person without any means of support N
Penniless Without any money A
Scarcity When there is a lack of something N
Starve To die or perish because of a lack of food V
Woeful Unhappy A

SAVAGERY
Word Definition Word Class
Barbarity A brutal or inhuman contact N
Bloodthirsty Eager to shed blood A
Brutal To describe a cruel, inhuman, savage aspect A
Callousness Hardened or unsympathetic A, V
attitude
Civilised To be educated, refined and enlightened V, A
Crude Natural, blunt or underdeveloped A

UNSEEN POETRY Page 45

Crude Natural, blunt or underdeveloped A
Deprave To make morally bad or evil V
Feral Having the characteristics of a wild animal A
Ferocious A violently cruel or as a wild beast, person or aspect A
Homicidal Wanting to kill a person A
Ill-bred Showing a lack of social breeding; unmannerly; rude A
Inhuman Not human or lacking human feelings such as sympathy, warmth or compassion A
Malice A desire to inflict injury, harm or suffering on another because of meanness or an impulse N
Masochism To take enjoyment from being cruel to oneself through own actions or another’s actions N
Merciless Showing no mercy or compassion A
Ruthless To act without pity or compassion A
Sadism To take enjoyment from being cruel N
Spite A desire to harm, annoy, frustrate or humiliate another person N
Uncivilised To not be educated or cultured V, A
Vicious Bad tempered or violent A

Ugly

Word Definition Word Class

Appalling Causing dismay or horror A
Beastly Like a beast A
Coarse Harsh or of an inferior quality A
Debased To reduce in quality or value V
Deformed Having the form changed to lose beauty A
Degenerate To fall below normal levels of physical, mental or moral qualities V
Disfigured To destroy the appearance or beauty of an item V
Grisly Causing a shudder or a feeling of horror A
Homely Lacking in physical attractiveness A
Ignoble Inferior or of a low grade or quality A
Iniquitous Something we associate with wickedness A
Loathsome Causing feelings of disgust A
Misshapen Badly shaped A
Nauseating Causing sickness A
Nefarious Something extremely wicked A
Noxious Harmful or likely to cause injury A
Repelling To make people want to leave V
Repugnant Not to a person’s taste or offensive A
Repulsive Causing people to avoid A
Vulgar A lack of taste A

VILLAINS/HEROES
Word Definition Word
Class

UNSEEN POETRY Page 46

Agitator A person who stirs things up to make people unhappy N
Anarchist A person who wants to change the order of thing. They usually use violence N
Antihero A hero who lacks the usual qualities associated with a hero such as courage, strength and N
kindness
Brute A brutal, cruel person N
Creep An unpleasant, obnoxious person N
Daredevil A reckless and daring person N
Entrepreneur A person who takes the initiative N, V
Gallant A brave person who usually does things for the right reason N
Idol A person who admired and respected N, V
Lowlife A despicable person who has done something to be disliked N
Mercenary A person who only does things for money A, N
Mischief-maker A person who likes to cause mischief or problems N
Opportunist A person who adapts their behaviour to take advantage of the situation N, A
Protector A person who protects N
Rascal A dishonest person N
Role model A person whose behaviour is copied by others N
Romantic An unrealistic or exceptionally positive point of view A
Saint A person of great goodness N
Scoundrel A person without honour N
Vanquisher A person who conquers through force N

WAR
Word Definition Word Class
Affray A fight in a public place N, V
Barrage A large quantity of artillery fire to protect one’s own advancing or retreating troops N
Battle A fight between two opposing military forces N, V
Carnage The slaughter of a great number of people N
Clash To disagree or to engage in physical conflict V
Cold war A political, economic, military rivalry which doesn’t include violence or military action N
Combat Active, armed fighting with an enemy force N
Conflict A fight that takes over a longer period N, V
Contention A struggle between opponents – a competition N
Crusade A long, on-going fight for a particular reason – often led by a religious idea N
Dispute To argue, quarrel or debate about something N, V
Enmity A feeling of hatred or ill will N
Fray A fight or a noisy quarrel N
Havoc Great destruction or devastation N, V
Hostility Opposition or resistance to an idea, plan or project N
Onslaught A violent attack N
Ravage To cause a large amount of damage or havoc N, V
Skirmish A small or brisk fight between very few soldiers N
Struggle To advance with violent effort or to battle or fight N, V
Warfare Armed struggle between two nations or groups of nations N

UNSEEN POETRY Page 47

BOREDOM
Word Definition Word Class
Apathy A lack of interest, concern, passion for a subject N
Ardour With great warmth and feeling N
Detachment When a person doesn’t engage with a topic / aspect N
Eagerness Impatiently keen or determined to do something A, N
Ecstasy Excitement that overpowers a person N
Elation A feeling of great joy or pride N
Exhilaration To be lively and cheerful N
Fatigue To be physically or mentally tired A
Fervour With great intensity or belief N
Frenzy Wild excitement N
Indifference A lack of interest or concern N
Lassitude Physical or mental weariness N
Lethargy Feeling tired, drowsy and having no energy N
Listlessness Showing no interest in something A
Monotony A lack of variety and that the same thing is happening all the time N
Passion A strong extravagant feeling of fondness, enthusiasm or desire N
Tedious Causing a person to be tired or sleepy A
Tedium The state of being bored N
Verve Showing enthusiasm or spirit N
Vivacity Being lively or very animated N

UNSEEN POETRY Page 48

ROMANTICISM(1798-1832)
Thursday, July 6, 2017 10:47 PM

Content:
-Human knowledge consists of impressions and ideas formed in the individual’s mind (subjective)
-Introduction of gothic elements and terror/horror stories and novels
-In nature one can find comfort and peace that the man-made urbanised towns and factory
environments cannot offer (wild nature, the sublime)
Style/Genres:
-poetry (lyrical ballads)
Effect:
-Evil attributed to society and not to human nature
-Human beings are basically good
-Movement of protest: a desire for personal freedom
-Children seen as hapless victims of poverty and exploitation
Historical Context:
-Napoleon rises to power and opposes England militarily and economically
-Gas lamps developed
-Tory philosophy that government should NOT interfere with private enterprise
-Middle class gains representation in the British parliament
-Railways begin to run
Key Works/Authors:
- Novelists: Jane Austen, Mary Shelley
- Poets: Robert Burns, William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord
Byron, Percy Shelley, John Keats

CONTEXT Page 49
VICTORIAN SOCIETY(1832-1900)
16 September 2017 21:28

Content:
-Conflict between those in power and the common masses of labourers and the poor
-Shocking life of sweatshops and urban poor is highlighted in literature to insist on reform
-Country versus city life
-Sexual discretion (or lack of it – strict morals BUT the subversion of these morals hinted at)
-Strained coincidences
-Romantic triangles
-Heroines in physical danger
-Aristocratic villains
-Misdirected letters
-Bigamous marriages
Style/Genres:
- Novel becomes popular for first time; mass produced for the first time-bildungsroman: “coming of
age”; political novels; detective novels; serialised novels (e.g. Dickens, Wilkie Collins)
-Elegies
- Poetry: Clarity is emphasised, morality.
- Dramatic monologues
- Drama: comedies of manners
- Magazines offer stories to the masses
Effect:
- Literature begins to reach the masses
Historical Context:
-paper become cheap; magazines and novels cheap to mass produce
-unprecedented growth of industry and business in Britain
-unparalleled dominance of nations, economies and trade abroad

CONTEXT Page 50
MODERN/POST-MODERN (1900-1980)
16 September 2017 21:32

-Lonely individual fighting to find peace and comfort in a world that has lost its absolute values and traditions
- Humanity is nothing except what it makes of itself, disconnections and fragmentation of everyday life
- A belief in situational ethics—not absolute values—where decisions are based on the situation one is involved in at the moment
-Mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs lines of reality for reader
- Loss of hero in literature (the antihero, the unreliable narrator)
- Destruction made possible by technology
Style/Genres:
-Poetry (free verse) -Stream of consciousness
-Epiphanies begin to appear in literature -Detached, unemotional, humourless
-Speeches -Present tense
-Memoir -Magical realism
-Novels
Effect:
-approach to life: “Seize life for the moment and get all you can out of it.”
Historical Context:
-British Empire loses 1 million soldiers to World War I
-Winston Churchill leads Britain through WWII, and the Germans bomb England directly
-British colonies demand independence
Key Works/Authors:
-James Joyce -Nadine Gordimer
-Joseph Conrad -George Orwell
-D.H. Lawrence -William Butler Yeats
-Graham Greene -Bernard Shaw
-Dylan Thomas

CONTEXT Page 51
CONTEMPORARY(1980-PRESENT)
16 September 2017 22:18

Content:
-Concern with connections between people
-Exploring interpretations of the past
-Open-mindedness and courage that comes from being an outsider
-Escaping those ways of living that blind and dull the human spirit
Style/Genres:
-All genres represented
-Fictional confessional/diaries -Humorous irony
-Narratives: both fiction and nonfiction -Autobiographical essays
-Mixing of fantasy with nonfiction; blurs line of reality for reader
Effect:
-Too soon to tell
Historical Context:
-A world growing smaller due to ease of communications between societies
-A world launching a new beginning of a century and a millennium
-Media culture interprets values and events for individuals
Key Works/Authors:
-Seamus Heaney -Tom Stoppard
-Doris Lessing -Salman Rushdie
-Louis de Bernières -John Le Carré
-Kazuo Ishiguro

CONTEXT Page 52