poetry anthology

Question 1

what 2 poems are in the theme of war/conflict (great eight)

Answer 1

Dulce, Wilfred Owens
The Soldier, Rupert Brooke

Question 2

what 2 poems are in the theme of nature (great eight)

Answer 2

(also links to time/change)
excerpt from the Prelude, William Wordsworth
Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney

Question 3

what 2 poems are in the theme of love/relationships (great eight)

Answer 3

Valentine, Carol Ann Duffy
Cozy Apologia, Rita Dove

Question 4

what 2 poems are in the theme of power/place (great eight)

Answer 4

Ozymandias (also links to time), Percy Bysshe Shelley
London, William Blake

Question 5

what are 2 key quotes from the start, middle, and end of The Soldier?

Answer 5

start:
- “If I should die, think only this of me:” - imperative creates heroic/noble tone, not afraid of death, “die” juxtaposed with “only” (“only” not important), also “if” naïve to death in war
- “in that rich earth a richer dust concealed;” - “richer” England is better, patriotic, even English dirt is better

middle:
- “Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, / A body of England’s, breathing English air,” - caesura emphasises words, personifies England as loving mother, pace slows down- dying for your country is peaceful & worth it
- “And think, this heart, all evil shed away,” - almost religious sacrifice, dying nobly/as a hero for your country will make you be pure

end:
- “And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,” - lullative alliteration soothing, semantic field of joy/peace
- “In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.” - even heaven is English, dying for your country will give you eternal peace

Question 6

what is notable about the structure of The Soldier?

Answer 6

• sonnet: traditionally themes of love & contemplation, classical literature, 2 stanzas, 14 lines
• repetition of England/English: shows love for country & emphasises how important it is

Question 7

what are some context notes for The Soldier? (5 points)

Answer 7

• was written to comfort those who’ve lost someone in the war & to get people to enlist
• written in 1915
• Rupert Brooke never actually fought - died of blood poisoning when serving as officer in British Royal Navy while awaiting deployment on 23rd April 1915
• The Soldier read at Easter service in St Paul’s Cathedral 1915
• he was seen as hero

Question 8

what are 2 key quotes from the start, middle, and end of Dulce et Decorum est?