Q2: Power and conflict poetry

Question 1

Ozymandias context

Answer 1

Some think Ozymandiasreflects this side of his character as it can be read as a criticism of people or systems that become huge and believe themselves to be invincible.

Question 2

Ozymandias language

Answer 2

We have no sympathy whatsoever with the statue or the king though, due to some of Shelley’s descriptions:”sneer of cold command… hand that mocked them”and the arrogance of the words displayed at the bottom.

Question 3

Ozymandias Form

Answer 3

Ozymandias is asonnet(a poem of 14 lines), although it doesn’t have the same, simple rhyme scheme or punctuation that most sonnets have. Some lines are split by full stops and the rhyme is irregular at times.

Question 4

Ozymandias Structure

Answer 4

It is written iniambic pentameter
The first line and a half up to the colon are the narrator’s words, the rest are those of the traveller he meets. There are no clearstanzasas such. Instead, it is one, 14-line block of text that is split up with lots of punctuation throughout.

Question 5

London Context

Answer 5

Some believe The French Revolution may have been inspirational to Blake, as London alludes to the revolt, arguably suggesting that the experience of living there could encourage a revolution on the streets of the capital.

Question 6

London Language

Answer 6

The poem is full of negative words: ‘weakness’, ‘woe’, ‘cry’, ‘fear’, ‘appalls’, ‘blood’, ‘blights’, ‘plagues’ and ‘hearse’.
The poem ends with a startling contrast in the language chosen:”marriage hearse”. To Blake, marriage should be a celebration of love and the beginning of new life. Yet here it is combined with the word”hearse”- a vehicle associated with funerals. To the speaker of the poem, the future brings nothing but death and decay.

Question 7

London Structure

Answer 7

As the title of the collection suggests, London is presented in a very regular way, much like a song. There is a strict abab rhyme scheme in each of the four stanzas, which each contain four lines. This alternating rhyme scheme contributes to the song form.
The four stanzas offer a glimpse of different aspects of the city, almost like snapshots seen by the speaker during his”wander through”the streets.

Question 8

My last duchess Context

Answer 8

Browning is best known for his use of the dramatic monologue.My Last Duchessis an example of this and it also reflects Browning’s love ofhistoryandEuropean cultureas the story is based on the life of an Italian Duke from the sixteenth century.

Question 9

My last duchess Language

Answer 9

There are lots of personal pronouns in this poem, hinting at the narrator’shigh opinion of himselfand hisselfishness.

Question 10

My last duchess Form

Answer 10

Dramatic Monologue

Question 11

My last duchess Structure

Answer 11

Enjambment
The poem is written in iambic pentameter and in rhyming couplets.
This is one long speech, pretending to be a conversation. It is divided up into rhyming couplets but to mimic unrehearsed speech there are lots of twists and turns within the lines, shown by a variety of punctuation (colons and lots of dashes as well as the usual commas and full stops).

Question 12

Tissue Context

Answer 12

Imtiaz Dharker is a poet and filmmaker, she has Pakistani origins and was raised in Glasgow. A great number of her poems look at issues such as religion, terrorism and global politics/identity.
The poem is written from the point of view of someone today looking out at the conflict and troubles of the modern world; destruction, war and politics, money and wealth as well as issues like terrorism and identity.

Question 13

Tissue Language

Answer 13

The use of extended metaphor of the paper is used to symbolise the fragility of human beings. Natural imagery of light and sun – shown to overpower, outlast the things we create.

Question 14

Tissue Form

Answer 14

The poem is written as an on-going monologue.

Question 15

Tissue Structure

Answer 15

It uses enjambment to create a very human and calm tone.