The trouble The trouble with poetrywith poetry

Or Or

How to cover all four poems and How to cover all four poems and get the most marks with the least get the most marks with the least

amount of effortamount of effort

Answer the Questions Answer the Questions (“You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off”)(“You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off”)

You MUST answer the question You MUST answer the question precisely. They are worded in precisely. They are worded in different but specific ways.different but specific ways.You will most likely have to choose You will most likely have to choose TWO poems from the pre-1914 batch, TWO poems from the pre-1914 batch, ONE by Simon Armitage and ONE by ONE by Simon Armitage and ONE by Carol Ann Duffy.Carol Ann Duffy.Think COUNTDOWN. "Two from the Think COUNTDOWN. "Two from the top row; one from the middle row; top row; one from the middle row; one from the bottom row."one from the bottom row."

In other words:In other words:

You want to think highly trained You want to think highly trained safecracker safecracker

As opposed to a semtex wielding As opposed to a semtex wielding nutcase.nutcase.

Blow the doors off the questions. Blow the doors off the questions. Do not just create a mess.Do not just create a mess.

TipsTips(How to make the most of (How to make the most of

what you’ve got)what you’ve got)

Opening paragraph should link all four poems: the red Opening paragraph should link all four poems: the red region, the bull's eye.region, the bull's eye.

(Although the blue regions look important, revealing overlaps (Although the blue regions look important, revealing overlaps between three of the four poems, we advise for practical between three of the four poems, we advise for practical reasons to omit them.)reasons to omit them.)

Your essay will gain a lot of marks for COMPARISON, so Your essay will gain a lot of marks for COMPARISON, so use the GREEN sectors to focus on comparisons use the GREEN sectors to focus on comparisons between pairs of poems. between pairs of poems. The clever ones amongst you The clever ones amongst you will realise that the green sectors therefore must subsume will realise that the green sectors therefore must subsume and include the blue sectors!and include the blue sectors!

Keep your eye on the bull's eye; bring back each Keep your eye on the bull's eye; bring back each comparison, however far you've gone, to the key red comparison, however far you've gone, to the key red overlap.overlap.

Or more Or more precisely:precisely:

You do not have to write the same amount on You do not have to write the same amount on each poem. You MUST write something on each each poem. You MUST write something on each poem; the most marks are reserved for poem; the most marks are reserved for COMPARISON. A more accurate Venn diagram COMPARISON. A more accurate Venn diagram might therefore look something like this.might therefore look something like this.The clever ones amongst you might notice that The clever ones amongst you might notice that although the basic circles here - mainly yellow- although the basic circles here - mainly yellow- vary according to the poems chosen, the green vary according to the poems chosen, the green areas - the key comparisons - remain broadly areas - the key comparisons - remain broadly equal. Interesting.equal. Interesting.

What examiners look for:What examiners look for:When the examiners refer to 'comparison', they When the examiners refer to 'comparison', they are also including 'contrast'. Think of comparisons are also including 'contrast'. Think of comparisons andand contrasts. contrasts.In comparing between 'old' and 'modern' poems, In comparing between 'old' and 'modern' poems, it is permissible to draw attention to the it is permissible to draw attention to the differences evident as a result of the period in differences evident as a result of the period in which they were composed.which they were composed.The more you compare, the better your answer.The more you compare, the better your answer.Think of different responses and interpretations. Think of different responses and interpretations. You might want to compare and contrast the way You might want to compare and contrast the way readers might be expected to respond to each of readers might be expected to respond to each of the different poems.the different poems.Integrate comparisons within paragraphs.Integrate comparisons within paragraphs.Use concise quotations to support your argument.Use concise quotations to support your argument.

Answer modelAnswer model

Use the MAGIC Use the MAGIC TRIANGLE to TRIANGLE to make sure you make sure you are making the are making the right sort of right sort of points.points.

Or you can just FLIRTOr you can just FLIRTF – FormF – Form

L – LanguageL – Language

I – ImageryI – Imagery

R – RhythmR – Rhythm

T – ToneT – Tone

At least as a starting point but don’t forget At least as a starting point but don’t forget to think about the impact on the readerto think about the impact on the reader

Example QuestionExample QuestionHere is a sample question to Here is a sample question to consider:consider:

In In HitcherHitcher, Simon Armitage writes , Simon Armitage writes about a deviant or disturbed about a deviant or disturbed character.character.

Compare Compare HitcherHitcher with one poem with one poem by Duffy and two pre-1914 by Duffy and two pre-1914 poems that present deviant or poems that present deviant or disturbed personalities.disturbed personalities.

Start of an answerStart of an answerWhat is most interesting about What is most interesting about HitcherHitcher, and about several of the other poems , and about several of the other poems

we have studied, is the way in which the poet has told the story through we have studied, is the way in which the poet has told the story through the voice of a deviant and violent personality. This is unsettling to the the voice of a deviant and violent personality. This is unsettling to the reader who at the same time may be horrified at the mentality of the reader who at the same time may be horrified at the mentality of the character and puzzled by questions concerning the honesty of the character and puzzled by questions concerning the honesty of the 'confession'. That all these characters feel the need to confess their crimes 'confession'. That all these characters feel the need to confess their crimes seems in itself bewildering and disturbing. seems in itself bewildering and disturbing.

In In My Last DuchessMy Last Duchess, Browning's aristocrat confesses his crime - "I gave , Browning's aristocrat confesses his crime - "I gave commands/ And all smiles stopped together" but his confession is cautious commands/ And all smiles stopped together" but his confession is cautious and necessarily vague. He does not specify what commands he gave - and necessarily vague. He does not specify what commands he gave - though we can guess - and he does not state explicitly that he has had his though we can guess - and he does not state explicitly that he has had his wife murdered. Not only that, but his listener, a servant, might feel unable wife murdered. Not only that, but his listener, a servant, might feel unable to report the confession to any authority figure, such as his own master, to report the confession to any authority figure, such as his own master, through fear of intimidation and bullying.through fear of intimidation and bullying.

Similarly, in Similarly, in HitcherHitcher, we hear the voice of the protagonist - "I let him have it" - , we hear the voice of the protagonist - "I let him have it" - as if we are witnessing a confession or police statement. The details of the as if we are witnessing a confession or police statement. The details of the assault are here explicit and the protagonist's part in the attack apparently assault are here explicit and the protagonist's part in the attack apparently unambiguous:unambiguous:

"once"oncewith the head and six times with the krook-lok".with the head and six times with the krook-lok".

That detail about the krook-lok, and the use of a rather "unpoetic" word, a That detail about the krook-lok, and the use of a rather "unpoetic" word, a trade name, seems to make the confession convincing and honest.trade name, seems to make the confession convincing and honest.

However, as we shall see, some readers may see, even in this violent honesty, However, as we shall see, some readers may see, even in this violent honesty, a certain ambiguity which lends a new and fuller meaning to the poem.a certain ambiguity which lends a new and fuller meaning to the poem.

Please notePlease note

At no point does At no point does the writer just the writer just RETELL THE RETELL THE

STORY!STORY!