being unable or unwilling to believe something; disbelief

literature idealising rural life and nature, often contrasting with urban experiences

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences

a poem where a single character speaks to a silent audience, revealing their thoughts

a narrative poem, often set to music, using simple language, repetition, and a regular rhyme scheme

Analysing the poem 'Cousin Kate' by Christina Rossetti

English

In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry continued', pupils used a range of reading skills to aid the supported decoding of challenging poems. In 'Unseen Poetry', pupils use these reading skills to decode texts with independence. 

In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of culture and belonging. In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons focusing on the final three poems: *Poppies*, *Catrin* and *Cousin Kate*..

Poetry anthology: continued study

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of serious mental health issues including eating disorders, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, or the aftermath of such an event.

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Depiction or discussion of sex or sexual body parts, including sex education.

Depiction or discussion of sexual content

placing two or more elements side by side to highlight their contrasts

questions asked for effect or to make a point, not requiring an answer

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines

Match each literary method to the correct definition.

literature idealising rural life and nature

literature idealising a particular historical period

Which of these are conventions of a dramatic monologue?

slow reveal of the character's personality

Which of these are conventions of a ballad?

Which rhyming patterns are used in 'Cousin Kate'?

Which of these quotations links to the pastoral themes in the poem?

she has given birth to the nobleman's son.

she has a plan to seduce the nobleman so he will leave Kate.

At the end of 'Cousin Kate', the speaker reveals...

Which of the following quotes from 'Cousin Kate' suggests that the nobleman has conflicted feelings for the speaker?

Which of these words could we use to describe Victorian society?

Kate's love for the nobleman is fleeting and will end quickly.

Kate's love is passionate to the point of being obsessive.

Kate's love is baseless; the speaker suspects she only loves him for his status.

Kate's love is empty and dry like the desert.

What is the speaker of 'Cousin Kate' implying when she says that Kate's "love was writ in sand"?

They are both kind and compassionate people.

What does the speaker of 'Cousin Kate' suggest most attracted the nobleman to both women?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Depiction or discussion of sexual content

Adult supervision required

Starter Quiz