New
New
Year 11
AQA

Revising key themes in the ‘Power and Conflict’ anthology

I can identify and compare themes across poems from the Power and Conflict anthology.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

Revising key themes in the ‘Power and Conflict’ anthology

I can identify and compare themes across poems from the Power and Conflict anthology.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When comparing poems, pay attention to the specific theme within the question.
  2. Be open to comparing poems across different eras, movements, styles and content areas.
  3. Memory is a key theme across many of the ‘Power and Conflict’ poems.
  4. Poets from the anthology often explore the damaging effect of pride, the power of nature and harrowing inner conflicts.

Keywords

  • Theme - the main subject that is being discussed in a piece of writing

  • Omnipotence - having very great or unlimited power

  • Ephemeral - short-lasting

  • Futility - pointlessness or uselessness

Common misconception

Students may think that all 'Romantic' poems should be compared, all 'war' poems must be compared, all 'nature' poems must be compared.

The nuances of the question are the most important factor when deciding which poems to compare.

You may want to print out the table in the additional materials for pupils to use in this lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a theme in literature?
Correct answer: a central topic, subject, or message within a text
the writer's intentions in creating the text
the combination of methods a writer uses in a text
Q2.
Which of these is not a theme found in the Power and Conflict anthology?
identity
abuse of power
Correct answer: love
Q3.
Romantic poets often wrote about...
the effects of war
Correct answer: the power of nature
the power of memories
Q4.
Which poems best explore the theme of power of man?
Correct answer: 'Ozymandias'
Correct answer: 'London'
'Exposure'
Q5.
Which of these poets were part of the Romantic movement?
Correct answer: Percy Shelley
Ted Hughes
Correct answer: William Wordsworth
Correct answer: William Blake
Q6.
What does 'omnipotent' mean?
Correct answer: having very great or unlimited power
pointlessness or uselessness
short-lasting

6 Questions

Q1.
Instead of choosing poems based on the time they were written or their style, it's better to compare poems based on their presentation of key...
Correct Answer: themes, ideas
Q2.
Which poems from the 'Power and Conflict' anthology best explore the theme of memory?
'Bayonet Charge'
Correct answer: 'War Photographer'
Correct answer: 'Remains'
Q3.
These poems have been grouped together: 'Ozymandias', 'London' and 'My Last Duchess'. What key theme do they have in common?
power of nature
Correct answer: abuse of power
reality of conflict
Q4.
These poems have been grouped together: 'Ozymandias', 'Extract from The Prelude' and 'My Last Duchess'. What key theme do they have in common?
fear
guilt
Correct answer: pride
Q5.
Which poem does not present the omnipotence of nature?
'Extract from The Prelude'
Correct answer: 'Bayonet Charge'
'Storm on the Island'
Q6.
Looking at the theme of trauma, which poem might you compare 'War Photographer' with?
Correct answer: 'Remains'
'Storm on the Island'
'My Last Duchess'

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