New
New
Year 11
AQA

Comparing ideas of nature and identity in Robinson, Nichols, and Antrobus' poems

I can compare how Robinson, Nichols, and Antrobus use language, form and structure to explore ideas of nature and identity in their poems.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

Comparing ideas of nature and identity in Robinson, Nichols, and Antrobus' poems

I can compare how Robinson, Nichols, and Antrobus use language, form and structure to explore ideas of nature and identity in their poems.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Arguably, Robinson’s use of sensory language creates a sense of comfort while Antrobus creates a sense of discomfort.
  2. Arguably, both Nichols and Antrobus subvert poetic forms in order to critique humanity’s relationship with nature.
  3. Nichols’ use of irregularity may reflect the uncertainty of the planet’s future due to anthropogenic climate change.
  4. In contrast, Robinson’s use of irregularity may reflect the sense of freedom from daily life that “paradise” brings.

Keywords

  • Synchronise - a state in which two or more people or things move or happen together at the same time and speed

  • Empathise - to be able to understand how someone else feels

  • Anthropogenic - relating to, or resulting from the influence of human beings on nature

  • Evocative - bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind

Common misconception

When two poets use the same technique then they have the same intended outcome.

Poetic techniques can be interpreted in a number of different ways, so you can't assume that if a second poet uses the same technique as a first then it will have the same meaning.

It may be useful to recap Robinson's 'A Portable Paradise', Nichols' 'Like an Heiress', and Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely' before this lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the AQA World and Lives anthology for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

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

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Neither Nichols, Robinson, nor Antrobus' poems have a pattern to their structure in the AQA Worlds and Lives poetry anthology. This means they have __________ structure.
a regular
Correct answer: an irregular
a cyclical
a linear
Q2.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Robinson's 'A Portable Paradise'?
The speaker returns to their home country and finds it changed.
Correct answer: The speaker finds comfort in thinking of their home and heritage.
The speaker finds comfort and peace in nature.
Q3.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Nichols' 'Like an Heiress'?
The speaker finds comfort and peace in nature.
Correct answer: The speaker laments the treatment of nature by mankind.
The speaker celebrates how women will inherit the earth.
Q4.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Antrobus' 'With Birds You're Never Lonely'?
Correct answer: The speaker laments the isolation and loneliness of the modern world.
Correct answer: The speaker believes humanity should reflect on their relationship with nature.
The speaker celebrates the connections and technology of the modern world.
Q5.
If a poem doesn't meet the expectations of a form then it's said to __________ the form.
Correct answer: subvert
conform to
displace
Q6.
Relating to, or resulting from the influence of human beings on nature is known as ...
anthropomorphic
Correct answer: anthropogenic
anthropocentric

6 Questions

Q1.
When two or more people or things move or happen together at the same time and speed it is known as being .
Correct Answer: synchronised
Q2.
Both Robinson and Antrobus use in their poems from the AQA Worlds and Lives poetry anthology to allow the reader to empathise with the speaker.
anthropomorphism
Correct answer: onomatopoeia
anaphora
Q3.
Which of the following is the definition of evocative?
Correct answer: bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind
to be able to understand how someone else feels
lacking brightness, vividness, or sheen.
Q4.
Nichols subverts the sonnet form in 'Like an Heiress' by .
using 13 lines and splitting the poem into two stanzas
Correct answer: using an irregular rhyme and rhythm
not using a volta
Q5.
Both Robinson and Nichols use an irregular structure in 'A Portable Paradise' and 'Like an Heiress'; however, while Robinson is arguably suggesting freedom, Nichols may be reflecting ...
chaos
non-conformity
Correct answer: unpredictability
Q6.
The final word of Robinson's 'A Portable Paradise' is ...
dream
nightmare
peace
Correct answer: sleep