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Year 10
AQA

Comparing the presentation of power in 'My Last Duchess' and 'Ozymandias'

I can evaluate sample responses to an essay question and use them to help me write my own comparative response.

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Year 10
AQA

Comparing the presentation of power in 'My Last Duchess' and 'Ozymandias'

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Comparative introductions should give equal weighting to both poems and explore the big ideas in both poems.
  2. Introductions should use correlative and comparative conjunctions to actively compare poems.
  3. Introductions need not focus heavily on biographical details of poets or language devices.
  4. An effective essay compares two poems on big ideas in question, weaving in comparison throughout paragraphs.
  5. An effective comparative essay explores language, form and structure to support comparisons.

Keywords

  • Undermine - lessen the effectiveness or power of something or someone

  • Defiance - behaviour in which you refuse to obey someone or something

  • Despotic - typical of a despot - a ruler who holds absolute power and exercises it in a cruel way

Common misconception

Essay introductions should focus heavily on the poets and/or literary devices.

Essay introductions should focus heavily on big ideas relevant to both poems and related to the question.

You can print yourself a copy of the additional materials and use the visualiser to model the annotation of the responses in the additional materials.
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 peer pressure or bullying

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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two poems from the 'Power and Conflict' poetry anthology explicitly depict a despot?
'London'
Correct answer: 'Ozymandias'
'Extract from the Prelude'
Correct answer: 'My Last Duchess'
Q2.
What is a similarity between 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess'?
both criticise the monarchy
both show the power of women
Correct answer: both show the power of art
Q3.
An introduction moves from the __________ to the __________.
specific, general
Correct answer: general, specific
poet, poem
language, structure
Q4.
Which conjunctions can be used to express similarity?
Whereas
However
Correct answer: Both/and
Correct answer: Just as/so
Q5.
Match the phrases to create completes sentences that explore similarities between 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess'.
Correct Answer:Both 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess',explore the abuse of power by despotic indiviudals.

explore the abuse of power by despotic indiviudals.

Correct Answer:Neither Shelley or Browning,commend mankind's power.

commend mankind's power.

Correct Answer:The statue of Ozymandias is akin to,the portrait of the Duchess in 'My Last Duchess'.

the portrait of the Duchess in 'My Last Duchess'.

Correct Answer:The "sneer" in 'Ozymandias' is akin to,the ''spot of joy'' in the Duchess' cheek.

the ''spot of joy'' in the Duchess' cheek.

Q6.
Both the ''sneer of cold command'' present in Ozymandias' visage ('Ozymandias') and the ''spot of joy'' present in the Duchess' cheek (My Last Duchess)...
Correct answer: expose the powerlessness of the despots in presenting themselves as supreme.
emphasise the power and success of the despots.
highlight how nature triumphed over both men.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
How does the Duke's artwork arguably betray his lack of control in 'My Last Duchess'?
Correct answer: there is a ''spot of joy'' in the Duchess' cheek in her portrait
he has to keep it behind a ''curtain''
her ''wrist'' and ''throat'' are visible
Q2.
In a comparative introduction it is important to...
define the big ideas.
give biographical details about the poet.
Correct answer: give equal weight to both poems.
Q3.
Which is not part of the success criteria for a comparative introduction?
use correlative conjunctions to explore overarching similarities
Correct answer: analyse quotes
use contrasting conjunctions to explore subtle differences
focus on the presentation of big ideas in both poems
Q4.
"In particular, the noun ‘sneer’ actually portrays the Pharaoh as petty rather than majestic...." This sentence...
successfully integrates context to help them answer the question.
Correct answer: successfully analyses language.
successfully analyses structure.
provides an irrelevant contextual piece of information.
Q5.
"Therefore, both poets could be reflecting their Romantic beliefs, which value the power of art over that of an individual and critiquing those who believe otherwise." This sentence....
Correct answer: successfully integrates context to help them answer the question.
successfully analyses language.
successfully analyses structure.
provides an irrelevant contextual piece of information.
Q6.
Complete the comparative statement: ''In both 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess', the __________ male figures are __________ portrayed as less powerful than the __________''.
powerful, tragically, artwork
sympathetic, ironically, women
Correct answer: despotic, ironically, artwork

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