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Year 10
AQA

Comparing ideas of temporality in 'England in 1819' and 'A Century Later'

I can explain the similarities and differences between how Dharker and Shelley present ideas of time and temporality.

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Year 10
AQA

Comparing ideas of temporality in 'England in 1819' and 'A Century Later'

I can explain the similarities and differences between how Dharker and Shelley present ideas of time and temporality.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Shelley foregrounds the difference between the past and the present in ‘England in 1819’.
  2. Dharker suggests that the past impacts the present in ‘A century later’.
  3. Shelley may draw our attention to one moment in time to imply the cyclical nature of oppression can be broken.
  4. Arguably, Dharker refers to the past to imply that we are caught in a a recurring cycle of violence.
  5. both poems advocate for the importance of considering the temporal context of a poem in order to understand its meaning.

Keywords

  • Temporality - represents the way the world is perceived with particular attention to how it relates to time

  • Relative - considered in relation or in proportion to something else

  • Cyclical - occurring in cycles; recurrent

  • Linear time - time that is perceived as moving from the past, through the present, to the future in a straight line

  • Temporal - relating to time

Common misconception

That philosophical ideas of time have no bearing on literature.

Considering the nature of time impacts the human experience and therefore has a bearing on literature since it explores what it means to be human.

You might like to spend longer thinking about the nature of time with the students before considering how the poets differ in their approach.
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 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The purpose of a topic sentence is...
to summarise the paragraph
Correct answer: to explain the main idea of the paragraph
to analyse the methods used
Q2.
Rank these topic sentences from least to most effective.
1 - The poet uses free verse and enjambment in 'A Century Later'.
2 - Dharker uses free verse and enjambment in 'A Century Later'.
3 - Dharker explores resistance and non-conformity in 'A Century Later'.
Q3.
Considering the differences between one thing and another is being...
Correct answer: comparative
correlative
constructive
Q4.
Information that helps the message of a literary text make sense is the...
Correct Answer: context, contextual information
Q5.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Shelley's 'England in 1819'?
Correct answer: Shelley criticises powerful institutions for the oppression of ordinary people.
Shelley advocates for more influence to be given to powerful institutions.
Shelley applauds the ordinary people for revolting against the institutions.
Q6.
Which of the following is an accurate summary of Dharker's 'A Century Later'?
Correct answer: Dharker explores the fight for gender equality in education.
Dharker explores the fight against institutional oppression.
Dharker explores the violence of WW1 trench warfare.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When was 'England in 1819' written?
Correct answer: 1819
1914
2014
Q2.
Temporal means relating to...
Correct answer: time
space
environment
Q3.
'Considered in relation or in proportion to something else' is the definition of...
Correct Answer: relative, relativity
Q4.
Which of the following is a comparative topic sentence?
Correct answer: Both Shelley and Dharker explore the importance of temporality.
Shelley foregrounds the importance of the present.
Dharker encourages the reader to see the cyclical nature of time.
Q5.
In Dharker's 'A Century Later', the poem arguably emphasises the nature of violence.
Correct Answer: cyclical
Q6.
Match the information/ideas about time with the poem.
Correct Answer:References past events,'A Century Later'

'A Century Later'

Correct Answer:Past and present are different,'England in 1819'

'England in 1819'

Correct Answer:Explores the importance of temporality,'A Century Later' and 'England in 1819'

'A Century Later' and 'England in 1819'