Analysing a poem in detail means looking at how the poem has been put together.
This may include examining the poem’s structure, as well as the poet’s layering of methods.
It may be useful to consider what the poet establishes, builds on and ends with.
It might be useful to analyse the poem chronologically, to help you analyse structure.

Common misconception

Students often avoid analysing structure because they sometimes struggle to understand what it actually is and means.

The structure of a text is just how the poem has been put together - what comes where and why. Using the words 'establishes' 'builds on' and 'ends' will encourage students to talk about structure more confidently.

Keywords

Chronology - the placement of events in the order in which they occurred
To establish - setting the foundations of something
To excavate - to uncover hidden objects - used in this lesson metaphorically

You could ask students to write a full response for home learning, using the ideas from the lesson.

Teacher tip

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).

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which poem in the Eduqas poetry anthology was written by Wilfred Owen?

'The Soldier'

'The Manhunt'

'Mametz Wood'

Correct answer: 'Dulce et Decorum Est'

Q2.

Which themes are explored in the poem 'Ozymandias'?

family

love

Correct answer: power

Correct answer: time

Q3.

Which of the following poems taken from the Eduqas poetry anthology uses the image of an onion to represent relationships?

'Cozy Apologia'

Correct answer: 'Valentine'

'As Imperceptibly as Grief'

'Sonnet 43'

Q4.

Which poem taken from the Eduqas poetry anthology is the following quotation from?: "One shade the more, one ray the less"?

Correct answer: 'She Walks in Beauty'

'Valentine'

'Cozy Apologia'

'Sonnet 43'

Q5.

Which poem taken from the Eduqas poetry anthology is the following quotation from: "If I should die, think only this of me"?

'Ozymandias'

'Hawk Roosting'

'A Wife in London'

Correct answer: 'The Soldier'

'Dulce et Decorum Est'

Q6.

Complete the quotation from Shelley's 'Ozymandias': "The and level sands stretch far away."

Correct Answer: lone

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Put these dates into chronological order:

1 - 1817

2 - 1819

3 - 1897

4 - 1900

5 - 1930

6 - 2005

Q2.

Which of the following would be considered a method?

Correct answer: the age of the speaker

the poet's name

how long was written

Q3.

It can be useful to think of structure using these three terms. Fill in the missing word for the first term: The poet … The poet builds on... The poet ends with...

Correct Answer: establishes

Q4.

What method does Wordsworth use in the quotation taken from 'The Prelude': "tinkled like iron"?

metaphor

Correct answer: simile

personification

onomatopoeia

zoomorphism

Q5.

What is the effect of the word "distant" in Wordsworth's 'The Prelude'?

Correct answer: nature is presented as vast and awe-inspiring

shows the abundance and generosity of nature

Correct answer: shows the magnitude of nature and its power versus man

shows the evil and wickedness of nature

Q6.

What is the effect of the word "tinkled" taken from Wordsworth's 'The Prelude'?

Correct answer: it characterises nature as magical

it characterises nature as sinister

Correct answer: it portrays nature as playful

it characterises nature as helpful

it portrays nature as dangerous