AQA Poetry Anthology - Power and Conflict

An Overview

The Poetry Anthology is a key part of your GCSE.  The Power and Conflict theme contains fifteen poems which can all be linked to power and/or conflict in some way.  However, the theme of power and conflict is broader than you may think.  Not all of the poems are about war and physical conflict (though some indeed are).  

You will be examined on the Poetry Anthology, as well as Unseen Poetry as part of Paper 2 (sections B and C).

On this page we will provide a brief overview of Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology including:

  1. A list of all the poems included.
  2. A summary of what you’ll need to know for the exam.
  3. An overview of the main themes that link the poems including an easy reference grid.

Once you’ve been through each poem this should enable you to quickly and easily identify which poems compare well for which theme.

The Poems

As part of the Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology you will study the following poems:

  1. Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
  2. London by William Blake
  3. Extract from The Prelude by William Wordsworth
  4. My Last Duchess by Robert Browning
  5. Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson
  6. Exposure by Wilfred Owen
  7. Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney
  8. Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes
  9. Remains by Simon Armitage
  10. Poppies by Jane Weir
  11. War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy
  12. Tissue by Imtiaz Dharker
  13. The Emigree by Carol Rumens
  14. Checking Out Me History by John Agard
  15. Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland

Our site is still growing, but where we have got resources available to help you analyse a specific poem, these are available by clicking the links above.  Clicking on a link will re-direct you to a page dedicated to that poem.  Don’t worry, we’ll have more resources coming soon.  In the meantime we’ve included links for other useful resources at the bottom of this page.

What you need to know about the exam

Paper 2 Section B will contain the question on the Poetry Anthology.

The paper will contain one poem from the poetry anthology, printed in full.  You will then be asked to compare this poem to one other poem from the anthology based on a particular theme.  You will have free choice as to which poem you choose as your comparison poem.  

You will not be told beforehand what poem you will be given in the exam nor will you be told the particular theme they will ask you about.  It will therefore be important for you to have a thorough understanding of all fifteen of the poems before you head into the exam.

Answering the question

The question on the Poetry Anthology is worth 30 marks and should take you around 40-45 minutes to answer. 

To score higher marks in the question you will need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of both the poem presented, as well as the poem you link it to.  It won’t be enough just to discuss the poem presented.

Learning key quotes from each poem is important; for each poem try to record a couple of key quotes for each theme.  The examiner will be looking for quotes that are relevant to your analysis, not a whole raft of quotes with no link to the theme you are asked about. Quality vs quantity is an important point.

Your answer should always start with an introduction which gives a summary of the poem and how the theme from the question is relevant.  You should then introduce your comparative poem, explaining why this poem is also relevant to the theme.

The way you structure the rest of your essay is up to you but there are a couple of options available:

Keeping them separate

Some students prefer to keep their analysis of each poem separate.  Answering the question in this way enables you to think solely about one poem at a time, which means you’re more likely to cover all your points.  You’re likely to need 2-3 solid paragraphs on each poem after your introduction.

 If you plan to answer in this way then you could pre-prepare bullet-style prompts for each poem, for each theme.  Remember not to just throw quotes around; think carefully about your points and cover language, structure and form as part of your answer.

The combined approach

Another way of structuring an answer is to split your paragraphs between language, structure and form and write about both poems in each paragraph. 

You may find you use more than one paragraph for each element, so answering in this way is not necessarily going to give you a shorter, more concise answer.  

Again, you could pre-prepare answers in this way by pre-selecting which poems you would compare and ensuring you’re comfortable with the relevant points you would make in each of the key areas.

Don't forget your conclusion

Whichever style you choose you should always aim to include a final conclusion paragraph which summarises the key areas included within your answer; aim to set how effective the two poems are at portraying the given themes and highlight key differences in the approaches the poets take.

The themes covered

The fifteen poems within the poetry anthology all contain links to power and or conflict, in some way.  For some poems, the reference to power and/or conflict will be obvious, but for others you will need to dig a little deeper into the poem to find the reference. Even for those poems where you think the reference is obvious, you may also find unexpected/hidden themes the more you look.

A synopsis of the main themes you’ll be asked to consider are set out below.

Conflict and war

The references to war in some poems are obvious and cannot be missed.  Examples would include Bayonet Charge and Charge of the Light Brigade.  However, don’t be fooled by the very obvious references about fighting and weapons, as these direct references to conflict are not the only reason why these poems have been included in the poetry anthology. 

As you work your way through the anthology you’ll come across more subtle references to conflict and war which may include:

  • The futility of war.
  • The impact of war on the people that fight it.
  • The impact of war on those that are left behind.
  • Conflict between those with power and those without.
  • How war is decided by those with power, but fought by those without.
  • The level of destruction that war brings.

Inequality and oppression

Conflict often comes about because of inequality and this is a theme that runs through a few of the poems in the anthology. Within the poems there are references to inequality in numerous way including: 

  • Financial inequality – the inequity that arises between the rich and the poor.
  • Sexual inequality – the inequity between men and women.
  • Inequalities as a result of status – inequities brought about by different social classes.
  • Abuse of power by others – including organisations as well as individuals.
  • Personal abuse – how sometimes our own thoughts and beliefs cause conflict.
  • The belief that power is and always will be everything.

The power of humans

The abuse of power and corruption by humans is a common theme amongst many of the poems in the poetry anthology.  Some examples are:

  • Human desire for power can be destructive.
  • A desire for power can be great, but power itself is not everlasting and other things in life are more important.
  • Power and in particular, abuse of power leads to oppression and abuse.
  • The inequity between social classes can have a marked impact on society.
  • Individuals and institutions have a responsibility to wield their power appropriately, as corruption amongst the powerful means the under-privileged are exploited. 

The power of nature

Many of the poems in the power and conflict poetry anthology contain a strong link to nature, and illustrate how despite some of the best efforts of humans, nature will always be more powerful.  

Some key ideas related to this theme are:

  • Nature holds ultimate power over humans and will always leave them humbled.
  • The power of nature is ever-lasting and it will out-survive any efforts by mankind to tame it.
  • Nature can be a destructive force.

The power of memories and loss

The concept of memory and power is also a key theme in many poems in the anthology:

  • Power may seem important in the moment, but it doesn’t last. Power is fleeting.
  • Those that had power are forgotten with time.
  • The power of memories should not be under-estimated.  Memories with negative connections can impact mental health and wellbeing.
  •  Losing your liberty and things you hold dear.
  • The loss of those around you.

Personal identity

Power and conflict is also linked to identity, and can be a formative part:

  • The loss of ones personal identity can lead to inner conflict.
  • The identity of the lower-classes can be oppressed by those in power.

Comparing poems

The table shown below indicates which of the themes above are relevant to each of the poems in the poetry anthology. 

Use this to help plan which poems you would choose to compare for each theme when preparing for your exam.

Further resources

Listed below is a list of resources we found useful, and we hope you will too.

Table showing themes for the power and conflict poetry anthology

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