Comparing Poems

  

In the exam, you'll be asked to COMPARE two poems.

  

What will usually happen is that you'll be given an idea - a 'Theme' (for instance, the idea of uncertain identity) - and you'll be asked to compare how two poems deal with that theme.

  

Sometimes, the exam may specify both poems.   Often you will be given one poem and left to choose the other for yourself.   Occasionally, you will be expected to choose both poems.

  

  

  

  

Links

  

brill BBC podcast (text version)

BBC advice (complicated)

  

Answering the Question - writing STUFF

How do you do such a question?

  

Well - of course - first of all you've got to decide which poems you're going to write about.

And after that you've got to write STUFF about it:

  

Theme

First, write a short paragraph describing how both poems address the theme you have been asked about.   There is no need to go into detail here about what the poets think, only about how they address the theme.

•    Make sure you mention BOTH poems, and that you back up your points with quotes from the poems.

Structure

Next, write a second paragraph comparing the structure of the two poems.

•    Make sure you explain HOW the poets USE the structure of the poem to get across their ideas about the theme.

•    Make sure you mention BOTH poems, and that you back up your points with quotes from the poems.

Use of Language

Next, write a third paragraph comparing the way the two poems use language.

•    Make sure you explain HOW the poets USE language in the poem to get across their points about the theme.

•    Make sure you mention BOTH poems, and that you back up your points with quotes from the poems.

Feelings of the poet

Next, write a fourth paragraph comparing what the two poets think about the theme.   This is the place to go into DETAIL about what they feel.

•    Make sure you mention BOTH poems, and that you back up your points with quotes from the poems.

Feelings of the poet

Finally, write a fifth paragraph comparing what YOU think about the two poems.

•    Make sure you explain how the poets make you feel about the theme.

•    Make sure you mention BOTH poems, and that you back up your points with quotes from the poems.

       


Themes

Themes you may be asked about include:

•  Identity

•  Feelings about people

•  Feelings about places

•  Language and dialect, how people talk.

•  Other cultures, customs and traditions - way of life spiritually and materially.

•  Beliefs and rituals

•  Different attitudes and values

•  Living between two cultures

•  Travel and migration

•  Feelings about change

•  Poverty (e.g. contrasting the developed western world with developing countries).

•  Protest and politics

Structure - hints

Think about:

(Lacking Visual Structure Really Ruins Poems)

•   Line length

•   Visual layout

•   Stanzas - how the content is organised

•   Rhyme and rhythm

•   Repetition

•   Punctuation

(and WHY the poet has chosen to do that).

Language - hints

Think about:

(Don't Speak Quietly In This Lesson)

•   Dialect

•   who is Speaking

•   Are there any Questions and commands

•   Images, similes and metaphors

•   Tone

•   Literary techniques such as onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, personification etc.

(and WHY the poet has chosen to do that).