theme 1 : power and corruption

England in 1819 - context :

• 1) what type of critique is the poem , and what does it critique ?

• 2) what event is the poem a direct response to ?

• 1) it’s a social + political critique , of institutional corruption ( e.g monarchy)

• 2) the peter-loo massacre in 1819 - peaceful protesters killed

England in 1819 - language :

• 1) what is the first line of the poem ? what technique is used in it, and what’s its effect .

• 2) what type of alliteration is used throughout the Poem ? Give examples of it and what’s its effect ?

• 3) what line uses a polysydeton and tricolon and what’s its effect ?

• 4) what vicid simile is used to describe the monarchy draining England /it’s people ?

• 5) Give an example of sibilance in the poem and analyse its effect

• 1) “ old , mad , blind , despised “ -

• Asyndetic listing (in first section of first line) → creates a sharp , bold , direct + radical statement

• 2) plosive alliteration

• “ despised and dying “ and “  blind in blood “

• → emphasises anger  , forceful quality of line creates harshness in his criticism 

• 3) “ rulers who neither see , nor feel , nor know “

• polysydeton - slows rhythm making line more deliberate and weighty

• Tricolon - puts emphasises on extent of corruption / moral failure of monarchy . → the line is made to be more memorable/ emphasised .

• 4) simile of “leech”

• 5) “starved and stabbed”

• creates sinister hissing sound → similar to sound of sword being swung sharply in air → depicts graphic violence of Peter-loo massacre

England in 1819 - structure and form :

• structure - 1) what poetic structural technique is used heavily and what’s its effect ?

• form - 2) what is the form of the poem and analyse how it’s used in the poem for effect ?

• form - 3) what is the rhyme scheme wand what’s its effect

1) structure - caseura is used heavily

• creates a staccato (disconnected due to lots of pauses) and breathless rhythm → emphasises his anger at corruption

2) form - a sonnet

• it’s traditional use (of being about love) is subverted to be a harsh critique

• inverts the physical structure of sonnet - (opens with six line sesset then eight line octave , which is the opposite for petrachan sonnets) - reflects subversion and disorder of scociety

3) form - irregular rhyme scheme

• reinforces disorder as its unpredictable/unconventional

A century later : context

• 1) what is the poem a response to and whats its effect of doing such ?

• 2) what is the poem critiquing and how is it similar to England in 1819’s critique ?

• 1) response to “ anthem for doomed youth “ Poem from ww1 by Wilfred Owen

• Shows conflict is cyclical/recurring/inevitable (as conflict is happening a century later )

• + compares girls wanting education to soldiers in war

• 2) critiquing oppressive regime of Taliban and its institutional corruption .

• Similar to 1819 critique → both contain the same universal + timeless critique of institutions in power being morally corrupt .

A century later - language

• 1) what is the first line of the poem ? Analyse the techniques used in it .

• 2) what flower is referenced in the poem . Analyses its effect ?

• 1) “ the school bell is a call to battle “

• Motif of martial imagery - creates juxtaposition between vulnerability of schoolgirls vs oppression of Taliban → emphasises brutality and ruthless nature of Taliban but also strength of girls .

• “School bell “ - subverts symbol of childhood innocence into something dangerous , highlighting danger and struggles for girls .

• Repetition of plosive “ b” sound - mimics explosions to further show danger of education

• “ bells “ - intertextual allusion to first line of “ anthem for doomed youth “ mirroring how struggle for education is equivalent to war . It’s dangerous but courage and perseverance is need to prosper

• 2) poppies

• References the trenches in ww1 where poppies where the inky thing that grew in the destroyed land → shows how something powerful/resilient and hopeful able to emerge from trauma → empowering tone

A century later : structure and form

• 1) what’s the form + the stanza lengths of the poem ? Analyse its effect

• 1) free verse and irregular stanza lengths :

• Creates chaos + disorder like war → shows freedom and rebellion against patriarchy