IGCSE Edexcel English Lit Anthology Poetry

According to the Kipling in 'If' what kind of attributes will help man face adversities and emerge victorious?

In this poem, the poet suggests a great number of attributes that will help a man face adversity and emerge victorious. The most important one, however, is to keep cool.

Who was 'If' written to?

It was addressed to the poet's son, who later died in WW1 aged 18.

What structure does 'If' have?

The poem has a regular rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD which gives constancy to the pace. It uses iambic pentameter to led a conversational tone. It's one single long sentence in the conditional tense saves the punchline of whom the poem is addressed to until the concluding exclamatory phrase.

Who was 'If' inspired by?

The poem was inspired by men like Jameson, a colonist in South Africa who led an infamous uprising to release the country from the Boer population who ran it.

What is the effect of writing in the second person by Kipling in 'If'?

This lends the poem a didactic tone which could be interpreted from the start as being written to anyone. It also involves the reader personally.

What examples of personification are there in 'If' by Rudyard Kipling?

The poet personifies triumph, disaster and will by the use of capitals for the first letter to create proper nouns and thus stress the importance of persistence and resilience in the face of opposition but also in not letting success go to your head. Personification of 'Will' by making the abstract noun a proper noun and giving it a voice to say 'Hold on!' reinforces the need to subdue one's baser instincts to those which rise above to encourage resilience.

What is the effect of the repetition "How I miss my father'

It signifies the grief and sadness felt by the poet which is further strengthened through the use of an exclamation mark

Identify an example of a metaphor in Poem @ 39 and explain its meaning

'seasoning none of my life the same way twice' proves that she does not want to be confined and it suggests that her father was unconventional and its like life spicing up a meal

What is an example of juxtaposition in 'Poem @ 39' and what does it symbolise?

'cooked like a person dancing in a yoga meditation' this highlights the energy and enthusiasm of the person dancing compared with the calm of a meditative pose.

What words or phrases are used to describe water in 'Blessing' from the perspective from the residents, and why

Water is metaphorically described as 'silver' suggesting it is extremely valuable, precious and scarce. The temporal marker 'Sometimes' emphasizes the infrequency and rarity of water

Describe how the writer used water as the saviour of the village in 'Blessing'

The writer used water as the saviour by saying "kindly god" this shows that people believe that water for them is very precious and mystical

What are the connotations of the noun congregation in the poem 'Blessing'

The writer uses 'congregation' with connotations of people gathering to worship to highlight the people's attitude to the water as almost worshiping a God

In 'Search for My tongue' why do you think the speaker compares her mother tongue to a blossoming plant

Just as a plant needs nourishment to grow, so does the speaker's first language by practice in everyday use.

Is 'Search for my tongue' arguing against learning a foreign language? How can you tell? Would the speaker be able to appreciate her mother tongue if she hadn't learned any other languages?

The poem suggests that learning a second language can cause a conflict to a person's identity even though it may be necessary if 'you lived in a place you had to speak a foreign tongue'. She would appreciate the language more if she would have spoken more than one language as she could compare them together unlike just speaking one language she would have nothing to compare it with.

What does 'nightmare heat' symbolise in War Photographer? What is the effect of the poet's juxtaposition of this image with children running?

It refers to the intense heat which symbolize chaos and war between countries this causes the nightmare to occur for other people this shows the writer trying to emphasize the thoughts of the children and how they react towards the situation and so the image of running children being shown, this meant that the writer is trying to emphasize how they how children were actually treated like they were always in their nightmare.

What imagery is god metaphorically associated to in The Tyger and why?

The resemblance of a blacksmith and the creation of weapons is similar to God's creation of human. Both characters are a source of creation and provide free will

Who was William Blake?

A working class English poet and artist who only attended school until he was 10 years old.

How does the poet present the power of control presented in MLD?

My Last Duchess was written in Victorian Age, when women were seen as a property in a marriage rather than love. Browning explored the dominant role of male society, the idea of ownership and the position of women in marriage. The long, continuous dramatic monologue indicates the duke's power of controlling as he doesn't bother other people's opinions. The idea of power is also demonstrated through the use of imperatives "I give commands".

What is the effect of one long stanza in MLD?

It symbolises the Duke's status as he has the power to control the situation he is in

How does the Agard present his culture and identity in Half Caste?

He uses an Afro Carribean tone accompanied with the English phonetic spelling which is a very cultural aspect of his life as it emphasises the purpose of the poem being 'half caste'

How does Agard show the importance of being 'half caste' in the world

Picasso is used as he is a world-renown artist famous for his 'half-caste' paintings that require a mixture of colours. Tchaikovsky, a famous pianist, is also used to show the 'half caste symphony' produced from mixing the black and white keys of a piano.

What is the form of the poem Do Not Go Gentle?

It is a villanelle

What is a villanelle?

It is a poem that always has 19 lines with a fixed rhythm using iambic pentameter. It has 5 tercets with a final quatrain with the 1st and 3rd lines of the 1st stanza being used as a refrain throughout the poem

How does the poet use imagery in 'their words had forked no lightning' of Do Not Go Gentle?

The poet uses the imagery of lightning which can have a dramatic impact as a metaphor to show the wise men's regret at not having made a sufficient impact on others with their words and deeds.

What language devices is used in the words 'Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears,'?

The poet uses juxtaposition to stress his dilemma and frustration at his loss and longing for his father. He also uses violent, stressed monosyllabic adjectives to evoke his plea further.

What is the impact of the verbs 'burn' and 'rave' on the reader?

The personification of old age gives it a human quality that makes it easier for the reader to be angry with it and blame it for the pain it brings. The extreme verbs add force to the poet's urging.

What is the impact of the repetition of 'I am not yet born' in PBB?

The repeated refrain is a ritualistic statement reminding the reader of the unborn foetus and its fears of entering the world. It challenges the reader to reflect on the chaos and danger of the world that are so impacting on the baby's psyche.

How does the poem show that it's about a kid? (half past two)

By using compound words

What is the technical term for compound words (half-past two) and how does its use affect the tone of the poem?

Neologism - creates a sense of childishness and ignorance as the boy makes up words that run together. They also emphasise his inability to tell time in a normal manner with a clock but rather by the division of his day according to events that take place.

What is the effect of the capitals in 'Something Very Wrong'? (half-past two)

Shows how bad the teacher considers the boy's actions to be and how wrong he considers it to be as a result even though ironically no one can remember what he actually did. It also shows the teacher's authority over the boy and how he views her as someone very important.

Why does Fanthorpe repeat 'Into the' in the 8th stanza?

She stresses the imaginary escape of the boy to another world where senses of smell, hearing, and touch are accentuated.

What language device is used in 'the silent noise his hangnail made' and what is its effect?

The oxymoronic phrase draws the reader into the boy's exaggerated focus on his senses and the smallest details of sensations made by a piece of loose skin as he escapes his confinement into a world outside of time.

What is the effect of the phrase 'In spite of myself' in Piano?

It suggests the poet is reluctant or lacks self control.

Why does Lawrence use indefinite articles in stanza 1 when referring to the child and woman?

Using 'a' keeps an obviously personal memory universal for all to imagine. It also creates distance between the writer and his memory.

What themes could be represented in the poem Piano?

Memory, childhood, music, nostalgia, past & present

What words or phrases create an intimate tone in Piano?

child sitting under the piano' creates an intimate image of a child sitting so close to his other he can press her 'small, poised feet'. She provides shelter for him. The sibilance in 'smiles as she sings' accentuates the calm, gentle mood.

According to the poem, how does the poet convey the theme of childhood

The writer convey the theme of childhood through a wide range of sensory imagery. Like "weep like a child for the past"

How does the volta in Sonnet 116 change the direction of Shakespeare's image of love?

"Love's not Time's fool' shifts the image of love as a guide to a personified eternal everlasting force

What is the structure of a sonnet?

It is a 14 line poem with a set rhythm of iambic pentameter and 3 sets of quatrains which rhyme together followed by a rhyming couplet.

How many lines are in a quatrain?

4

What does Sonnet 116 attempt to explain?

It attempts to explain and define what true love is

In the 1600s who would commonly write sonnets and why?

They were traditionally written by aristocratic me with titles to show off their cleverness. The traditional subject was the adoration of a female Beloved figure who is beautiful, but too pure and religious to consider human love.

How did Shakespeare's sonnets often differ from the traditional subject?

He wrote 126 sonnets to a young male friend and only 28 to a Dark Lady with whom the poetic voice had a passionate sexual relationship.

What structural comments could you make about the first lines of Sonnet 116?

It plunges the reader into the middle of a thought which refers to a marriage service which pauses to ask if any of the congregation know of any obstacles to the couple's marriage. Right from the start the poet seems to be suggesting that only people who are of one thought and mind, compatible both spiritually and intellectually, should be connected by marriage. It immediately sets the bar very high and begins the discussion for what true love is.

What is the effect of negative words such as 'not', 'no' and 'never' in Sonnet 116?

The repetition of these words suggests the attempt to define or explain true love is a painful one for the poet, as though he cannot find a clear definition other than by saying what it is not.

How does the poet use the archaic form of 'Oh' in Sonnet 116?

The exclamation 'O' is an outburst of emotion leading the reader to believe Shakespeare is pushing himself to make sense of the concept of love.

What language device is used in 'ever-fixed mark'?

The metaphor creates an image of constancy that compares love to a target that cannot move. The suggestion seems to be here that love is something steady and positive. However, 'mark' could also mean a stain that cannot be washed out and brands you forever.

What does 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' mean in English?

The beautiful lady without pity

What effect does the title of LBD have on the reader?

It immediately tells the reader the poem will involve a cruel woman who has no sympathy for others. It is borrowed from a 15th Century French poem by Alain Chartier. The allusion sets the scene of medieval times where there are knights and fairies.

What is a ballad?

A medieval structure for poetry designed to be performed to listeners which makes a poem like a sad song.

Who are the two speakers in LBD?

The narrator who is an observer of the knight who questions him in the first two stanzas. The knight himself who tells his story in the first person.

What words create a magical tone for LBD?

a faery's child' creates a supernatural or unreal tone

The woman in LBD finds the knight 'honey wild' and 'manna -dew' to eat. What are the connotations of these?

honey' connotes something sweet and delicious but also naturally made. Juxtaposed with 'wild' suggests the woman is pleasing but also with a wanton quality. 'manna' has a biblical reference to food from heaven leading the reader to question whether she is an angel or at least not of this world.

What is a 'bark' in Sonnet 116?

A ship

How is love the 'star to every wandering bark'?

The metaphor compares love to a star by which a sailor would guide his ship at night. Thus love is something that can help you when you are off course in life.

What is the 'O' in the first two stanzas of (La Belle Dame)

Emotional exclamation

The squirrel's granary is full, And the harvest's done' what langauge technique is used ? (La Belle Dame)

Pathetic fallacy