Conflict Poetry Flashcards
(107 cards)
What is the big idea in A Poison Tree?
If you don’t let out your anger, it will grow and something bad will happen as a consequence
What are the first lines in A poison Tree?
“I was angry with my friend”
“I told my wrath, my wrath did end”
“I was angry with my foe”
“I told it not, my wrath did grow”
He was angry and told his friend - his anger faded
he was angry with his enemy and didn’t tell anyone - his anger grew
What did the narrator do to the tree in A Poison Tree?
"I water'd it in fears night and morning with my tears and i sunned it with smiles and with soft deceitful wiles" negative and sibilance makes it sound sinister
What is the biblical reference in A Poison Tree?
“till it bore an apple bright” (Adam and Eve)
What is the last line in A Poison Tree?
"My foe outstretched beneath the tree" The tree (anger) has killed his enemy. The tree is a metaphor for his anger throughout the whole poem
What does the title A Poison Tree show?
Poison - death
Tree - life
contrast
What is the context of The Destruction of Sennacherib?
Tells the biblical story of the failed Assyrian siege of Jerusalem
What is the big idea of The Destruction of Sennacherib?
That God is all powerful and nobody can defeat him
What is the first line of The Destruction of Sennacherib?
“The Assyrian army came down like the wolf on the fold”
Immediately sets up the Assyrian as a predator and dehumanises them. It shows their power
How are the Assyrian army described in The Destruction Of Sennacherib?
“gleaming in purple and gold”
shows how wealthy they are
“Sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea”
nature imagery, shows the big scale sibilance shows they are a threat
What does the parallel syntax in The Destruction of Sennacherib show?
They are described as leaves in the “summer” which shows they are healthy and then the next morning they are described as leaves in “autumn” which shows they are dying.
It highlights the ease of the defeat of the Assyrian army because their defeat is shown by a few changing words
What is the oxymoron in The Destruction of Sennacherib and what does it show?
“Angel of death”
Introduction of a biblical figure (God) increases the intensity of the poem presenting it as powerful
This is then emphasised by the use of plosive sounds
How does the Destruction of Sennacherib continue to show Gods power?
“distorted and pale”
contrasts the “purple and gold” at the beginning
“rust on his mail”
God can play with time
the tents were “all silent”, the banners “alone”, the lances “unlifted” and the trumpet “unblown”
Semantic field of isolation creates a pause in the action and demonstrates the power of God
What is the final line in The Destruction of Sennacherib?
“Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!”
Comparison to snow is unusual as the battle took place in a desert. This shows the power of God as an army is impossibly destroyed like snow is almost impossible in a desert
What does the title The Destruction of Sennacherib show?
The determiner “The” presents the significance of the event
“destruction” connotates complete annihilation and presents the powerfulness of God
by using “Sennacherib” rather than King Sennacherib, it is immediately degrading which shows Lord Bryon’s sympathetic view of Jerusalem rather than the Assyrian Army
What is the big idea of the extract from The Prelude?
The adult world is much scarier and bigger than a child’s world and also that nature has power and control over everyone
What is the first line in the extract from The Prelude?
“One summer evening (led by her)”
“Summer evening” presents a pleasant image
“(led by her)” personifies mother nature and shows that nature has control of him
What does the oxymoron in the extract from The Prelude show?
“troubled pleasure”
he is stealing but is also enjoying it. He thinks he has control
What positive imagery is used in the extract from The Prelude?
“rocky cove” and “small circles glittering idly in the moon” are both positive and pleasant imagery
“rocky cove” is later contrasted by “craggy ridge” which is much more harsh and unpleasant
What quote in the extract from the prelude shows that the narrator thinks he has control, what quote shows that he is beginning to lose it and what quote shows he has finally lost it?
“to reach a chosen point” shows he thinks he has control
“heaving through the water like a swan” shows he is losing it as it connotates an intense physical effort
“I struck and struck again” shows he has lost it as he is panicked and vulnerable
What is the pivot point in the extract from The Prelude?
“craggy steep till then the horizon’s bound”
Builds tension as he is hiding what is about to be revealed
How is the mountain described in the extract from The Prelude?
“a huge peak, black and huge”
Metaphorical for nature and also repetition of “huge” emphasises it’s size. “black” connotates death and darkness
“upreared its head”
personifies the mountain, shows it has a mind of its own and suggests it reveals itself
“grim shape”
connotates evil and darkness, like “black” from earlier on
What is the effect of the narrator seeing the mountain in the extract from the Prelude?
“o’er my thoughts there hung a darkness”
he has a limited understanding but realises his ignorance
“were a trouble to my dreams” (final line)
he is having nightmares about it
both suggest that it affected him long term and haunted him
They also suggest that nature can take many forms and isn’t limited by time to demonstrate it’s power
What is the context to the extract from The Prelude?
William Wordsworth was a romantic poet, therefore he wrote about nature and opposed industry
he lived with relatives but had a poor relationship and so spent most of time outside -> appreciates nature
The poem is autobiographical and therefore his own experience
