Writing a response
When you have settled on a suitable poem, you should note down a variety of links between the poems. The key thing to do when comparing poems is to note the points where they are similar and the points where they differ.
When writing an essay comparing your two poems you should consider the points below.
Essay-writing tips
A good approach to begin with is to highlight any key terms which stand out for you.
In the sample question the key term you must think about is 鈥榙eath in conflict鈥.
Make sure you use the key term or terms frequently throughout your essay.
Begin by introducing both poems, giving a brief overview of their main subject or message. You MUST refer to the key terms in your introduction.
You will be expected to compare and contrast the poets鈥 use of features such as theme, formThe visible shape and structure of something and the particular way in which it exists or appears., structureThe way the poet has organised the poem on the page eg number of stanzas, lines per stanza, breaks in between lines and stanzas., rhythmA strong pattern of words, sounds, musical notes or movement found in poetry, music and dance., language and figure of speechA word or phrase with a meaning other than the literal meaning. It can be a metaphor or simile that further explains a concept or is used for rhetorical or vivid effect..
Remember to avoid simply identifying what techniques or approaches poets use. Aim to show an understanding of how form, language and structure create meanings and effects.
Make sure you are comparing and contrasting the poems throughout.
Your essay should be peppered with comparing words and phrases such as "similarly...", "in contrast to this鈥" and "this can also be seen in鈥".
Mention any relevant details about the context of the poem.
You will not get marks for context which is not linked directly to the question.
For example, don鈥檛 simply write down everything you know about the poet if it is not relevant to the question.
Support all you say with details or quotes from the poem.
This may mean quoting a full line at times, but could also involve detailed analysis of one significant word.
If you were to compare Requiem for the Croppies with The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson for example, you could use some of the following points:
- Both poems are written about a historical event - battles that took place as part of wider wars. Requiem for the Croppies is about the Battle of Vinegar Hill and The Charge of the Light Brigade is about the Battle of BalaclavaThe Battle of Balaclava took place on 25 October 1854 during the Crimean War. It was part of the Siege of Sevastopol, Russia's principal naval base on the Black Sea. during the Crimean WarA war fought on the Crimean Peninsula (1853 鈥 1856) in which the Russian Empire lost to an alliance of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), France, Sardinia, and Britain..
- Both poems tell the story of a brutal defeat which killed many men.
- Both poems are written in tribute to the men who died.
- Both poems highlight just how many people died. Heaney describes how "Terraced thousands died" to emphasise the extent of the casualties. Tennyson does this through changing the refrainA short phrase or verse of a song or poem that is repeated at recurring intervals, especially at the end of each stanza. at the end of each stanzaLines of poetry that make up a section; a verse. - it is "Rode the six hundred" in the first three stanzas but becomes "Not the six hundred" in the fourth stanza.
- While both poems show the waste of life in a war situation, those who died are remembered as heroes.
- The Charge of the Light Brigade is a narrative poemA narrative poem tells a story. Narrative poems do not have to follow rhythmic patterns. while Requiem for the Croppies is a traditional sonnetA fourteen-line poem, usually with ten syllables in each line..
- The defeated rebels in Requiem for the Croppies are fighting against the British Army, while it is the British soldiers themselves who are defeated in The Charge of the Light Brigade.
When writing about these similarities and differences you should discuss the methods used by the poets.
Look at the earlier sections on themes, language, form and structure to get ideas.