AQA GCSE English Literature: Power and
Conflict Poetry
Grade 9-Level Revision Guide for Students Preparing for Summer Exams
Contents
1. Introduction to the Power and Conflict Cluster
2. Exam Strategy and Assessment Objectives
3. Detailed Analysis of Key Poems (Thematic and Technical)
4. Top-Level Comparative Skills
5. Model Grade 9 Responses
6. Contextual Understanding
7. Planning and Time Management
8. Self-Quiz and Practice Prompts
1. Introduction to the Power and Conflict Cluster
The Power and Conflict poetry anthology explores how individuals and societies respond to
power, conflict, control, and identity. These poems range from historical critiques of
tyranny to modern explorations of war trauma and identity crises. To succeed at a high
level, you must:
- Understand how themes are explored across multiple poems.
- Be able to make insightful comparisons.
- Write critically and analytically with embedded context.
2. Exam Strategy and Assessment Objectives
What You Will Be Asked:
- You’ll get one named poem from the anthology and a thematic focus (e.g.
power/conflict/memory).
- You must compare it to another poem of your choice from memory.
How You Are Marked:
- AO1 (12 marks): Clear, comparative response to the task with embedded quotations and
perceptive ideas.
- AO2 (12 marks): Analyse how language, form, and structure are used to convey ideas.
- AO3 (6 marks): Show understanding of the context in which the poems were written.
Top Tips:
- Learn key quotes from at least 6 poems.
- Practise comparisons under timed conditions.
- Avoid vague phrases like "this makes the reader feel...". Instead: "This semantic field of
decay suggests the inevitable collapse of human power."
3. Detailed Analysis of Key Poems (Thematic and Technical)
See full document for analyses of:
- Ozymandias
- London
- Remains
- War Photographer
4. Top-Level Comparative Skills
PEACE Structure:
- Point: Make a comparative point.
- Evidence: Integrate quotations.
- Analysis: Zoom in on techniques.
- Context: Link to authorial intent or historical setting.
- Evaluate: Which is more effective and why?
Sentence Starters:
- "Both poets explore... but through differing perspectives."
- "Whilst X presents power as tyrannical, Y portrays it as transient."
- "The juxtaposition of permanence and decay in both poems creates a shared sense of
irony."
5. Model Grade 9 Responses
Question: Compare how the consequences of power are presented in Ozymandias and one
other poem.
In both Ozymandias and London, the poets expose the fragility of human power. Shelley’s
depiction of a shattered statue functions as an ironic metaphor for the futility of political
dominance: "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" The imperative is undermined by
the surrounding "boundless and bare" landscape. Similarly, Blake portrays systemic power
as spiritually corrosive: "And the hapless Soldier’s sigh / Runs in blood down Palace walls."
Here, the metaphor critiques the monarchy’s exploitation of its people. Both poems
ultimately suggest that human power is either self-destructive or impermanent.
6. Contextual Understanding
See table in full document for poem-by-poem context.
7. Planning and Time Management
45-Minute Essay Strategy:
- 5 minutes – Read the question and plan your two poems.
- 10 minutes – Write your introduction and first comparative paragraph.
- 15 minutes – Middle paragraphs (zoom in on language and context).
- 10 minutes – Final paragraph and conclusion.
- 5 minutes – Proofread for clarity and quotations.
8. Self-Quiz and Practice Prompts
Quick Questions:
1. What does Shelley suggest about legacy in Ozymandias?
2. How does Duffy explore emotional detachment in War Photographer?
3. What is the effect of enjambment in Remains?
Practice Questions:
- Compare the ways poets present the effects of conflict in Bayonet Charge and one other
poem.
- Compare how the power of nature is presented in Storm on the Island and The Prelude.
Final Advice:
- Learn 10 high-impact quotations across 6 poems.
- Revise 3 go-to comparative pairings.
- Practise writing short analytical bursts under timed conditions.
- Remember: your job is not to summarise but to analyse.
