Comparative Analysis Structure

What do the writers do?

A similarity or difference that responds to the task
How does the writer do it?
Quotation from text A
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Comparative adjective
Quotation from text B
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Why do the writers do it?
Consider the writers’ biographies
Consider historical context
Before we annotate…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in London.

Having Read the poem, what additional, secondary questions can you think that
are relevant lines of inquiry?

I wander thro' each charter'd street, But most thro' midnight streets I hear
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. How the youthful Harlots curse
And mark in every face I meet Blasts the new-born Infants tear
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

In every cry of every Man,

In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear

How the Chimney-sweepers cry

Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
Before we annotate…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in London.

Having Read the poem, what additional, secondary questions can you think that
are relevant lines of inquiry?

I wander thro' each charter'd street, But most thro' midnight streets I hear
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. How the youthful Harlots curse
And mark in every face I meet Blasts the new-born Infants tear
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

In every cry of every Man, Inquiry Questions:

In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
● What impression is created of nature?
● How does he describe and present citizens?
● Are any language, structural or form features in
frequent usage?
● How does he present the institutions described?
● What larger ideas (themes) is Blake referencing
and what does he imply about them?
● What is the emotional tenor of the poem?
● Is there a political statement being made?
Let’s annotate as a group…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in London.

What is implied about the subject of the task above and the inquiry questions
below? How are those ideas suggested?

I wander thro' each charter'd street, But most thro' midnight streets I hear
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. How the youthful Harlots curse
And mark in every face I meet Blasts the new-born Infants tear
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

In every cry of every Man, Inquiry Questions:

In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
● What impression is created of nature?
● How does he describe and present citizens?
● Are any language, structural or form features in
frequent usage?
● How does he present the institutions described?
● What larger ideas (themes) is Blake referencing
and what does he imply about them?
Let’s annotate for form as a group…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in London.

What patterns can you identify in the form? Rhythm? Rhyme scheme? Stanza length?
Line length? Is the poem controlled or chaotic or start in one state and move to another?
What does this communicate about the subject of the task and our inquiry questions?

I wander thro' each charter'd street, But most thro' midnight streets I hear
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. How the youthful Harlots curse
And mark in every face I meet Blasts the new-born Infants tear
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

In every cry of every Man, Features of the form

In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear

How the Chimney-sweepers cry

Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
Let’s annotate for form as a group…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in London.

What patterns can you identify in the form? Rhythm? Rhyme scheme? Stanza length?
Line length? Is the poem controlled or chaotic or start in one state and move to another?
What does this communicate about the subject of the task and our inquiry questions?

I wander thro' each charter'd street, But most thro' midnight streets I hear
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. How the youthful Harlots curse
And mark in every face I meet Blasts the new-born Infants tear
Marks of weakness, marks of woe. And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

In every cry of every Man, Features of the form

In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
● Iambic tetrameter - 8 syllables per line
● trochaic tetrameter - 7 syllables per line
● Volta?
● Quatrains
● Regular rhyme ABAB
● Anaphora/ repetition
● Acrostic in stanza three
Let’s write as a group…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in

London.

When you have an analysis task in English, you are really being asked two or three
questions…

Inquiry Questions:
What does the writer do?
Simple direct response to task
How does the writer do it?
Quotations
Inferences (atmosphere/imagery/tone)
Reader feeling & Alternative reader feeling
Language, structural, form features/ interesting words
writer uses
• What impression is created of
nature?
• How does he describe and
present citizens?
• Are any language, structural or
form features in frequent
usage?
• How does he present the
institutions described?
• What larger ideas (themes) is
Blake referencing and what
does he imply about them?
Your turn…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in

London.

When you have an analysis task in English, you are really being asked two or three
questions…

Inquiry Questions:
What does the writer do?
Simple direct response to task
How does the writer do it?
Quotations
Inferences (atmosphere/imagery/tone)
Reader feeling & Alternative reader feeling
Language, structural, form features/ interesting words
writer uses
• What impression is created of
nature?
• How does he describe and
present citizens?
• Are any language, structural or
form features in frequent
usage?
• How does he present the
institutions described?
• What larger ideas (themes) is
Blake referencing and what
does he imply about them?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiRWBI0JTYQ

Let’s Watch: A History

of Ideas: Romanticism
This video establishes the ideas and individuals that
become synonymous with the Romantic movement.

To what extent does Blake’s

London conform with the
conventions of Romanticism?
How so?

Take notes while we watch!

Let’s write as a group…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in

London.

When you have an analysis task, you are really being asked two or three
questions…

What does the writer do?

Simple direct response to task
How does the writer do it?
Quotations
Inferences (atmosphere/imagery/tone)
Reader feeling & Alternative reader feeling
Language, structural, form features/ interesting words writer uses
Why does the writer do it?
Historical context
Philosophical influences
Your turn…

Explore the ways in which Blake creates a sense of place in

London.

When you have an analysis task, you are really being asked two or three
questions…

What does the writer do?

Simple direct response to task
How does the writer do it?
Quotations
Inferences (atmosphere/imagery/tone)
Reader feeling & Alternative reader feeling
Language, structural, form features/ interesting words writer uses
Why does the writer do it?
Historical context
Philosophical influences
Perspective on the Spec

Record notes on the information from

Pearson, we can only succeed in the
assessment if we understand the skills
examiners are hoping to see.
Quoted - William Blake

What do the words reveal of

the man?

What do we learn of his

psychology, view of the
world, priorities and
philosophy?

Be ready to explain your

ideas…
Biography of Blake
Your Two Cents

Explore your personal response…

What made Blake a remarkable person?

Is there anything that makes you admire

him? Why?

Is there anything that provokes your

disapproval or concern? Why?

How do you think his contemporaries may

have felt about him? Why?

To what extent is Blake a figure who

remains relevant today? Why?
The Last Supper - Various

Interpret these paintings - what has the event come to symbolise?

The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci

INNOCENCE

All four Gospels give an account of the Last Supper in the Bible. At this gathering, Jesus Christ shared his final meal with the disciples
on the night before he was arrested. Also called the Lord's Supper, the Last Supper was significant because Jesus showed his
followers that he would become the Passover Lamb of God.

EXPERIENCE

This version of the Last Supper serves as a reactionary painting. It is meant to be an after effect of Jesus declaring that one of his
apostles will betray him, followed by the aghast expressions of all of his apostles. The content of this painting also shows Jesus
pointing to bread and to wine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiRWBI0JTYQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lixzGPuZYgc

Let’s Watch: A
Procession
Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday is the day during Holy Week that
commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ
with the Apostles, as described in the canonical gospels. It is the fifth day
of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good
Friday.

How would scenes like these

make onlookers feel?

Knowing what you know of his

psychology and beliefs, how
might Blake respond to these
scenes?
‘The Lamb’

This poem is typical of Blake’s work in his self published collection, ‘Songs of
Innocence’.

- Who is the intended audience?

- What is the tone and atmosphere?
- Does it appeal to you?
 First Reading
- Innocence

Inquiry Questions

How does Blake present the children?

How does he depict the church?
What is his conception and presentation of
innocence?
What is implied about class?
Explore the effect of the natural imagery.
What is the overall message of the poem?
 First Reading
- Experience

Inquiry Questions

How does Blake present the children?

How does he depict the church?
What is his conception and presentation of
innocence?
What is implied about class?
Explore the effect of the natural imagery.
What is the overall message of the poem?
 Inquiry Questions

Exploring the themes How does Blake present the children?

How does he depict the church?
What is his conception and presentation of
innocence?
What is implied about class?
Explore the effect of the natural imagery.
What is the overall message of the poem?

● The church
● Poverty

Record a comment explaining what Blake

communicates about each theme

Consider both an innocent and experienced

perspective for each
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
How Did Great Britain Present Herself in the 1790s?

You could consider various

aspects of society including
the monarchy, commerce,
religion, the military etc.
How was Great Britain in Reality in the 1790s?

You could consider the

monarchy & miltary,
slavery, the results of
industrialisation in society
etc.
Holy Thursday, Songs of Experience

Comment on the form:

How does the change from the iambic metre in the first line
to trochaic tetrametre affect the pace? What does it imply
What is the effect of the plosive about the mind state of the speaker?
alliteration here? What
atmosphere is produced?
What does the
juxtaposition of virtue and
Is this a holy thing to see, vice, holiness and sin
imply about the society
In a rich and fruitful land, Blake inhabits?

Babes reducd to misery,

Fed with cold and usurous hand?

What is the language here reminiscent The entire first stanza is a

of? What is Blake suggesting could be rhetorical question, what is its
Eden - The name derives from
produced in England? impact? What is the tone of the the Aramaic root word meaning
speaker? "fruitful, well-watered".
Holy Thursday, Songs of Experience

Comment on the form:

Asking questions puts an upward What effect is achieved through the use of end stopping in
inflection into speech, how does this stanza? Explore the effect on the rhythm and pace.
this impact our understanding of
the line? What might that sound
imply?
Link these rhetorical
questions to an element of
Is that trembling cry a song? the historical context.

Why might Blake

Can it be a song of joy?
employ so much And so many children poor?
auditory imagery
through sensory It is a land of poverty! How has the rhyme altered from the
language here? first stanza? What is the impact of
this shift in the form?

How is this seemingly hyperbolic exclamative shocking to

Blake’s contemporary readers?

Do you agree with his assessment of British society?

Holy Thursday, Songs of Experience

What is the impact of the syndetic Comment on the form:

listing and anaphora here?
What effect is achieved through the use of end stopping in this stanza?
Describe the impression created Explore the effect on the rhythm and pace.
of the lives of these children
How has the rhyme scheme changed again? What does this imply about life
in this society?

What is implied about the

What meaning
children’s lives through
can you discern And their sun does never shine. this metaphor? To whom
from the
juxtaposition of And their fields are bleak & bare. are they compared?
‘never’ and And their ways are fill'd with thorns.
‘eternal’? It is eternal winter there.

Explore the effect of the extended Is the atmosphere of this

metaphor in this stanza. What
does Blake compare society to
and what does this imply?
stanza as hopeless as it
seems? Why/ why not?
Blake, Hell XIII (from illustrations
to The Divine Comedy)
Holy Thursday, Songs of Experience

Comment on the form:

What is the effect of the reduced endstopping?

Explore the repetition of Explain the purpose of the change from trochaic tetrametre to back to an
‘where-e’er’. iambic metre

Describe the impact of the

What is Blake’s
sibilance and pathetic fallacy here
ultimate For where-e'er the sun does shine,
message? Who
is it delivered to? And where-e'er the rain does fall:
Babe can never hunger there,
Nor poverty the mind appall.

Explore the effect of the extended Is the atmosphere of this

metaphor in this stanza. What
does Blake compare a possible
society to and what does this
imply?
stanza as hopeless as it
seems? Why/ why not?
Blake, The Meeting of the
Family in Heaven
Exploring Your Personal Response
You could consider the
monarchy & miltary, slavery,
the results of industrialisation
in society etc.
Blake’s representation of Britain in both
versions of Holy Thursday describes a
society that is unrecognisable to
modern readers.

To what extent, if at all, do you agree?

Use any evidence from the text(s) to

support your ideas and any relevant
aspects of the historical and modern
contexts.
THE SICK ROSE (EXPERIENCE)
 Let’s Read: The Sick
Rose
Composed between 1789 and 1793, The Sick Rose
uses uses the symbol of a rose to lament a lost state of
grace.

What might the ‘Rose’

represent?

What might the ‘invisible

worm’ be symbolic of?
Diamond Nine

Rank the interpretations of the poem from

most to least important perspectives.

Be ready to explain and justify your

choices
Symbolism Symposium

For each of the questions below, several

answers are possible, attempt to explore a
range of interpretations…

1. What might the symbol

represent?

2. What lines create an

impression of the symbol?

3. What does Blake

communicate about the
concept represented by the
symbol?
Let’s Annotate

Use the guiding questions

to help you annotate your
copy of the poem

Explore other areas of

interest too
Let’s Annotate

Use the guiding questions

to help you annotate your
copy of the poem

Explore other areas of

interest too
Structure and Form

● Uses anapestic dimeter (two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable) creates an emphasis on “dark” and “love”
in line 7 – reinforces the unusual idea that the worm’s ‘love’ is associated with maliciousness (an ingenuine love/benevolence
– links w idea of prostitution or with the fact that the serpent did not interact with mankind with good intent.)

● Asyndetic: narrative buildup of emotion, culminating in the realisation that the worm’s ‘dark love’ is killing the rose. Creates
climactic effect (sexual overtones)

● ABCB rhyme scheme

● The use of half-rhyme with “worm” and “storm” creates a subtle sense of discordance: something is wrong, but the problem
is one which is difficult to articulate

● Rhyming of “joy” and “destroy” – the worm takes pleasure in destruction + bringing others down (Satanistic: further
evidences the ‘Garden of Eden’ interpretation)
Read the poem, The Sick Rose.

Explore the ways in which corruption is presented in this poem and one other poem from your prescribed list.

What do the writers do?

A similarity or difference that responds to
the task
How does the writer do it?
Quotation from text A
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Comparative adjective
Quotation from text B
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Why do the writers do it?
Consider the writers’ experiences
Consider historical context
Read the poem, The Sick Rose. Explore the ways in which corruption is presented in this poem and one Essay Plan
other poem from your prescribed list.

Introduction and thesis statement: ● Briefly describe the contextual factors that influenced the construction of the
● Introduce both poems texts
● Outline your perspective of the poems, your overall argument ● (wider ideas - illuminations?)

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
one: experiences:
Ensure your analysis is balanced across language and
In both_______ structure, and integrates comments on form. You may Elements of the context to consider:
and _______, - American rev.
want to consider reader and critical theory here too. - French rev.
Blake presents - I.R.
corruption - Child labour
through…

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
two: experience:

In _______,
Blake presents
corruption as…
whereas in
______ he
reveals
corruption is…

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
three: experience:
 Symbol Representation Key quotation(s) Communication

The Rose ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

The Invisible ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Worm ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

The Howling ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Storm ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

_____________ ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________ ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
_____________ ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________ ____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
____________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
___________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
Read the poem, The Sick Rose. Explore the ways in which corruption is presented in this poem and one Essay Plan
other poem from your prescribed list.

Introduction and thesis statement:

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
one: experiences:

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
two: experience:

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context and writer’s
three: experience:
 Comparative Analysis of Blake

Read the poem, The Sick Rose.

Explore the ways in which corruption is presented in this poem and one other poem from
your prescribed list.

In your answer, you must consider relevant contextual factors

What do the writers do?

A similarity or difference that responds to the task
How does the writer do it?
Quotation from text A
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Comparative adjective
Quotation from text B
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Why do the writers do it?
Consider the writers’ experiences
Consider historical context
METER + THE TYGER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl0yBrI24XM&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8hcQ_jPIZA
The Problem of Evil…

How might Christians respond to this

enduring philosophical question?
The Problem of Revolution…

How might Blake have felt about the

French Revolution?
Let’s Watch: Iain Sinclair
Discusses Blake
These two short documentaries explore Blake’s
radicalism and his spirituality

What inspired Blake’s poetry and

art?

Can I add to my historical context

and biographical notes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl0yBrI24XM&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8hcQ_jPIZA
 What is the tone?

What is the atmosphere?

What is implied about the world

created by God?
 Remember The Lamb?
Let’s Read: The Tyger
This poem perhaps best exemplifies Blake’s radicalism
and his status as a spiritual visionary

How does the poem reflect

Blake’s radicalism?

How does the poem reflect

Blake’s religiosity?
Let’s annotate…

Explore the presentation of the Tyger in Blake’s poem.

Annotate the text and describe the effects of Blake’s choices. Keep in mind, that as is true of much of his
work, this poem has ambiguities that allow for a range of valid interpretations - can you link the content of
the poem to Blake’s religious views or his reaction to the French Revolution and industrialisation?

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, What the hammer? what the chain,
In the forests of the night; In what furnace was thy brain?
What immortal hand or eye, What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

In what distant deeps or skies. When the stars threw down their spears
Burnt the fire of thine eyes? And water'd heaven with their tears:
On what wings dare he aspire? Did he smile his work to see?
What the hand, dare seize the fire? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

And what shoulder, & what art, Tyger Tyger burning bright,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart? In the forests of the night:
And when thy heart began to beat. What immortal hand or eye,
What dread hand? & what dread feet? Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Let’s annotate…

Explore the presentation of the Tyger in Blake’s poem.

Annotate the text and describe the effects of Blake’s choices. Keep in mind, that as is true of much of his
work, this poem has ambiguities that allow for a range of valid interpretations - can you link the content of
the poem to Blake’s religious views or his reaction to the French Revolution and industrialisation?

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, What the hammer? what the chain,
In the forests of the night; In what furnace was thy brain?
What immortal hand or eye, What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

In what distant deeps or skies. When the stars threw down their spears
Burnt the fire of thine eyes? And water'd heaven with their tears:
On what wings dare he aspire? Did he smile his work to see?
What the hand, dare seize the fire? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

And what shoulder, & what art, Tyger Tyger burning bright,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart? In the forests of the night:
And when thy heart began to beat. What immortal hand or eye,
What dread hand? & what dread feet? Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
Got Rhythm?

Can you identify the meter?

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

On the day of the explosion

Shadows pointed towards the pithead Write two lines of
In the sun the slagheap slept
Down the lane came men pitboots
iambic pentameter
Coughing oath-edged talk and pipe-smoke
Shouldering off the freshened silence

A was an archer who shot at a frog he did,

B was a butcher and had a great dog he did,
C was a captain all covered with lace he was,
D was a drunkard who had a red face he was.
 Got Rhythm?

Can you identify the meter?

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

Anapestic tetrameter
On the day of the explosion
Shadows pointed towards the pithead Write two lines of
In the sun the slagheap slept
Down the lane came men pitboots
iambic pentameter
Coughing oath-edged talk and pipe-smoke
Shouldering off the freshened silence

Trochaic tetrameter

A was an archer who shot at a frog he did,

B was a butcher and had a great dog he did,
C was a captain all covered with lace he was,
D was a drunkard who had a red face he was.

Dactylic tetrameter

Iambic monometer
The Natural World

What emotions are provoked by encounters with the natural world?

 Remember, WW’s
poems are
deceptively simple
Lines Written in Early Spring and this task is
deceptively broad,
think carefully

Explore the significance of symbolism and imagery in this poem and one other
poem from your prescribed list.

Noun

What impression is created of nature through this choice of

noun? Exaggeration/ auditory imagery

What atmosphere is created at

I heard a thousand blended notes, the start of the poem - what
kind of poem might readers
While in a grove I sate reclined,
expect to find as a result?
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
Archaic verb

Nouns Why might WW employ the archaic

Sibilant juxtaposition/
spelling here? What can we infer
enjambment Is there a wider philosophical about the effect of the ‘grove’ on his
point alluded to here? How might state of mind? Is anything implied
Explore what WW it link to the features of the about his view of humanity in relation
insinuates about human genre? to nature?
nature here
 Lines Written in Early Spring

Explore the significance of symbolism and imagery in this poem and one other
poem from your prescribed list.

Noun Exaggeration/ auditory imagery

A ‘grove’ is a small group of trees, thus it is implied to be a limited,
finite refuge, rendered precious by its limitations and scarcity, but
simultaneously sufficient as it seems to entirely surround the speaker -
nature is both valued and is fulfilling, perhaps it is also threatened.
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
At first glance the atmosphere at the start of the poem is
deceptively idyllic as the sensory language has
connotations of harmony and the exaggeration creates an
image of natural abundance and splendour. Many readers
will be reassured - landscape poem with which they are
familiar. More cynical readers might detect the
foreshadowing of the text’s more complex themes through
the adjective ‘blended’ brings to mind a complex mixture
that precedes the introduction of complex emotions the
poem describes.
Archaic verb

Nouns Nature is linked to the image of an

Sibilant juxtaposition/
enjambment
The sound creates a sense of
motion and movement, an effect
compounded by the
enjambment, perhaps
symbolising the individual’s
inability to sustain contentment
The use of these nouns might reflect the Romantic reaction to
the rationality of the Enlightenment. The Romantics favoured
emotion, ‘mood’ over cold logic, ‘thoughts’, as the talisman by
which true enlightenment may be achieved. Here it is implied
that the speaker’s delight is stable until the arrival of intrusive
and unwelcome ideas. The presentation of these nouns tacitly
describes WW’s worldview.
idealised, almost mythological past - it is
steeped in mystery and even takes on
the characteristics of a supernatural
phenomenon. ‘Sitting’ ceases to be a
simple act and takes on the quality of
ritual communion with The Sublime.
 Applying Varied Thought Processes

Use the thought processes below to explore your stanza in as much detail as I did

Empath

● Is there an overall atmosphere created in the stanza? Does it remain the same or shift from state to state?
● What emotions are provoked in readers and why?
● Explore the tone of the poetic voice - what is the speaker feeling and why?

Analyst

● What language and structural features and interesting words can you detect?
● Are there any features used repeatedly?
● Are there any used in isolation?
● What do the above communicate about people, places and ideas?
● Are there any tensions or oppositions in the language? What might that communicate?

Interpreter

● Are there any larger themes explored in the stanza? What does WW imply about those themes?
● Are there any links to the historical context and genre?
● What do you think that the writer was trying to accomplish in the stanza? To what extent is the writer effective and successful? Could
anything make it more successful?
Lines Written in Early Spring - The Form

In general, three lines of iambic tetrameter

per stanza and one line of iambic trimeter.
In general, stable, regular quatrains.

In general ABAB rhyme scheme.

What are we to make of the poem’s general

stability? What is revealed about its
themes?
Lines Written in Early Spring - The Form

BUT, in the first stanza, there is slant rhyme between

the nouns ‘notes’ and ‘thoughts.’

In stanza four, ‘Their thoughts I cannot measure:-’ is

missing its final stressed syllable as is the final line of
the stanza.

In stanza five, the metrical pattern changes to:

1. Iambic tetrameter.
2. Iambic trimeter
3. Iambic tetrameter
4. Iambic trimeter

In the final stanza, the original order and coherence of

the first three stanzas is restored.

What are we to make of the poem’s

moments of instability? What is revealed
about its themes?
 Explore the significance of symbolism and imagery in this poem and one other
poem from your prescribed list.

What do the writers do?

A similarity or difference that responds to
the task
How does the writer do it?
Quotation from text A
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Comparative adjective
Quotation from text B
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Why do the writers do it?
Consider writers’ experiences
Consider historical context
Consider links to the Romanticism
Task Title: Essay Plan

Introduction and thesis statement:

Comparative point Quotations: Analysis of language, structure and form: Links to historical context, writer’s
one: experiences and the Romantic
movement:

Comparative point
two:

Comparative point
three:
Feedback
Explore the significance of symbolism and imagery in this poem and one other poem from your prescribed list.

In another colour, add to or edit your doc and

respond to your feedback

What do the writers do?

A similarity or difference that responds to the task Symbolism and imagery are further used to create an almost dystopian image of society and man-kind. In the poem ‘The Tyger’, Blake explores the prominent theme of
industrialisation through the semantic field of metal and modernism, the poetic voice questions the hellish powers of man as “what dread grasp / Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”. The phonology of the plosive

How does the writer do it? ‘d’s create a sense of power being seized, as the evident ominous tone and the connotations of ‘deadly’ and ‘terrors’ create an image of hell. This notion is further enhanced throughout the stanza with the
continuous references to metal imagery, ‘hammer’, ‘chain’, ‘furnace’ and ‘anvil’. While this evidently links to the Industrial Revolution, how society was prioritising work and factories over the well-being of
the natural world and the environment; this may also link to the French Revolution, as the dark and metallic imagery may refer to the heavy-duty equipments commonly used for executions, like the guillotine,
for example. This is further emphasised by the noun ‘terrors’ which directly links to the Reign of Terror, where thousands of people were murdered by the revolutionists. Blake was a known revolutionist, who

Quotation from text A

at the start of the French Revolution, supported the ideals for freedom and independence, but disillusioned by the lies and violence committed, he grew almost fearful and resentful about the revolution, which
is also further reinforced by the rhetorical question - instilling doubt into his and the minds of others. This negative perspective of modern society is similarly seen in ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’, as the
poetic voice starts to doubt the true intentions of man in their search for power, he questions, “What has man made of man?” The active voice of the verb ‘made’ creates the illusion that society is actively
destroying not only itself, but the world as a whole, men turned against one another to create a society tainted by aggression and violence, much like the destruction of nature in the Industrial Revolution and
Inferences the disillusionment in the French Revolution. The iambic tetrameter, which usually is associated with the heartbeat and emotion, further enhances this message, as the stress lands on the verb ‘made’, further
establishing the sheer disappointment and also mourning for how society is in spiritual decline. This is also made apparent through the refrain, as the poem almost starts and ends with the ominous line, this
alludes to the idea of the cyclical nature of society, how the pain and destruction is never ending and inescapable. Wordsworth is again seen using imagery to show the sinister qualities of society, as after

Reader feelings/ critical interpretation claiming nature is beautiful and a God in itself, the poetic voice reveals how “The human soul that through me ran”. The noun phrase ‘human soul’ has connotations of spirituality and purity, yet this notion is
tainted by the incongruous verb ‘ran’. On one hand, it could connote joy and pure excitement, running in ecstasy; on the other hand, it has much more sinister undertones. The verb ‘ran’ can take on a more
negative connotation, from running from fear to running to attack in violence; this may be Worsdworth’s way of showing the two conflicting sides of society - the peace and love for nature driven one, and the

Language, structure and form other fueled by bloodlust and greed. This brings into the idea of the sublime, as according to Wordworth, the sublime should be a combination of intense emotion, whether it be fear or pleasure, the two are
intertwined and causes a spiritual awakening experience. Overall, the use of symbols and imagery in both poems create a sense that society as a whole is spiralling into hell, and the one legitimate thing that is
pure and good in the world - nature, is also being destroyed.

Comparative adjective
Quotation from text B
Inferences
Reader feelings/ critical interpretation
Language, structure and form
Why do the writers do it?
Consider the writers’ experiences
Consider historical context
 Symbolism and imagery are further used to create an almost dystopian image of
society and man-kind. In the poem ‘The Tyger’, Blake explores the prominent theme of
industrialisation through the semantic field of metal and modernism, the poetic voice
questions the hellish powers of man as “what dread grasp / Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”.
The phonology of the plosive ‘d’s create a sense of power being seized, as the evident
ominous tone and the connotations of ‘deadly’ and ‘terrors’ create an image of hell. This
notion is further enhanced throughout the stanza with the continuous references to metal
imagery, ‘hammer’, ‘chain’, ‘furnace’ and ‘anvil’. While this evidently links to the
Industrial Revolution, how society was prioritising work and factories over the well-being
of the natural world and the environment; this may also link to the French Revolution, as
the dark and metallic imagery may refer to the heavy-duty equipments commonly used for
executions, like the guillotine, for example. This is further emphasised by the noun
‘terrors’ which directly links to the Reign of Terror, where thousands of people were
murdered by the revolutionists. Blake was a known revolutionist, who at the start of the
French Revolution, supported the ideals for freedom and independence, but disillusioned
by the lies and violence committed, he grew almost fearful and resentful about the
revolution, which is also further reinforced by the rhetorical question - instilling doubt into
his and the minds of others. This negative perspective of modern society is similarly seen
in ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’, as the poetic voice starts to doubt the true intentions of
man in their search for power, he questions, “What has man made of man?” The active
voice of the verb ‘made’ creates the illusion that society is actively destroying not only
itself, but the world as a whole, men turned against one another to create a society tainted
by aggression and violence, much like the destruction of nature in the Industrial Revolution
and the disillusionment in the French Revolution. The iambic tetrameter, which usually is
associated with the heartbeat and emotion, further enhances this message, as the stress
lands on the verb ‘made’, further establishing the sheer disappointment and also mourning
for how society is in spiritual decline. This is also made apparent through the refrain, as the
poem almost starts and ends with the ominous line, this alludes to the idea of the cyclical
nature of society, how the pain and destruction is never ending and inescapable.
Wordsworth is again seen using imagery to show the sinister qualities of society, as after
claiming nature is beautiful and a God in itself, the poetic voice reveals how “The human
soul that through me ran”. The noun phrase ‘human soul’ has connotations of spirituality
and purity, yet this notion is tainted by the incongruous verb ‘ran’. On one hand, it could
connote joy and pure excitement, running in ecstasy; on the other hand, it has much more
sinister undertones. The verb ‘ran’ can take on a more negative connotation, from running
from fear to running to attack in violence; this may be Wordsworth's way of showing the
two conflicting sides of society - the peace and love for nature driven one, and the other
fueled by bloodlust and greed. This brings into the idea of the sublime, as according to
Wordsworth, the sublime should be a combination of intense emotion, whether it be fear or
pleasure, the two are intertwined and causes a spiritual awakening experience. Overall, the
use of symbols and imagery in both poems create a sense that society as a whole is
spiralling into hell, and the one legitimate thing that is pure and good in the world - nature,
is also being destroyed.