Conflict Poetry Overview (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

Paper 2, Section B, part (a) of your GCSE exam will ask you to compare a named poem from the Conflict section of your Pearson Poetry Anthology to another poem from that collection. The 15 poems in this anthology are thematically linked by their focus on conflict and related subjects. This page offers you an overview of the poems in the Conflict anthology and should help you identify which poems you should compare in your exam question, and help you to create effective arguments and strategies to answer the poetry question. 

Conflict poems

Here is a list of all the poems in the Conflict anthology:

Overview

In part (a) of Section B you will be asked to compare a named poem from your Conflict anthology with another poem from the anthology. The named poem will be printed out in full on the question paper. You will have to choose the second poem and make strong thematic connections with the printed poem. This is a closed-book examination, which means you will not have access to a copy of the anthology in the exam. Therefore, you need to have a thorough understanding of each poem.

This question is worth 20 marks, and you should aim to spend 35 minutes on it in the exam. For a top grade response, you need to write an introduction, at least two to three comparative paragraphs and a conclusion. You should compare both poems throughout your response, commenting on their similarities and differences. 

For a more detailed guide on how to achieve top marks for your essay, please see our easy-to-follow How to answer the poetry anthology question pages.

Key themes

The power of nature

The theme of the power of nature (and how human beings interact with the power of nature) is explored in some of the poems in the anthology. This theme can include:

• How the power of nature outlasts and overcomes human power

• The insignificance of humanity in relation to the power of nature 

• How humanity’s attempts to control nature are often futile

• How nature can be a powerful and destructive force as well as a benign one

• The conflict between humanity and nature

War and conflict

The theme of war and conflict is explored both directly in some of the poems, and indirectly in others. It can explore:

• Conflict and war in their literal sense of military combat

• The futility and hopelessness of war

• The effects of war on those it leaves behind, and the after-effects of conflict

• The effects of war and conflict on the individual

• The effects of nature on war and conflicts

• How those in power can determine the fate of others in conflicts

• The violence, destruction and suffering caused by war

Personal conflict

The theme of personal conflict is explored directly in some of the poems, while in others personal experience has led to a state of inner conflict. This theme can include:

• Violent conflict between two or more people

• Conflict arising from a personal or sexual relationship

• Inner conflict caused by difficult or traumatic experiences

• Personal conflict caused by unfair or unjust treatment

• The link between connection and conflict in intimate relationships

• Personal conflicts between men and women or parents and children

Inequality and injustice

The theme of inequality is linked to the idea of power. It has strong links to the idea of injustice, because people who are treated unjustly often belong to groups who have less power. This theme can explore:

• How power can be used to create injustice in society

• How power can be used by individuals to treat other individuals unjustly

• How people can be damaged and oppressed by injustice

• Inequality between rich and poor, and in social class and status

• Inequality between men and women, and in the treatment and attitudes towards women

• Inequality between those who have power and those who don’t

Memory and loss

The power of memory and the pain of loss are linked to several other key themes. This theme can include:

• The conflict between childhood memories and adult understanding

• The relationship between memory, emotion and loss

• The loss of a loved one and its effects on memories of them

• The loss of memories as a consequence of conflict

• The loss of freedom, a home or homeland

• The loss of innocence or peace of mind caused by memories of conflict

Identity

The theme of identity can relate to both individual and cultural identity. It can explore:

• How an individual’s identity is formed and developed

• The conflict between personal identity and an identity imposed on people

• How individual and group identity can be oppressed and controlled

• How identity can be affected by violence and conflict

• How a person’s identity can be changed by injustice and inequality

• How a struggle for individual identity can lead to conflict

Thematic comparison table

Use the table below to revise which poems connect with others in the anthology, based on the themes the poets explore.

Top tips for the highest grade

• Your analysis of the writer’s language, form and structure should always be based on the theme you are discussing:

  • Referring to a writer’s methods or techniques without linking them to a theme will not gain you marks

  • For example, writing “Clarke uses an oxymoron” will not get you a mark

  • However, writing “Clarke uses the oxymoron of ‘wild, tender circles’ to mirror her conflicting feelings of pain and love” will

• The exam question will indicate which theme to focus on, and also which context is the most relevant: 

  • Including historical facts or biographical information about the poet adds no value to your answers

  • Instead, integrate contextual information into your analysis of the poems 

• Nothing can replace a thorough knowledge of the poems:

  • Your knowledge will give you confidence and enable you to demonstrate your insight and analytical skills in the exam 

• Learn the poems rather than lists of quotations to increase your options in the exam

• Make sure you read the question carefully and highlight the focus:

  • Then, decide which poem has the most thematic links with the one on the paper

• Using lots of quotations won’t gain you marks, but you will get high marks for writing interesting, insightful comments about the quotations you have chosen:

  • Make sure you use quotations that are relevant to the theme of the question

• Remember, references to the poem don’t have to be direct quotations:

  • In your comparison, you can also refer to things that happen in the poems

• Using the writer’s name helps you to think about the text as something that has been constructed deliberately: 

  • This helps with your comparison of your chosen writer’s techniques and approaches to the theme

• Avoid making generalisations, such as “All women in the nineteenth century were oppressed”:

  • Instead, make your comments relevant to the text and theme

  • For example, “Rossetti’s speaker illustrates the injustice that was often experienced by women in the nineteenth century”

• Use words that link your points in your answer, such as “similarly”, “in the same way”, “on the other hand” and “in contrast”:

  • This will make your analysis more integrated and convincing