Poetry Anthology Mark Scheme and Model Answers (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature)

Demonstrate a close knowledge and understanding of texts, maintaining a critical style and presenting an informed personal response

Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate

Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written

‘A Wife in London’ by Thomas Hardy

December 1899

          I

She sits in the tawny vapour

That the Thames-side lanes have uprolled,

Behind whose webby fold-on-fold

Like a waning taper

The street-lamp glimmers cold.

A messenger's knock cracks smartly,

Flashed news in her hand

Of meaning it dazes to understand

Though shaped so shortly:

He—he has fallen—in the far South Land…

          II

'Tis the morrow; the fog hangs thicker,

The postman nears and goes:

A letter is brought whose lines disclose

By the firelight flicker

His hand, whom the worm now knows:

Fresh—firm—penned in highest feather—

Page-full of his hoped return,

And of home-planned jaunts of brake and burn

In the summer weather,

And of new love that they would learn.

GCSE Eduqas English Literature Poetry Anthology

‘A Wife in London’ is a poem about loss. 

How does Thomas Hardy present loss in the poem?

Graded 9 model answer paragraph

Hardy’s portrayal of the wife (referred to simply as “a wife”) and her husband is deeply poignant as it is a presentation of a loss brought about by a forced separation [Introduction includes reference to focus of the question — “loss” — while setting out a clear point of view (AO1)]. 

Hardy imbues his poem with an almost cinematic quality as he focuses on a solitary moment for one person in a large city, disconnected from their husband who is far away. The use of the indefinite article “A” implies there are numerous wives experiencing similar separations from their husbands [Perceptive analysis of language used by Hardy enables candidate to offer sophisticated analysis (AO1)]. London may also more widely symbolise the government, as its authority — and agency over her husband’s whereabouts, fighting as he is for the British army in the Boer War — renders the wife isolated and alone. [Contextual comments are incorporated into the themes explored in the analysis of the poem (AO3)]  

London is depicted as a hostile, cold environment, adding to the sense of discomfort experienced by the unnamed wife. The language is ominous and the speaker is surrounded by fog, connoting a sense of confusion and uncertainty. The news of her husband’s death is delivered impersonally and unfeelingly. The simplicity of the language in the seemingly straightforward phrase “The postman nears and goes” belies the weight of the postman’s visit, and his fateful news. [Developed analysis shows candidate’s own interpretation (AO1)]  The mundane nature of his arrival is juxtaposed with the impact of the message he delivers. Caesura, which disrupts the iambic pentameter, adds dramatic effect and mimics the mental discord of instantaneously processing tragic news. [All analysis of poetic methods and structure serve as further evidence to point being made (AO2)] The repetition of “he” and the fragmented syntax and ellipsis adds to the gravity of the moment. In the phrase “Flashed news in her hand”, the verb “flashed” alludes to the shock and abrupt interruption to the wife’s life. The earlier, seemingly inconsequential use of the phrase “her hand” takes on a poignancy when Hardy references “his hand” in stanza three, The wife will no longer be able to physically touch her husband any longer, conveying the juxtaposition between the wife’s immediate experience and her husband’s eternal fate. [Analyses the deliberate use of patterns in the poem (AO2)]

Areas of comparison

Title

Context

Theme

Voice/point of view

Approach/treatment

Presentation of character(s)

Setting

Mood/atmosphere

Structure/organisation

Imagery

Style and its effect

Overall impact/message

Words to compare

similarly

likewise

equally

both

comparably

in the same way

Words to contrast

on the other hand

although

however

while

whereas

in contrast

Similarities

Differences

• Both poems are written in a formal, structured form

• Both poems use vivid imagery to convey strong emotions

• Barrett Browning’s poem has a reverential tone, whereas Owen’s poem has a bitter tone

• Barrett Browning’s poem is about love, while Owen’s poem is about war

GCSE Eduqas English Literature Poetry Anthology

How do the poets convey strong emotions in ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ and ‘Sonnet 43’?

While both ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ and ‘Sonnet 43’ use similar poetic structures to present their themes, they convey vastly different emotions due to the contrast in subject matter and tone. Owen uses the sonnet form, with its 14 lines and set rhyme scheme, while Browning uses a Petrarchan sonnet. [Identifies use of sonnet forms in both poems to highlight their structural similarities (AO2)] Owen’s use of the sonnet form and its largely consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme in the first stanza conveys a sense of order, but its inconsistency perhaps mirrors the soldiers’ limping movements. The juxtaposition between the fixed form and the graphic war imagery evokes strong emotions of both pity and horror.  Barrett Browning on the other uses the Petrarchan sonnet to amplify the emotional intensity of her poem and adds to the poem’s romantic nature. Following the traditional ABBA CDCDCD rhyme scheme, the poem’s regular and sophisticated structure contributes to the idea of constancy and harmony and lends a sincerity and intimacy to the declarations of love. [Explores how Browning’s rhyme scheme and structure contribute to the themes explored in the poem (AO2)] While the theme of unity and equality is created by the regular rhythm, the repetitive listing can also suggest an urgent tone. 

While Barrett Browning's tone is also reverential, Owen’s tone is bitter and angry, reflecting his condemnation of the glorification of war. [Offers a comparative analysis of the tone in both poems and their thematic implications (AO1)] The idealised notion of dying for a cause is shattered by the poem’s focus on the soldier’s suffering. Rather than glorifying collective sacrifice, Owen focuses on the individual, which personalises the cost of war and undermines abstract concepts of honour and patriotism. The imagery and simile used in the phrase “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” describes the soldiers as old men and conveys their physical exhaustion and the dehumanising conditions of warfare. While Owen’s language is firmly rooted in realistic depictions of the brutality of war, Barrett Browning uses hyperbole to elevate the idea of love. The speaker states “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height/My soul can reach” and also “I love thee with the breath,/Smiles, tears, of all my life”. This repetitive exaggeration conveys love as a force that permeates every moment and emotion of the speaker's life and conveys the overwhelming nature of love. [Contrasts the poets’ use of language for specific effects (AO2)]

GCSE Eduqas English Literature Poetry Anthology

Choose one other poem from the anthology in which the poet also writes about death. 

Compare the way the poet presents death in your chosen poem with the way Wilfred Owen presents death in ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’

Graded 9 model answer

Both Rupert Brooke’s ‘The Soldier’ and Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ explore the theme of death in war, but present starkly contrasting perspectives on it: Brooke romanticises dying for one’s country, while Owen looks to present a horrific and realistic view of suffering and death on the battlefield [Introduction clearly sets out contrast between poems on the focus of the question, “death” (AO1)].

In ‘The Soldier’, Brooke romanticises and glorifies the idea of dying for one’s country [Clear topic sentence sets out argument of the paragraph (AO1)]. He envisions the soldier’s death on a “foreign field” as a way for that land to become “forever England”, with the soldier's remains enriching the “rich earth” and his values living on. The euphemism “foreign field” is used to avoid the harsh realities of war, while “forever England” alludes to immortality and national pride. [Examines the use of the poet’s language choices and their intended effects (AO2)] Furthermore, the metaphor used in this line suggests that the soldier’s death will permanently connect him to the land and symbolises the lasting impact of his sacrifice. In Brooke’s poem the dust is considered “richer” because it is English; the soldier and his country are inextricably linked. It implies that the glory and legacy of the nation are perpetuated through the sacrifices of its people. [Offers a personal and evaluative response (AO1)] Brooke’s poem was written at the outset of World War One and the poem reflects the initial patriotic fervour and idealistic views of war prevalent at the time. [Explores the context in which the poem was written and how this relates to the poem (AO3)] Brooke employs a romanticised, idealistic tone in his poem and uses personification to present death as a noble sacrifice that enriches the homeland. He personifies England as having an “eternal mind” that will forever preserve the soldier’s “thoughts” suggesting the soldier’s spirit will be eternally connected to his homeland. The repetition of “England” throughout and the possessive “her” reinforces the idea of the soldier’s death as a patriotic offering to the nation. In death, all that England has bestowed upon the soldier returns to the divine power of his country’s spirit; his thoughts do not perish but transcend to an “English heaven”. [Explores the poem’s portrayal of death in a developed and sustained passage of analysis (AO1)]

In contrast, Owen’s poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ presents a brutally realistic and horrific depiction of death in his poem [Topic sentence presents clear contrast between poems {AO1)]. Owen’s poem was written three years after Brooke’s poem and therefore reflects the disillusionment and despair that people felt as the war continued to rage. [Explores the context in which the poem was written and how this offers a contrast to the first poem (AO3)]  The speaker vividly describes a soldier’s agonising death from a mustard gas attack. The line “he plunges at me” creates a jarring juxtaposition and conveys the personal experience of the speaker and the use of vivid verbs and onomatopoeia creates a sudden and forceful image of the soldier's death. [Analyses the effect of the poet’s deliberate choice of language (AO2)]  The graphic and grotesque imagery of “froth-corrupted lungs” and “vile incurable sores” depicts a disturbing image and conveys both the lasting physical and emotional scars of war. Furthermore, Owen’s use of powerful figurative language heightens the visceral impact of his depiction. The imagery of the soldier’s “white eyes writhing in his face” and “hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin” creates a disturbing, nightmarish image. The simile “As under a green sea, I saw him drowning” creates a haunting, nightmarish image of the soldier’s suffocation and depicts a slow, inevitable death. The fact that this account is presented in first person creates a personal and immediate connection to the traumatic event and demonstrates the shared humanity and the speaker’s personal witness of the soldier’s suffering [Analysis of writer’s methods is developed over more than one sentence and offers candidate’s own opinions and interpretations (AO1)].

The form and structure of the two poems also reflect their opposing perspectives to death. Brooke’s sonnet adheres to a traditional structure, with a regular rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter, creating a sense of order and control. The structure and rhythm provide a comforting and almost serene quality which helps to reinforce the poem’s message of a glorious and meaningful sacrifice. It alludes to a peaceful afterlife for the soldier and an acceptance of death as a necessary aspect of war. In contrast, Owen’s poem is written in a loose irregular verse, mirroring the chaos and brutality of warfare. [Comparison of the structure and form of the two poems is linked to poets’ intentions (AO2)]  The lack of a consistent rhyme scheme and the use of enjambment create an urgency which immerses the reader in the soldier’s suffering. The largely consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme of the first stanza conveys a sense of order, but its inconsistency perhaps mirrors the soldiers’ limping movements. The abrupt exclamation in the frenetic phrase “Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling” reflects the soldiers’ panic, contrasting with the weary trudging of the previous stanza. Caesura creates tension and a pause in the poem as the men grapple with their gas masks, disrupting the rhythm to reflect the chaos. Enjambment quickens the pace, heightening the sense of panic as there is no sense of peace; the death is prolonged and agonising, intended to shock and dispel any preconceived notion of glory. [Analyses the use of poetic methods while always focusing on Owen’s intentions (AO2)]

Both Brookes and Owen explore the theme of death in war, but from very different perspectives. Brooke’s poem presents death as noble and reflects the initial patriotic fervour experienced in World War I, while the disillusionment and despair felt as the conflict drew on is evidenced in Owen’s poem, which presents death as horrendous [Conclusion offers a nuanced summary of perspective and theme while still focused on the question (AO1)].