In preparation for your PPEs, here are some examples of how to compare effectively:
Below is a colour coded example to show you how to integrate context, comparison and language/structural explanation into your question answers:
Compare
the ways writers present the power of nature in the “Prelude” and one other
poem from the collection.
The
power of nature is portrayed as a dominant force that ranks above all men and
beings. Nature possesses dominance and it influences man as we are unable to
totally control it or comprehend it. In “The Prelude”, William Wordsworth
suggests that man attempts to control nature but consequently is taunted by
nature itself. In comparison to this in “Ozymandias”, Percy Shelley suggests an
exploitation of man’s arrogance that is destroyed by nature- proving both Romantic poets convey
nature is a significant force above man.
In “The Prelude”, Wordsworth portrays
the power of nature as wanting dominance over man. This is similar to “Ozymandias” by Shelley who
mocks the arrogance of man in the face of nature’s power. Interestingly, the
natural power to destroy in “Ozymandias” contrasts to the psychological power
of nature to haunt humans. Wordsworth powerfully suggests that nature has the
power to change and affect man’s mental stability: “no colours or green
fields”. The contradiction of “no colours” and “green” suggests nature has the
ability to cause confusion and inflict fear into man. Wordsworth has been
deliberate in claiming that nature cannot be comprehended by man as his
narration conveys difficulty in understanding even the simplicity of nature-
even its green colour. The fact that Wordsworth states “no” colours suggests a
conclusive rejection of man by nature. This is also conveyed by the anaphora of
“no” in the final line that ultimately concludes that nature has abandoned
man once and for all. This abandonment of man by nature
is a typical trait of a Romantic poet.
Furthermore, man is clearly haunted
by nature when the
narrator states “Like living men, moved slowly through the mind”. The
personification of nature could be purposeful as Wordsworth is suggesting that
at nature will always prevail as dominant. Also the comma that isolates “living
man” in the line visually conveys the brutality of nature’s abandon. Also, the
deliberate use of the adverb “slowly” suggests nature is acting in a sinister
manner that lurks and takes over the mind of man- asserting its dominance. In comparison, Shelley
presents the power of nature as always overpowering man and destroying human
attempts to assert their control. Shelley is deliberate in structuring his poem
like a sonnet - a form traditional to a love poem- to suggest the irony of
man’s own self-love. In the opening line of the poem: “I met a traveller from
an antique land”, the narrator speaks of the man in the past tense shown by the
very “met”. In a similar
way to “The Prelude”, this could suggest the abandonment of man. Interestingly,
the first 6 lines are written in the past tense and remaining 6 in the present
tense, highlighting that nature is powerful throughout time. The quotation
“nothing besides remains” is the most crucial point in the poem as it suggests
that nature’s force is permanent. This is because nature brutally causes “a
colossal wreck” and this oxymoronic phrase suggests man will always be
destroyed by nature. This magical power given to
nature by Shelly is also a typical trait of a Romantic poet. Both
Wordsworth and Shelly have conveyed that nature can cause destruction to man psychologically
as well as physically.
Key
Umbrella
Point / Introduction: introduce your two poems and two poets. Answer the
question. This over-arching point will inform the rest of your essay.
Contextual
information.
Topic Sentence- bolts your ideas down and returns to the
question and the over-arching points you have made in your introduction.
Intentions of the poets /
Effect on reader / World view – sort of like mini conclusive statements where
you give your opinion on the wider message of the poem (why it was written)
Comparative language
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