Writing a response
When you have settled on a suitable poem, you should note down a variety of links between the poems. The key thing to do when comparing poems is to note the points where they are similar and the points where they differ.
When writing an essay comparing your two poems you should consider the points below.
Essay-writing tips
A good approach to begin with is to highlight any key terms which stand out for you.
In the sample question the key term you must think about is ‘conflicting identities’.
Make sure you use the key term frequently throughout your essay.
Begin by introducing both poems, giving a brief overview of their main subject or message. You MUST refer to the key terms in your introduction.
You will be expected to compare and contrast the poets’ use of features such as theme, formSome poems adopt specific 'forms'. For example, they could be sonnets or narrative poems. Many don’t have an identifiable form., structureThe way the poet has organised the poem on the page eg number of stanzas, lines per stanza, breaks in between lines and stanzas., rhythm, language and figure of speechA word or phrase with a meaning other than the literal meaning. A general example would be, 'It's raining cats and dogs'. An example from Docker is "The cap juts like a gantry's crossbeam"..
Remember to avoid simply identifying what techniques or approaches poets use. Aim to show an understanding of how form, language and structure create meanings and effects.
Make sure you are comparing and contrasting the poems throughout.
Your essay should be peppered with comparing words and phrases such as "similarly...", "in contrast to this…" and "this can also be seen in…".
Mention any relevant details about the contextThe time and place a text was produced in. of the poem.
You will not get marks for context which is not linked directly to the question.
For example, don’t simply write down everything you know about the poet if it is not relevant to the question.
Support all you say with details or quotes from the poem.
This may mean quoting a full line at times, but could also involve detailed analysis of one significant word.
If you were to compare Docker with Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson for example, you could use some of the following points:
- Both poets are from Northern Ireland and write about the conflict there.
- Like Docker, Belfast Confetti references the conflict between Catholics and Protestants.
- Both poems have connections with the shipyards. The title of Belfast Confetti is a slang reference to the nuts, bolts and other metal items from shipbuilding that were used for throwing at people during riots.
- Heaney wrote Docker before The TroublesThe time of unrest and violence in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 1998. officially began, while Belfast Confetti was published in 1990 after over twenty years of conflict and riots.
- Carson describes a very public riot involving many people, while Heaney focuses on the hatred of one individual. Despite this, both poems show the extent of the conflict between those of differing beliefs.
- Heaney’s poem is written in four quatrainA type of stanza - or a complete poem - consisting of four lines that have a rhyming scheme. with regular lines, generally of ten syllableEach individual part of a word which is pronounced when the word is said aloud.. This creates a regular slow-paced rhythm, reflecting the silent unmoving man. In contrast, the chaotic pace of Carson’s poem reflects the confusion and pace of the riot - suggested by the fragmented structure, differing line lengths and punctuation.
- The violent imagery used in Docker to show the bigotedObstinately attached to a belief. Intolerant of the opinions of others. of the docker himself could be compared with the violence contained in Carson’s title, imagery and reference to weapons.
When writing about these similarities and differences you should discuss the methods used by the poets.
Look at the earlier sections on themes, language, form and structure to get ideas.
