Power and conflict quizlet

• what is poppies about?


  A mother describes her son leaving home, seemingly to join the army.

  The poem is about the mother's emotional reaction to her son leaving- she feels sad, lonely and scared for his safety.

  She describes helping him smarten his uniform ready to leave. After he leaves, she goes to places that remind her of him, desperately trying to find any trace of him.

  explores the effects of conflict on family, and the powerlessness of family members of those sent to fight in war.
• poppies context

  Published in a 2009 collection of war poems commissioned by Carol Ann Duffy as a response to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

  Weir lived through the Troubles in the 1980s, a period of intense conflict/violence.

  Poppies became a symbol for remembrance in 1921 after they grew on WW1 battlefields.

  Published in 2009, when the war may have been fleeting from people's living memory; Weir may have seen it as her duty to keep reinforcing the importance of remembrance for the soldiers who selflessly sacrificed their lives in war.
• poppies key quotes


  'spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer'

  'Sellotape bandaged around my hand'

  'blackthorns of your hair'

  'steeled the softening of my face'

  'the world overflowing like a treasure chest....a split second, and you were away, intoxicated'

  'After you'd gone I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage'

  'hoping to hear your playground voice catch on the wind
• poppies extended metaphor (hint: 'blazer')


  Parallels the notion of going to war with a comparatively mundane departure of leaving for school.

  'Blazer' represents military uniform, but it would be more commonly associated with school uniform.

  Through translating the act of losing a child to battle into an experience her readership would relate to more, she evokes a stronger sense of empathy from the reader.
• Sellotape bandaged around my hand'


  - domestic act of collecting hairs and lint from the surface of clothes, but the tape is a metaphor; it isn't actually serving as a bandage.

  - 'bandaged' is an allusion to injury, which probably stems from her anxiety that her son may be wounded in war.

  - 'bandaged' could convey the mother's emotional injuries; she has 'bandaged' herself up to cope.

  - a bandage is also a temporary cover, it doesn't heal wounds so it is only a superficial form of protection.

  - she is emotionally wounded while he may be physically wounded in war
• spasms of paper red, disrupting a blockade of yellow bias binding around your blazer'


  - unorthodox image; in one sense its reminiscent of a battle, but it also explores an uncontrollable reflex which can't be repressed (the mother is acting out of an involuntary fear which she can't control).

  - militaristic language of 'blockade' which describes a flotilla of ships blocking off an enemy port; the metaphor makes it sound like the paper flower has broken through the lines, causing death and destruction.

  - paper implies a disposability an weakness which Weir relates to the loss of life on the battlefield.

  - Weir worked in clothing and textiles, possibly why she mentions embroidery

  - blazer links to the idea that son is going to school, not war, making the poem more relatable for Weir's readership.
• blackthorns of your hair'

  - Metaphor, a reference to the shortened hair stubble required in the military. Word choice conveys a sense of harshness or difficulty, symbolising the emotional pain and protective instinct of the mother in the poem, as she grapples with her son going off to war.

  - 'blackthorns' could be reference to barbed wire, commonly used on battlefields in WW1 to slow the advance of military troops. This could emphasise how the child's body has already become violent, sharp and even militarised.

  - 'blackthorns' allude to when Jesus wore a crown of thorns during his crucifixion, hinting at the sacrifice her son may have to make.

  - 'blackthorns' could be a a metaphor for the struggles and obstacles that lie ahead for her son, or the pain of separation and loss that she anticipates.
• threw it open, the world overflowing like a treasure chest'


  - 'overflowing' implies endless possibilities, yet he's heading off to war? Maybe this is symbolic of the propaganda soldiers are fed into believing that war is something exciting, when it's really something that causes death and destruction.

  - simile shows the world from the child's perspective, which creates opportunity.

  - this simply shows innocent excitement to leave home and head off to war; this could be Weir presenting patriotism as a naïve, silly concept.

  - sudden movement suggests breaking a boundary.

  - 'treasure chest' could be son's life, full of precious things to be explored, ruined by the concept of war.

  - For many young boys and men, the notion of going to war advertised an idealistic and exciting opportunity of adventure
• steeled the softening of my face'


  - metaphor and sibilant description of a mother trying to put her 'brave face' on; she is actively trying to fight the impulse to outwardly advertise her anxiety.

  - sibilance could represent a tearful sniffing sound made when trying to repress crying which forces the reader to mimic the sound much like the speaker's emotions are forcing an emotional response.

  - her heart is now made of 'steel', hard to warp, which alludes to the powerlessness of parents after a child's death in conflict.

  - 'softening' indicates vulnerability and emotion; the speaker's face might naturally show her sadness, fear or love, revealing her true feelings about her son going off to war.
• a split second, and you were away, intoxicated.'


  - metaphor implies he is 'drunk' with the image of nobility and heroism so Weir could be making a veiled critique of war propaganda on youth.

  - 'A split second' conveys the rapidity of the moment, emphasising how quickly the transition happens from presence to absence, capturing the fleeting nature of time and pivotal moments in life.

  - end stop underlines the speaker's anxiety; once her child leaves, she might not see him again (emphasising the cruelty and unpredictability of war).

  - 'intoxicated' implies that the person leaving is so consumed by this new adventure or duty that they are almost unaware of the consequences or the pain of those left behind.
• After you'd gone I went into your bedroom, released a song bird from its cage'

  - act of 'releasing a songbird from its cage' is seemingly unorthodox which exposes it as metaphorical. Perhaps the mother is turning to poetry to assuage her emotions - a cathartic act which frees her from her anxiety and fears.

  - the image of a 'songbird' is a common trope for poetry, with the birdsong being very poetic.

  - Alternatively the 'songbird' could represent the son, who has been metaphorically caged by the constraints of his life and the expectations placed upon him. Releasing the bird symbolizes letting go, freedom, and possibly peace. It might also reflect the mother's need to release her own emotions and the hope that her son finds freedom and safety, linking to the idea of turning to poetry for comfort.
• hoping to hear your playground voice catch on the wind'


  - Weir alludes to the inevitability of war and the resulting grief.

  - She ends the poem with a lack of resolution, suggests the parent will always mourn their son.

  - "hoping" suggests longing and a sense of unfulfilled desire; the mother yearns for a connection with her child, even in his absence.

  - the mother recalls the carefree days of her son's youth, emphasizing the contrast with his current situation ('playground voice' conjures up memories of childhood and innocence)

  - wind represents something intangible, suggesting that these memories and the sound of her son's voice are fleeting and difficult to hold on to.
• Poppies structure


  There is an excessive use of enjambment used to convey how overwhelming the mother's emotions are, especially through the use of the simile 'the world overflowing/like a treasure chest'. It gives the sentences a fragmented feeling and she seems taken aback in this moment.

  Lots of caesurae, a visual and audible depiction of the mother's emotional restraint. She doesn't want to completely submit herself to fear, and Weir captivates the bravery of the mother through this. She pays homage to a type of bravery which is overlooked during the war - the bravery of the families who had to say goodbye.
• Poppies form


  Poppies uses the form of a dramatic monologue, allowing every aspect of the poem to be imbued with personal emotions.

  It is written in second person and directed at her son, the suggestion of an absent listener amplifies the sense of loss and mourning.

  Gives a voice to those generally overlooked by the war; the mothers and families of the soldiers still went through traumatic, uncontrollable emotions but public attention was directed to the soldiers themselves.

  Free verse - no regular rhyme and the stanza length is also irregular; makes the poem seem like a sudden outpour of emotions, more conversational and intimate.

  The reader is given the impression that the speaker is struggling to control, organise and understand her emotions, she is trying her very best to compose herself by 'steeling the softening' on her face.
• which poems would be good to compare with Poppies?


  1. Kamikaze

  2. War Photographer

  3. Remains
• what is COTLB about?


  Tells the story of a group of soldiers ordered to make a mad charge towards certain death; they charge heroically and with valour, but few remain as they retreat.

  Describes a disastrous battle between British cavalry and Russian forces during the Crimean War.
• COTLB context

  The poet Tennyson was made Poet Laureate, a post which meant he could not criticise the British aristocracy; instead, he had to glorify the war effort.

  The poem is based on the Battle of Balaclava, originally fought between Russia and the Ottoman empire, but France and Britain got involved to prevent Russian expansion.

  The Light Brigade were unpopular with the public as they often consisted of lower classes who were lightly armoured, and the war was also unpopular with the public as it was seen as unnecessary.

  Written as propaganda to build public support for the war.
• COTLB themes/ideas


  - misuse of power

  - experience of war; shows us a conflicted image of war while portraying it as a noble cause

  - patriotism

  - admiration
• COTLB key quotes


  'half a league, half a league, half a league onward'

  'into the valley of death rode the six hundred'

  'Theirs not to make reply/ Theirs not to reason why/ Theirs but to do and die'

  'someone had blundered
• half a league, half a league, half a league onward'

  - dactylic dimeter makes it sound like a ballad, which is important as the poem is written to celebrate the heroic sacrifice made by the Light Brigade

  - ballads were written to commemorate a historic event for future generations to hear which fits the purpose of the poem and acts to memorialise those who were killed in the battle; Tennyson understood the futility of the men's sacrifice.

  - repetition of 'half' or anaphora to create a sense of rhythm of the horses' hooves, or the sound of the charge.

  - the unrelenting rhythm implies that the soldiers have no choice but to run into battle/blindly follow orders.

  - repetition emphasises that their likely fate is death.
• into the valley of death rode the six hundred'

  - Biblical allusion to Psalm 23 which refers to the protection of God. Tennyson uses irony here as the soldiers were not protected by those who were meant to protect them.

  - Tennyson criticises how members of higher ranks should have protected those in the Light Brigade but they were instead forced to engage in dangerous conflict because of their lower status; could symbolise the inevitability of the tragedy.

  - Image of a valley implies that the soldiers are surrounded on all sides by the opposition.

  - Men may have taken comfort in dying knowing that God was with them. They knew they were riding to their deaths.
• Theirs not to make reply/ Theirs not to reason why/ Theirs but to do and die'

  - anaphora reiterates the phrase and the obedience of the soldiers

  - highlights the soldiers' lack of individualism

  - alliteration emphasises the idea that death is inevitable

  - 'do and die' d consonance, plosive

  - 'and' there is no escape, death is almost certain, emphasising the great heroism of the soldiers and the contrast with the fact that they knew someone had blundered.

  - they still fight for their country/duty even though those with more power made a mistake and greatly risked the soldiers' lives

  - Tennyson celebrates the patriotism of the soldiers who put their lives at risk, no matter the consequences
• someone had blundered'


  - Ambiguity in the usage of the word 'someone' shows how there was a profound lack of accountability for the massacre, with those in power not truly being held accountable for their actions

  - This suggests that the soldiers were not at fault but were victims of a higher authority's mistake, implying Tennyson was not able to criticise the aristocracy as freely as he would have liked.

  - The line is short, which interrupts the flow of the poem, much like the blunder itself interrupted the course of the battle and the lives of the soldiers.
• mouth of hell' 'jaws of death'


  - personification of hell and death, paired with biblical allusions in the poem shows us that despite the soldiers' awareness that death was imminent, they died as a martyr to their religion and country

  - It alludes to the story of the Roman soldier, Curtius, who rode his horse into the mouth of hell and was killed sacrificially, saving Rome.

  - soldiers returning back 'from the mouth of hell' links to the idea that Jesus went into hell to help the souls there achieve salvation, relating to the soldiers in that they were sacrificing their own freedom for the freedom of those back home

  -"hell" signifies unimaginable suffering and horror; by using this metaphor, Tennyson emphasizes the sheer brutality and hopelessness of the charge, underscoring the soldiers' bravery and the monstrous nature of the conflict.

  - Serves as a grim reminder of the human cost and the horrific reality of war. It juxtaposes their valiant efforts with the horrifying consequences, enhancing the tragic nature of their sacrifice.
• while all the world wondered'

  - could be praising heroism here but also criticising a society that expects a sacrifice from its men.

  - Tennyson disrupts the dactyls just as the thought of why the men are being sacrificed disrupts his chain of thoughts.

  - wondered rhymes with 'blundered' and 'hundred' suggesting that the soldiers' sacrifice is so glorious that when people hear about it they celebrate it

  - alternative analysis: Tennyson is questioning why the soldiers were sacrificed for nothing? Quite futile.

  - repeated in the last paragraph; Tennyson doesn't want his readers to finish the poem without questioning why the soldiers were sacrificed. Shows he disapproves of the sacrifice and could be a deliberate act to undermine the patriotic fervour that he has put into his poem.

  - this could be Tennyson's unconscious thoughts leaking into the poem.

  - juxtaposes with 'honour the charge they made' Tennyson has to be very subtle with his criticisms as he is Poet Laureate; it is his job to glorify the war, not question the British involvement in the war (kind of like his public face)
• Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon in front of them'

  - Repetition creates a sense of entrapment and inevitability, highlighting the soldiers' dire situation

  - Sense of doom; the placement of cannons in every direction emphasizes the hopelessness of their situation. It underscores the notion that there is no escape, reinforcing the tragic heroism of their charge

  - Steady rhythm and cadence mimic the relentless march of the soldiers and the pounding of cannon fire. This rhythmic pattern adds to the urgency and intensity of the scene, drawing the reader into the heart of the battle.
• Horse and hero fell'

  - Tennyson uses euphemistic language to avoid criticising the higher powers/portraying the true nature of war.

  - He avoids to expose the barbaric truth to the reader about those who were mercilessly slaughtered.

  - Alliteration emphasises the continuous nature of this massacre.

  - Falling of soldiers is accompanied by the falling rhythm of the dactylic dimeter; his role as poet laureate meant he had to avoid presenting the reality of the battle.
• COTLB form


  - Use of a ballad shows how highly Tennyson respects the soldiers' sacrifice; by using a ballad, he immortalises the sacrifice of the soldiers for years to come.

  - Varied stanza length allows for a sense of chaos to be communicated to the reader, mimicking how the soldiers were being shot at by an enemy they could not fairly encounter

  - Irregular rhyme scheme creates a repetitive sense of inevitability; no matter how valiant the charge, the fate of the soldiers was already determined beforehand

  - The irregular rhyme scheme also adds to the chaos in the poem, leaving it unable to settle into a constant rhythm, hence mimicking the chaos of battle.
• COTLB structure


  - Dactylic dimeter mimics the sound of the horses' hooves whilst running into battle.

  - Repetition thrusts reader into the heat of the battle, making them feel the charge.

  - Communicates how the soldiers have no choice but to follow the charge and run into battle; long syllable may represent the lull and reluctancy, yet the 2 short syllables represent how the soldiers how to fight anyways.

  - Use of end stops exacerbates the idea of finality; the stanzas don't end with enjambment as this does not accurately reflect how the soldiers' fate was finalised and their death was inevitable.
• Which poems are good to compare with COTLB?

  - Bayonet charge

  - Exposure

  - Remains
• what is Storm on the Island about?


  The narrator describes how a community thinks it's well-prepared for a coming storm. As the poem goes on, their confidence starts to disappear as the storm develops. The power and the sounds of the storm are described. The ending of the poem describes the fear as the storm hits the island.
• SOTI context
• SOTI themes


  mankind vs nature

  conflict

  violence
• Storm on the Island key quotes

  1. 'Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. This wizened earth has never troubled us'

  2. 'Blast: you know what I mean - leaves and branches / Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale'

  3. 'But there are no trees, no natural shelter'

  4. 'You might think the sea is company...spits like a tame cat turned savage'

  5. 'dives' 'strafes' 'salvo' 'bombarded'

  6. 'Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear
• Sink walls in rock and roof them with good slate. This wizened earth has never troubled us'

  - Harsh consonance reinforces idea of a solid structure; blank verse with irregular caesurae and enjambment mimics natural speech. Shows harsh experience the island is experiencing.

  - Numerous /s/ sibilance sounds have a windy quality, but also provide a sinister tone; we understand that the storm is sinister but it could also hint that the conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland (known as the Troubles) is just as sinister.

  - The term "wizened" indicates the land is old, dry, and infertile. Despite this, the islanders are not troubled by it, implying they have adapted to their environment.

  - Negative imagery of Earth being old; irony that there is a beginning of wisdom and ends with age; society is 'wizened' or shrivelled up due to the damaging conflict in Northern Ireland.

  - Initially, the islanders are prepared to withstand the storm; believe they are ready to face it showing the hubris of man and unpredictability of nature as nature will always win in the end, despite the futile efforts of man.
• Blast: you know what I mean - leaves and branches / Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale'

  - Evokes the physical and aural impact of an extreme weather event.

  - 'Blast'; use of militaristic language, so we can say the whole poem is an extended metaphor for the ongoing conflicts in Northern Ireland.

  - Personification develops a sense of danger/warning, idea that nature is consciously tormenting man, it's power is not to be questioned or undermined as the consequences are very brutal.

  - In Greek classical dramas 'choruses' would give commentary and explain events. The absence of trees shows the isolation of the islanders as they are left alone to fight and interpret the storm, making them like choruses. Chorus metaphor likens the sound of the storm to a mournful song, emphasising the chaos and destruction it brings with it.

  - Use of colloquialism, drawing the reader in and making them feel more included in the poem. It seems relatable and personal, and his conversational, weary tone could show how tired him and the rest of society are about the conflict. It is as if he already expects everyone to know what he is talking about as it has been going on for such a long period of time.

  - Part of staying on the island is enduring nature.
• You might think the sea is company...spits like a tame cat turned savage'

  - Frequent use of zoomorphism in this poem. Could imply that nature is deceptive with its apparent breathtaking beauty but it has full capacity for brutality and violence.

  - Harsh, alliterative 't' sound mimics the sound of water hitting the islanders' homes, helping us to understand a fraction of how overwhelming the storm can be for the islanders.

  - Again, there is a use of colloquialism, to make the poem relatable.

  - Use of simile for the cat; cats in the western world are mostly domesticated and are symbols of comfortable, cosy, interior spaces, so the return to savagery helps intensify the poem's quiet sense of threat and violence. This can relate to the way violence interrupts tense periods of peace in Northern Ireland.

  - Simile shows the unpredictability and dual nature of the sea; nature can turn against them at any moment, making it dangerous and the real enemy.

  - Direct address 'you'; in Northern Ireland, there were many different identities of Catholic, Protestant, and Republican, who built a wall amongst themselves, but the message of the poem is that the identities at the root of the conflict aren't that important. What is important is that the community must remain united, regardless of their differences to fight the storm, an extended metaphor for society, which must also work together to fight against the conflict which it trying to separate them.
• But there are no trees, no natural shelter'


  - Trees are symbols of wisdom and ancientness. Absence of trees creates a negative tone, giving the reader an idea that the island is barren and inhospitable. They are also symbols of protection and stability, so the islanders' exposure to the full force of the storm underscores the harshness of the environment.

  - There is a big sense of isolation. Without natural barriers, the islanders are left to face the storm alone, which can be seen as a metaphor for human isolation in the face of nature's uncontrollable forces. This links to the repetition of the noun 'company', which implies that although there is a myth that nature is mankind's friend, it is the real enemy, so we shouldn't be deceived by its beauty.

  - Lack of shelter from the storm is symbolic. Just as the islanders have no protection from the storm, the people of Northern Ireland had little protection from the unpredictable political "storms" of the time.

  - Very abrupt, they have no choice but to face the harshness of reality, it is the only way they will be able to survive.
• dives' 'strafes' 'salvo' 'bombarded'

  - Semantic field of militaristic language and personification of nature once the storm is at full force, implying that the storm has a malicious intent to damage.

  - Heaney could be writing about the fear that overwhelms a community when violence is on the horizon, like an incoming storm.

  - Here, it metaphorically describes the wind's relentless and aggressive assault on the island, likening it to a military attack.

  - Heaney effectively conveys the storm's ferocity and the islanders' sense of being under siege. This imagery also underscores the theme of human vulnerability in the face of nature's uncontrollable power.

  - Lack of specific reference to the conflict could be Heaney's way of critiquing it.
• Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear'


  - Could hint at the psychological price people pay while trying to live through violent times (in this case the Troubles!).

  - Highlights the paradoxical nature of the storm. Despite its invisibility, the storm's presence is profoundly felt, suggesting that the fear is not of something tangible, but of the overwhelming and uncontrollable force of nature that should not be messed with.

  - The fact that the storm of nature is invisible makes it seem even more daunting, as the islanders can't properly defend themselves against it, no matter what they do and how much they try to reassure themselves. The fear of the unknown is more terrifying than a visible threat.

  - This can be relatable to situations in life, where anxiety about what may happen is more frightening than the actual event, so the poem underscores human vulnerability in the face of nature, as well as the complex nature of fear itself.

  - Poem ends on a cliffhanger.