English literature- poetry

• KAMIKAZE- context


  Kamikaze by Beatrice Garland (an English poet) which writes about different experiences and cultures around the world.
• Japan WW2- Kamikaze

  Japan entered WW2 with a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbour. December 7th 1941. Japanese fought on the Axis island and were last to retreat until two atomic bomb had hit Japan (Hiroshima and nagaska) Japanese culture had led to them being the last to retreat from the axis
• Japanese seafaring culture

  in the poem, it makes specific referenced to fishing boats and the "green-blue translucent sea". This mostly refers to the geographical construct as a series of islands. Japan has a large history with seafaring traditions and many worked and lived as workers near the sea such a fishermen or inter-land trading as they were a key feature of life. Garland compares the peaceful live near the sea to the position of the kamikaze pilot.
• Kamikaze pilots WW2 - Kamikaze

  Kamikaze pilots were aviation weapons used to destroy the enemy. Kamikaze pilots were largely respected however, it usually ended with them dying due to their suicidal mission. "Kamikaze"- means divine winds. This portrays the honour of being a kamikaze pilot. The patriotic tradition of dying in battle was largely romanticised the japanese culture and it was seen as the biggest root to respect. Kamikaze pilots were usually educated and skilled men from ages 18-24. meaning most were married or/and young.
• Exposure- Wilfred Owen (context)


  Wilfred Owen born in 1893. He started writing at 10 years old and was heavily influenced by Romantic poetry. Owen loved nature and even did a university course about nature and how it worked. Owen was 21 when WW1 hit and this caused a stop to his plan to move to france for a job, He joined the army/ enlisted in 1915 october. His own expose to war had sparked ideas. he suffered large concussion when he fell into a shell hole and launched up into the air. He was then diagnosed with shell shock (PTSD) and sent to a German hospital/ hospital where he met Sasson.
• Context- wilfred owen (Exposure)

  Sasson ( a well known poet about war) was a big influence on Ownes and his poems. He was owens Inspiration to switch his writing to realism. Owen had suffered from sleepless nights in the hospital due to the scream from suffering soldiers, this caused him to be bitter about the idea of war and wanted to 'expose' the truth- inspiration to the poem "Exposure". Owens died in action, a week before the end of war. It was said that his parents found out about his death on Armistice Day when the bells rang to celebrate the end of war.
• Both sides experienced losses and were struck with a chill winter

  Winter 1917
• The extreme weather had intensified the suffering of soldiers
• Winter 1917 was said to be the coldest year recorded in the living memory
• Conditions soldiers suffered from

  • Hypothermia
  • Severe frostbite
  • Trench foot
• Owen and other soldiers were forced to stay outside in that cold for two days as they were on the front line
• This was the inspiration of "Exposure"
• Owen used poetry as a way to describe the appalling conditions of war to the British society
• Exposure was a poem published as a way to remember Wilfred Owen and it's a well known war poem
• Opening - "Exposure" analysed

  "our brains ached in the merciless iced winds". -"brains" establish the poets focus on the psychological impacts of war. But it can also mean the physical pain and the physical impact of war. (context: Owens had a concussion could also represent that)
• Form- "Exposure" notes

  pararhyme: created an underlying atmosphere of dissatisfaction and unease: "curious, nervous". Only rhyming the constantans leaving the reader with the similar sense of dissatisfaction- mirrors the soldiers dissatisfaction. It also presents the soldiers as on the edge.
• London- William Blake (1757-1827) (context)

  • William Blake was an poet and artist during the Romantic era. he lived in London most of his life, meaning he was able to witness the corruption and change first hand. He describes London as both dirty and corrupt both metaphorically and literally.
• William Blake

  • William had a passion for poetry and a strong dislike to politics. William B wanted a change, and so he wrote in simple english to make the poets more accessible.
  • William stood against the oppression of women. And so he educated and mentored his wife to later become his business partner.
  • his views were seen as radical political view due to the society expectation and culture.
• William Blake- context

  • He was anti-monarchy and wanted a revolution as it was inevitable and necessary.
  • He was a christian but did not agree with organised religion and established churches- he saw it as corrupt and hypocritical (seen as above of other and more noble). He disagreed with the idea of money being put into buildings than the poor
  • "London" is from a collection called "Song of experience" which talks about social issues, poverty etc...
• "The Chimney Sweeper" is a poem written by William Blake which highlights the social issues of child labour and poverty during the Industrial Revolution. The poem tells the story of two children, Tom Dacre and Ned, who have been forced to work as chimney sweepers at a young age. Through their experiences, Blake criticizes the exploitation of children and the harsh realities of poverty during this time period.
• French Revolution- "London" context

  • London was published during the ' reign of terror'. The French revolution became an inspiration for those with radical views and it became a symbol of how the disenfranchised and oppressed could obtain power from privileged.
  • The French revolution ended with the end of the french monarchy. That was what Blaked hoped for when louis xvi was executed.
• Industrial Revolution- "London" Context

  • England's transformation from agriculture to mass production/ manufacturing.
  • Mass movement from country to urban
  • mass pollution had led to a smog covering London from factories and industrialisation.
  • "charted" means that its owned by the rich or rather that the rich has privilege over land which was once for all.