Edexcel Poetry Anthology (Conflict) Revision Topics

For each poem,

• Identify which themes are significant
• Pick out quotations that link to each theme and try to learn some off by heart (go for the ones which link to more than one theme)
• Explode/analyse these quotations
• Note and comment on the form and structure of them poem and how this might link to the poem’s meaning.
• Identify what you think the poet is trying to show us in the poem
• Decide which poems you could compare it to (aim to have one per theme) and prepare a thesis statement

You could make a revision poster for each poem and tick each time you look back at this. Don’t just reread the poster every time; try to recreate it from memory or explode the quotations again.

Get blank copies of each poem and try to annotate it from memory. Compare this to your first version and see what you missed.

Try to include some timed essay writing in your revision. You can invent questions like this:

• Compare how [theme] is presented in [named poem] and in one other poem from ‘Conflict’

Going for top grades?

You could also try revising for this exam by concentrating on theme. For each theme, list which poems contain this theme and find quotations from each which best display that theme.

Look for links between the poems (these can be contrasts as well as similarities) so that you know which ones will pair well in the exam.

For poems that fit together well, write a thesis statement and plan the essay.

The main themes:

• Effects of conflict
• Reality of conflict
• War
• Injustice
• The underprivileged
• Anger
• Guilt
• Fear
• Pride and patriotism
• Suffering
• Authority
• Relationships
• Inequality
• Identity
• Prejudice
• Loss
• Distinctive voices