England in 1819 (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Revision Note

Author

“England in 1819”

Each poetry anthology at GCSE contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem – printed in full – and asked to compare this printed poem to another. As this is a closed-book exam, you will not have access to the second poem, so you will have to know it from memory. Fifteen poems is a lot to revise. However, understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:

The meaning of the poem
The ideas and messages of the poet
How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology

Below is a guide to Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “England in 1819”, from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It includes:

Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam

Exam Tip

“England in 1819” is part of the Worlds and Lives anthology of poems, and you will need to compare the ideas presented in two of these anthology poems specifically related to the ideas of worlds and lives. The collection focuses on universal themes that relate to our relationships and connections with places, as well as ideas about home and heritage.

It is therefore important that you learn how “England in 1819” compares and contrasts with other poems in the anthology rather than understanding the poem in isolation. See the section below on “What to compare it to” for detailed comparisons of “England in 1819” and other poems in the anthology.

Overview

In order to answer an essay question on any poem it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

The poem in a nutshell
A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Percy Bysshe Shelley’s intention and message

“England in 1819” in a nutshell

“England in 1819”, written by the romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, examines the state of England during the reign of King George III. The speaker’s critical observations as he describes his world comments on the corruption and despair he observed in the country.

“England in 1819” breakdown

Lines 1–3

“An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying King;

Princes, the dregs of their dull race, who flow

Through public scorn, — mud from a muddy spring;”

Translation

The poem begins describing King George III, who was mentally and physically ill
Shelley goes on to describe the princes, who he believes are the worst kind of human
He says that the citizens of the country “scorn” or despise the monarchy
He describes the “Princes”, the heirs to the throne, as dirty or polluted (corrupted) as mud

Shelley’s intention

The first lines of Shelley’s polemic poem criticise the disconnected relationship between the monarchy and the people of England
The poet attacks the characteristics of the King, who he believes is too weak to rule the country:

The reference to blindness could symbolise ignorance as well as his physical blindness
He goes on to criticise the King’s sons as corrupt and “dull”

Lines 4–7

“Rulers who neither see nor feel nor know,

But leechlike to their fainting country cling

Till they drop, blind in blood, without a blow.”

Translation

The speaker clarifies his position on the monarchy:
- England’s leaders are ignorant and desperate
- They “suck the blood” from a weakened (“fainting”) country
Shelley anticipates the death of the king (and, perhaps, the entire aristocracy )
He explains they will die in blood without ever being involved in actual conflict

Shelley’s intention

Shelley expands on his critique of the monarchy and aristocracy:

He compares England’s rulers to a parasitic animal (“leech-like”)
Shelley’s controversial attack suggests the monarchy causes blood to spill
He goes further, suggesting they are blinded by blood

He suggests that while causing conflict, they simultaneously avoid personal involvement, implying their privileged status protects them

Line 7

“A people starved and stabbed in th' untilled field;”

Translation

The speaker describes England’s citizens as one mass of suffering
The line refers to the people dying as a result of starvation or conflict
The speaker describes the fields (possibly referring to farmland) as neglected

Shelley’s intention

Shelley refers to the suffering of the people in England in 1819:

He draws attention to the way the country cannot feed itself as farms have been neglected
He refers to violent protests that occurred between the peasants and the military in 1819 (the Peterloo Massacre)

Lines 8–10

“An army, whom liberticide and prey

Makes as a two-edged sword to all who wield;

Golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay;”

Translation

The speaker states that the military (“army”) destroys freedom (“liberticide”) and preys upon vulnerable people
The reference to a “two-edged sword” implies the laws are hypocritical, and punish people while pretending to protect them:

Shelley suggests the laws that are presented as valuable (“Golden”) and positive (“sanguine”) are, in fact, destructive as they “tempt” and “slay”

Shelley’s intention

Shelley criticises the military institution of England
He refers to propaganda that presents the army and the justice system as good
He implies that England’s systems are corrupted and harm people rather than protect them

Lines 11–12

“Religion Christless, Godless — a book sealed;

A senate, Time's worst statute unrepealed —”

Translation

The speaker now refers to England as without morality and religious values
The speaker considers England’s “Senate” or parliament the worst law of all time
Shelley says the parliament has never been removed (“unrepealed”)

Shelley’s intention

Shelley draws attention to the outrage and frustration felt by the speaker as they criticise the government
Shelley suggests England’s government is old-fashioned (“Time’s worst statute”) and its effectiveness has never been reflected upon or altered

Lines 13–14

“Are graves from which a glorious Phantom may

Burst, to illumine our tempestuous day.”

Translation

The speaker ends the poem hopeful for change
Shelley hopes the systems he criticises are “graves”
Shelley concludes with a wish that the death of the old systems brings a ghost (a “Phantom”)
He hopes these systems are replaced with something that brightens the dark, “stormy” situation in England in 1819 (“tempestuous day”)

Shelley’s intention

Shelley ends on a morbid, yet hopeful note:

The poem ends hoping for the death of old systems in England
Shelley implies that from the death illumination and enlightenment can be born

Exam Tip

Your exam question will ask you to compare how poets present ideas about worlds and lives in the poem given to you on the exam paper and one other from the Worlds and Lives anthology. It is therefore a good idea to plan an argument based on the specific theme in the question before annotating the poem in front of you. Consider how the poems examine the natural world or individual lives and relationships. This demonstrates that you have understood the poem and the poet’s intention. For example, “Shelley presents ideas about…”

Writer’s methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have, especially in relation to the theme or message.

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas and patterns of language, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Percy Bysshe Shelley’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:

Form
Structure
Language

Exam Tip

The last thing examiners want to see is what they call “technique spotting”. This is when students use overly sophisticated terminology unnecessarily (for example, “polysyndeton” or “epanalepsis”). Examiners are not looking for identification of as many techniques as you can find in the poems, nor do they require you to remember lots of techniques from each of the fifteen poems. Instead, they award responses which examine the theme in the question and support your ideas on this with reference to the poets’ choices.

Therefore, to get higher marks, focus your analysis on the reasons why the poet is presenting their ideas in the way that they do: what is their message? What ideas are they presenting, or challenging?

Form

The poem is in the form of an ironic sonnet that conveys England’s hatred towards its monarchy and aristocracy. Shelley manipulates the form, leaving out the traditional stanza break in order to convey outrage.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Home and heritage	Shelley’s use of a sonnet is ironic; traditionally a sonnet was a poem about courtly love, written for the aristocracy	Shelley subverts the form by turning it against the establishment
	There is a clear absence of break in the poem’s form: A sonnet traditionally breaks at the octave and is followed by a sestet	Shelley allows no pause in the form of the poem, in order to convey intense emotion
	Shelley subverts the form of a traditional love poem in order to present an angry critique on England

Structure

Shelley’s sonnet, “England in 1819”, manipulates rhyme and rhythm to present a dramatic and emotional attack on traditional systems, which Shelley suggests result in an angered and desperate people.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Disconnected relationships	Shelley subverts the traditional rhyme scheme of a sonnet by creating a sestet followed by an octave: This offsets the attack on the monarchy with Shelley’s comments on other aspects of the country	Shelley’s rhyme scheme appears to present his main criticism as against the rulers of his country: By separating the final six lines with an altered rhyme scheme, Shelley conveys ideas that other elements of England are a result of poor leadership
	Iambic pentameter contributes to a repetitive, unchanging rhythm: However, Shelley disrupts the rhythm with mixed assonance : “An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying King” alliteration contributes to the speaker’s bitter tone: “dregs of their dull race,”	Shelley’s speaker sounds Resentful and angry about their world
	Shelley uses caesurae and abrupt punctuation to create a broken voice: “Through public scorn,—mud from a muddy spring,—” Shelley’s broken lines draw attention to his reflections: “A Senate, Time's worst statute unrepealed —”	Shelley’s speaker conveys bitterness as they reflect on their disrupted world
	Shelley’s speaker conveys the disruptions and conflicts in their environment through a carefully considered yet angry challenge to their world

Language

“England in 1819” is a critical commentary on nineteenth-century England. The poem’s sinister imagery draws attention to the corruption of the systems in place and the suffering of those under them.

Theme	Evidence	Poet’s intention
Relationships and lives	Shelley draws attention to the suffering of the people with sibilance : “A people starved and stabbed”	Shelley’s stark description of the way his compatriots are murdered on their “untilled fields” portrays the citizens as innocent victims
	Shelley uses vivid imagery to convey the corruption and desperation of England’s leaders: The aristocracy are “mud from muddy springs” They cling to power like leeches or parasites They are “blind in blood”	Shelley’s alliteration draws attention to the images he presents: His morbid language refers to death, blood and pollution to allude to the violent conflicts in 1819
	Shelley contrasts dark and light imagery to present a hopeful message: He believes a “glorious Phantom” will emerge from the “graves” of the old systems The ghosts will bring light to the darkness and “illumine our tempestuous day”	Shelley ends the poem suggesting a positive outcome from the death and destruction of monarchy, parliament and military institutions
	Shelley’s criticism of nineteenth-century London hopes for the end of England’s corrupt leadership, under which the inhabitants are oppressed by equally corrupt authorities

Exam Tip

Try not to separate “language”, “form” and “structure” into three separate elements you need to include in your answer. This means it is better to structure your answer around an exploration of the ideas and themes in the poems, commenting on elements of language, form or structure that contribute to the presentation of these themes, rather than simply listing all of the key methods you think should be covered.

In other words, stay focused on the task and theme, and then choose your evidence based on the focus of the question and the writer’s choices.

Context

Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about Percy Bysshe Shelley that is unrelated to the ideas in “England in 1819”. The best way to understand context is as the ideas and perspectives explored by Shelley in the poem, which relate to worlds and lives. This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Shelley explores:

Home and heritage
Relationships and lives

Home and heritage

Although Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote the poem for a radical English magazine, it was never published for fear of the legal and political response:

It was finally published in 1839 after his death by Shelley's wife, Mary Shelley

The polemic expresses anger towards King George III's leadership:

The king’s mental and physical decline led to the advancement of the Prince of Wales, or the Prince Regent, who took his place

Shelley particularly challenges what he considers to be the special protection afforded to the elite:

The Prince Regent was known to be weak and self-indulgent

Shelley refers in the poem to the murder of citizens, particularly farmers on the “field”:

This could allude to the Peterloo Massacre, a military attack on protesters in St. Peter's Field in Manchester in 1819
After a public outcry (“public scorn”) the government (“Senate”) restricted the press and handed out harsher punishment for protesters
Another of his poems, called “The Masque of Anarchy”, calls for violent protest in response to the Peterloo Massacre

The poem refers to the economic problems in England after the Napoleonic wars in 1815:

The “untilled fields” referenced in the poem may allude to the poor harvest and food shortages

Relationships with the world

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) is considered one of the most radical Romantic poets
His poetry focuses on the corruption of established systems in England
Shelley was an atheist, a socialist and an active critic of the monarchy and aristocracy
Shelley wrote the sonnet in Italy, having left England in 1818 amid much controversy:

Shelley’s attack on religion in an essay written in 1811, titled “On the Necessity of Atheism” brought much criticism
Thus, “England in 1819” challenges Shelley’s homeland from afar
Notably, the poem was not published in England

Shelley’s poetry often encourages revolutionary rebellion against the establishment:

He is said to have been influenced by the rebellion against the monarchy and aristocracy during the French Revolution in 1789
The “glorious Phantom” bursting from the graves of dead systems and kings could allude to the democracy France gained as a result of the violent revolution

Exam Tip

Remember, AO3 is only worth up to 6 marks in this question. For a higher mark, you should demonstrate your understanding of the relationship between the poem and the context in which it was written in an integrated way, which means throughout your answer. It is therefore important to focus on the key themes and to have a thorough knowledge of contextual ideas across the cluster of poems.

Context comes from the key word in the task, so your answer should emphasise the key themes. Writing a whole paragraph about label goes here {Error #829843: Missing popover `abc123`} attitudes to the world is not an integrated approach, and will not achieve high marks.

What to compare it to

The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about worlds and lives in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that “England in 1819” explores the ideas of disconnected relationships between human beings and their worlds, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:

For each pair of poems, you will find:

The comparison in a nutshell
Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

Exam Tip

You will be expected to explore this poem in depth, as well as make perceptive comparisons about how the poets use language, form and structure to comment on complex relationships and connections with personal and external worlds.

It is therefore important that you have a thorough knowledge of ideas within the poems, rather than memorising lots of quotations. It is also essential that you not only write about the named poem, but compare it to one other in the anthology. It is important that you draw clear connections to the ideas in the two poems and how they each present the theme in the question.

“England in 1819” and “In a London Drawing Room”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “England in 1819” and George Eliot’s “In a London Drawing Room” employ speakers who explore their feelings about their place in the world, especially in relation to their environment. Both poems criticise their homeland and comment on the suffering they observe. However, while Shelley’s poem is a political attack, Eliot describes a dreary urban environment.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems offer a critique of their environment
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“In a London Drawing Room”
	Shelley uses natural imagery to describe England as “tempestuous” or stormy: He describes the princes as “mud from muddy springs”	Eliot describes a miserable and dreary London, commenting on the “cloudy” sky and the wall of buildings like “solid fog”
	Shelley describes his world as full of suffering: He personifies England to emphasise its weakness, describing it as a “fainting country” He uses alliteration to highlight the way the inhabitants suffer: “A people starved and stabbed in th' untilled field”	Eliot’s speaker describes their home, London, similarly: The speaker describes the city as a place of punishment: “The world seems one huge prison-house & court” The speaker implies the people are not thriving, using a metaphor that alludes to nourishment: “No figure lingering/Pauses to feed the hunger of the eye”
	The speakers’ description of their environments suggest their unease and concern as they imply their homeland is a place of punishment and despair

Topic sentence	Both poems comment on the disconnected relationships of those who inhabit their homeland
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“In a London Drawing Room”
	Shelley comments on the way the people of England are led by rulers who do not see them as individuals: Shelley describes “Rulers who neither see, nor feel, nor know” and refers to the citizens as one mass: “A people”	Eliot draws attention to the way the citizens of London seem blind to the joy of life or individuality: The speaker describes how the crowds “All hurry on & look upon the ground” Eliot refers to the way the people of the city are homogenised and closed-minded: “All closed, in multiplied identity”
	Shelley’s criticism of England is that it is punitive and without justice: He describes the “two-edged sword” of justice, implying hypocrisies or double-standards within the justice system He describes the “public scorn” at the country’s monarchy Shelley uses a triple to emphasise ideas that his world has lost its morality: “Religion Christless, Godless”	Eliot criticises her world by describing London as without compassion or joy: She says her world is a place “Where men are punished at the slightest cost” She describes the city as having the “lowest rate of colour, warmth & joy”
	Both poems describe their homeland as places of pain and punishment, which in turn corrupt their people as they become embittered

Differences:

Topic sentence	Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “England in 1819” describes a country made desperate as a result of poor leadership, while George Eliot’s “In a London Drawing Room” describes the urbanisation of London that she suggests brings suffering to its inhabitants
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“In a London Drawing Room”
	Shelley’s description uses dark imagery to comment on corrupt institutions in the country: He uses alliteration to emphasise his bleak view on the monarchy: “the dregs of their dull race” Vivid imagery describes the monarchy as parasitic: “leech-like to their fainting country cling”	Eliot offers a gloomy description of London using natural imagery: She describes how the sky is blocked by a wall of houses like “solid fog” The buildings obscure the shadows of birds or the “golden rays” of sun
	Shelley presents a dramatic and urgent message about his world, using metaphorical language relating to death: Shelley refers to the death of the monarchy (a “dying” king) using alliteration for stress: “Till they drop, blind in blood” He describes the citizens as “starved and stabbed” The poem ends with a similarly dramatic metaphor, referring to “graves from which a glorious Phantom may// Burst”	Eliot, however, describes urban London’s mundane and dreary environment as restrictive: The “Monotony of surface & of form” leaves little room for individuality or variety Eliot suggests an urban world limits the imagination and sense of mystery: “Without a break to hang a guess upon”
	Shelley’s poem is a harsh criticism of corrupted systems that bring death and destruction, while Eliot’s poem is a critique of the way industrialisation and urbanisation have made her world bleak and depressing

Exam Tip

It is a good idea to outline your choice of second poem in your introduction to your response, with a clear overview of the overarching themes within both poems. You can then use the theme to move between both poems to provide the substance to illustrate your arguments. However, this does not mean that you cannot focus on one poem first, and then the other, linking ideas back to the main poem. You should choose whichever structure suits you best, as long as comparison is embedded and ideas for both texts are well-developed.

“England in 1819” and “A Portable Paradise”

Comparison in a nutshell:

This is an effective comparative choice to explore individuals’ responses to their changing worlds. Both poets describe their concern as they observe their environment and recognise a disconnected relationship between the individuals and their world. While Percy Bysshe Shelley focuses his poem on a corrupted England, Roger Robinson considers the personal perspective of an individual experiencing daily pressures.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both speakers convey emotional pleas within their criticisms on their environment
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Shelley gives his emotional speaker a disrupted yet persistent voice to convey the strong emotional response to their homeland: The unbroken sonnet and interrupted rhythm conveys an unstable voice	Robinson, too, conveys the response of his speaker through enjambment, which conveys a breathless expression of emotion
	Shelley describes a hopeful outcome to his corrupted world using sensory imagery: From the “graves he hopes a glorious Phantom may// Burst, to illumine our tempestuous day”	Robinson uses imagery to convey hope against the challenges of their world: He finds his own paradise of “white sands, green hills and fresh fish” With this he can “Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope of morning”
	The speakers’ emotional responses to their worlds convey a sense of desperation as they attempt to find hope in their worlds

Topic sentence	Both poems comment on the disconnected relationships of those who inhabit their homeland
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Shelley comments on rulers who do not see the people as individuals, and are ignorant to their suffering: Shelley describes “Rulers who neither see, nor feel, nor know” He refers to the citizens as one mass: “A people”	Robinson, similarly, suggests the speaker feels part of a neglected, isolated group: The speaker refers to the third-person plural “they”: this suggests a conflict between the boy and those in power: “That way they can’t steal it, she’d say” The speaker must remain isolated: “concealed, so no one else would know but me”
	Shelley criticises the challenges the people of England must face: He describes the “two-edged sword” of justice, implying hypocrisies or double-standards within the justice system He describes the “public scorn” at the country’s monarchy Shelley uses a triple to emphasise ideas that his world has lost its morality: “Religion Christless, Godless”	Robinson criticises the “pressure” and the “stresses”, which the speaker implies must be “sustained and daily”: They need to find safety: “get yourself to an empty room – be it hotel,/hostel or hovel”
	Both poems describe their homeland as corrupted, which in turn corrupts its people as they become embittered or isolated

Differences:

Topic sentence	Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “England in 1819” describes a country made desperate as a result of poor leadership, while Roger Robinson’s “A Portable Paradise” conveys how a sense of community can offer comfort in challenging times
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“A Portable Paradise”
	Shelley’s description focuses on the weak institutions in the country: He uses alliteration to emphasise his bleak view on the monarchy: “the dregs of their dull race" Vivid imagery describes the monarchy as parasitic: “leech-like to their fainting country cling”	Robinson, however, relates how advice from a grandparent can provide comfort in times of isolation: “And if I speak of Paradise, then I’m speaking of my grandmother”
	Shelley presents a dramatic and urgent message about his world, using metaphorical language relating to death: Shelley refers to the death of the monarchy (a “dying” king) using alliteration for stress: “Till they drop, blind in blood” He describes the citizens as “starved and stabbed” The poem ends with similarly dramatic metaphor, referring to “graves from which a glorious Phantom may// Burst”	Robinson conveys a calmer, more peaceful message about finding one’s own paradise in life: The speaker follows advice about how to find peace They suggest “empty your paradise onto a desk” and “keep staring at it till you sleep”
	Shelley’s poem is a harsh criticism of corrupted institutions that bring death and destruction, while Robinson’s poem describes a way of providing one's own comfort under such systems

“England in 1819” and “Thirteen”

Comparison in a nutshell:

Both Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “England in 1819” and Caleb Femi’s “Thirteen” explore disconnections between the speaker and their world. The poems criticise corrupted powerful authorities that cause suffering to the inhabitants. While Shelley’s polemic poem attacks England’s corrupt monarchy and aristocracy, Femi’s conversational poem comments on discrimination, specifically within the police service.

Similarities:

Topic sentence	Both poems highlight disconnected relationships under oppressive systems
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“Thirteen”
	Shelley describes the negative conditions and emotions of the people of England: They are “A people starved and stabbed in the untilled field” There is “public scorn” toward the monarchy and aristocracy	Femi also describes the oppressive conditions and emotions experienced by his speaker in their environment: The speaker describes a stop and search: “when you are cornered by an officer” The speaker expresses a lack of control: “he will see you powerless – plump./ You will watch the two men cast lots for your organs”
	Shelley contrasts dark and light imagery to convey ideas about good and evil: The poem ends describing a “glorious Phantom” that “Bursts” from “graves” of dead systems Shelley hopes this will “illumine” the “tempestuous day”	Femi similarly contrasts vivid imagery to convey how hope is offered to children and then taken away: The police officers tell the schoolchildren they are big and bright “stars” and “supernovas” The speaker concludes, however, that the children are “dying stars/on the verge of becoming black holes.”
	The poets both comment on issues they face in their world by using contrasting imagery that connotes to ideas related to good and evil and hope and suffering

Differences:

Topic sentence	Shelley’s poem is a dramatic and bitter attack on England’s monarchy and aristocracy, while Femi’s poem is a conversational narrative that conveys a young child’s perspective on their environment
Evidence and analysis	“England in 1819”	“Thirteen”
	Shelley uses a sonnet ironically to convey the “public scorn” of the people under what Shelley describes as corrupt and powerful systems: The broken rhythm, however, creates a bitter tone as Shelley’s speaker lists their criticisms	The poem is written in free verse and is split into four irregular stanzas with an irregular rhythm: The changing voice reflects the speaker’s attempt at a casual, nonchalant tone as they relate their sense of powerlessness Its conversational form conveys the speaker’s identity through colloquial speech
	Shelley’s poem makes use of alliteration and assonance to create a resentful tone: He describes the monarchy as “The dregs of their dull race” He refers to violence bitterly: “blind in blood, without a blow”	Femi’s speaker speaks with irony about their relationships with others: “– You’ll laugh./Thirteen, you’ll tell him: you’re thirteen”: The colloquial references suggest a resigned {Error #829843: Missing popover `cYFg3e0XkyergtKr3`} attitude: “You’ll be patted on the shoulder, then, by another fed”
	Both poems present embittered speakers; however, while Shelley’s poem is a sophisticated critique of England, Femi’s poem presents the way a child has normalised their powerlessness

Exam Tip

You can choose whichever poem you feel you are able to make the most in-depth comparisons to in the exam. For example, you could choose to compare the presentation of individuals’ observations about their worlds in “England in 1819” and “In a London Drawing Room”. Or you might wish to explore the way poets examine connections and relationships in “England in 1819” and “Thirteen”. What is important is that you view the poems thematically, with a clear emphasis on worlds and lives. This will give you a better framework in which to write your response in the exam.

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England in 1819 (AQA GCSE English Literature)

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Author: Sam Evans