Poetry by Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage, and from before 1914
KS4 English
These poems are found in the AQA Anthology and together are a set text for the Literature exam. The question on the exam paper counts for 40% of your final marks. There will be a choice of questions on the exam paper, but you will have to write about four poems: one by Duffy, one by Armitage and two from before 1914.
The Anthology contains eight poems by Duffy, eight by Armitage and another sixteen written before 1914 by a variety of poets. You do NOT need to study the poems by Seamus Heaney and Gillian Clarke.
Thirty two poems may seem like too many. You should read them all at some point, but there are only twelve poems which the exam board have identified as key poems and you should focus your study on these. The list varies depending on whether you will be doing the higher or foundation paper – ask your teacher if you do not know which tier you will be doing.
Foundation Tier Poems in italics are key for both tiers
| Duffy | Armitage | Pre-1914 |
| Havisham | My father thought it | On My First Sonne |
| Salome | November | Song of the Old Mother |
| Education for Leisure | Kid | The Man He Killed |
| Stealing | Hitcher | The Laboratory |
Higher Tier Poems in italics are key for both tiers
| Duffy | Armitage | Pre-1914 |
| Havisham | Mother, any distance | On My First Sonne |
| Anne Hathaway | Homecoming | Sonnet 130 |
| Before You Were Mine | Kid | My Last Duchess |
| Education for Leisure | Hitcher | The Laboratory |
You need to know these poems very well to get a good grade for Literature. Good candidates read the poems over and over again before the final exam, which may seem like a lot but you can probably read all twelve poems ten times in less time than it will take you to read “Of Mice and Men” once. It is essential in the exam that you can choose the right poems to write about and can find good quotes quickly and you can only do this if you know them well.
You will be assessed on the following things:
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How well you can explain what you think the poems are saying and justify what you think. It helps if you can discuss a range of possible interpretations. |
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How well you select and use quotes, including whether you link quotes from different poems. |
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How well you understand and explain how the poets use words and the organisation of the poem to have an effect on the reader. |
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How well you compare the four poems you write about. |
You will be taught the following things:
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How to develop your own interpretations of the poems |
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What poetic techniques and language devices each poem uses and how to relate these to your interpretation of the poem |
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How to quote and work quotes into your answer |
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Words and phrases to help you write comparisons |
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How to structure your answer so that you compare the poems throughout your answer |