Lament – Gillian Clarke

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Lektionsnotizen

The Poem and Its Context

  • 'Lament' by Gillian Clarke is one of the 15 poems in the Songs of Ourselves Volume 1 cluster studied for Paper 1, Section A.
  • The poem offers a different perspective on war by describing the ecological crisis caused by the Gulf War in 1991.
  • It belongs to the key theme of humans and nature, exploring environmental destruction.
  • In the exam you will have a choice of two questions on your cluster; each question is based on one poem, and the full poem is printed on the exam paper.
  • You answer one question on your studied cluster, so make sure you select the right one.

What the Question Requires

  • Each poetry question is worth 25 marks, and you should aim to spend about 45 minutes on it.
  • Examiners look for a sustained personal and evaluative engagement with the poem.
  • A sustained answer includes a brief introduction, at least three paragraphs and a concise conclusion.
  • Engage with the key words of the question from the start, rather than analysing the poem line by line.
  • Words such as 'moving', 'disturbing' or 'memorable' in a question indicate a particular focus; high-achieving responses examine the techniques that create such effects.

Assessment Objectives

  • AO1: show detailed knowledge of the poem's content, supported by reference to the text.
  • AO2: understand meanings and explore beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes.
  • AO3: analyse how the poet uses language, structure and form to create meanings and achieve effects.
  • AO4: communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to the poem.
  • All four assessment objectives are weighted equally at 25% each and are tested holistically.

Key Theme: Humans and Nature

  • The poem examines the relationship between humans and nature, focusing on environmental destruction.
  • It presents the ecological damage caused by the Gulf War in 1991, giving a different perspective on war.
  • This places it alongside other poems in the cluster that consider the natural world, such as Judith Wright's 'Hunting Snake' and Boey Kim Cheng's 'Report to Wordsworth'.
  • When writing about the poem, link points about societal values to the writer's purpose.

Writer's Methods: Form and Structure

  • Consider the poet's choice of form — the way the poem looks or the type of poem it is.
  • Consider the poem's structure, especially how it ends: is it cyclical or resolved?
  • Explore how the poet uses patterns of language, tone of voice through rhythm and rhyme, and how endings present ideas.
  • Form, structure and language are all considered 'writer's methods' in the mark scheme.

Writer's Methods: Language

  • Explore how the poet makes decisions about language, rather than simply quoting lines and explaining their meaning.
  • Use linguistic terms to explain the effect on the reader.
  • Sensory imagery can create a disturbing setting; for example, phrases such as 'Smothered by the smog' and 'sky slowing like a dying clock'.
  • Closely relate your analysis of language to the question.

Using the Poet's Name and Context

  • Using the poet's name keeps you thinking of the text as a conscious construct, focusing on how the poet made choices when creating the poem.
  • Use connectives to link your ideas and present a coherent argument.
  • Including historical facts or biographical information about the poet does not add value to your answers.
  • 'Context' is rewarded whenever you explore ideas about theme, not when it is simply stated.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Do not spend too much time on the poetry question: it is worth the same 25 marks as the prose question, so divide your time equally.
  • Do not simply unload all the information you know about the poem; focus on answering the question.
  • Do not write lengthy introductions with biographical or historical facts unrelated to the question — this delays your answer.
  • Do not start with a list of the devices used by the poet; instead set up a clear argument focused on the writer's purposes.
  • No marks are given for comments on other poems in the anthology — concentrate only on the poem given.

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Übungsfragen

Gratis-Vorschau — 8 von 55 Fragen. Registriere dich, um alle zu sehen.
  1. 1.In Songs of Ourselves Volume 1, who wrote the poem 'Lament'?

    Easy
    • AGillian Clarke
    • BSujata Bhatt
    • CCarol Rumens
    • DElizabeth Brewster
  2. 2.In Gillian Clarke's 'Lament', which conflict does the poem describe the ecological crisis caused by?

    Medium
    • AThe Gulf War in 1991
    • BThe First World War
    • CThe Industrial Revolution
    • DThe American Civil War
  3. 3.Which of the following are true of Gillian Clarke's 'Lament' as it appears in the Songs of Ourselves Volume 1 cluster? (select all that apply)

    Medium
    • AIt is one of the 15 poems in the cluster studied for Paper 1, Section A.
    • BIt is set for examination in 2026 and 2027.
    • CIt explores environmental destruction.
    • DIt is a prose extract rather than a poem.
    • EIt presents a different perspective on war.
  4. 4.In Gillian Clarke's 'Lament', the poem focuses on the relationship between humans and nature.

    Easy

    True or false?

  5. 5.Match each poem from Songs of Ourselves Volume 1 with the theme it is used to illustrate.

    Medium
    • 'Lament'
    • 'Hunting Snake'
    • 'Before the Sun'
    • 'Report to Wordsworth'
    • Environmental destruction
    • Wonder and fear evoked by a snake
    • Harmony between humans and nature
    • A dramatic warning paying tribute to Romantic concerns
  6. 6.In the Songs of Ourselves Volume 1 cluster, which poem is paired with Gillian Clarke's 'Lament' under the theme of 'Humans and nature'?

    Medium
    • A'Hunting Snake' by Judith Wright
    • B'Follower' by Seamus Heaney
    • C'A Married State' by Katherine Philips
    • D'Storyteller' by Liz Lochhead
  7. 7.Which statement best describes the perspective Gillian Clarke's 'Lament' offers on war?

    Medium
    • AIt describes the ecological crisis caused by war rather than focusing on soldiers or battles.
    • BIt celebrates a military victory in the Gulf War.
    • CIt follows a soldier's experience of trench warfare.
    • DIt argues that war has no effect on the natural world.
  8. 8.In Gillian Clarke's 'Lament', the poem presents ideas about environmental destruction.

    Easy

    True or false?

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