AQA English Literature Comparative Poetry Tips

Stuck on how to deal with the upcoming exam? Not sure how to approach the comparative essay? Check below for some quick and easy tips on how to improve your approach to the exam!

Tip 1: Pre-organize your poems into common themes

Your poetry anthology has a whole bunch of poems that can all be related to one another prior to the exam. What you should do is consider which poems relate to common themes, so you don’t have to think as much about it on the exam day. For example, these are some poems that relate well:

Ozymandias + London: the representation of how miserable power is
Exposure + Bayonet Charge: the grim realities of war
Checking Out Me History + The Emigree: cultural identity and marginalization

Tip 2: Pre-plan your essay structure

The structure for your comparative essay will be the same regardless of the prompt. It’s a traditional 4-5 paragraph essay, written in PEEL/PEAL format. The structure is as follows:

Introduction

• State the two poems and how they are both similar and different in relation to the question
  • Example:
    “Both ‘Ozymandias’ and ‘London’ explore the theme of power, but while Shelley critiques the arrogance of rulers, Blake exposes the suffering of the oppressed.”

Body paragraphs

• State a similarity/difference in the theme between both poems, using PEEL structure
  • Point: Both poems present…
  • Evidence: Quote from Poem A + Poem B.
  • Explanation: How do language/structure differ?
  • Link: Why is this comparison important?

Conclusion

• Finish by stating the central similarities and differences

Tip 3: Learn comparative terms

In order to write a comparative essay, you need to use terms that show comparisons (obviously). Use linking phrases to show comparison:

Sample response

Both ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley and ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning explores ideas about power and control through showing how they both end up losing the power. However, Percy Bysshe Shelley explores ideas of power to emphasize that power is only something temporary and how time eventually makes everything pointless, while Robert Browning explores how loss of power makes people obsessive and desperate to regain it.

Shelley and Browning explore the theme of power by illustrating egocentrism and pride in those who have power. This can be seen in “Ozymandias,” the broken statue in the desert, and how ‘nothing beside remains.’ The use of situational irony in the diction ‘remains’ highlights how superiority of nature and how no matter what people do in their lifetime, the speed of time will make all their efforts useless. Furthermore, Ozymandias’s arrogance is also shown, believing that his reputation will endure because of all his inventions, but in the end, his tyrannical rule was one of the reasons why he was not acknowledged in the present. We are reminded that everyone will fade into oblivion because of the speed of time. This is further emphasised by the continuous vastness of the desert, in the form of the ‘lonesome and level sands stretching far away’. Sibilance is used in the phrase ‘sands stretch’, in which the repeated ‘s’ creates an echo effect of the vastness of desert. The language used contributes to the feeling of emptiness and adds to the sense of Ozymandias’ powerlessness and the ephemeral nature of human accomplishments. In contrast, Blake examines the effects of control in various ways. This is seen in London when those in power ignore what is happening in society. For example, in the poem ‘The hapless soldier’s sigh, runs in blood down palace walls.’ Blake uses a metaphor to express the sadness and despair of the soldiers who are struggling in a very unjust and oppressive system. This symbolizes the hopelessness and despair of these soldiers who are defending their country. In addition, the image of the blood running down palace walls symbolizes the sacrifice of the ordinary people and shows that the blood and pain of the ruling class are completely disregarded. This shows the contrast between the lavish lifestyles of the rich and the harsh reality of the ordinary people. Additionally, this is also shown in how rather than uniting their children, the harlots ‘Blast the infant infant’s tear.’ Through the utilization of hyperbole, the diction ‘blast’ makes a sense of destruction or brutality, proposing that the nature of society in London features a negative impact on even the foremost helpless people. The phrase ‘newborn infant’s tear’ advances the enduring experience by youthful children, who are miserable and subjected to the cruel realities of society even from the exceptional beginning of their lives.

In general, Shelley and Blake both use the results of control to examine themes of power and control.

Bringing it all together

As a whole, start by quickly annotating the question to identify key themes and select the best-prepared poems. Use your pre-planned comparisons to save time, but stay flexible and adapt your points to fit the question. Most importantly, keep context concise, and focus on how poets’ methods shape meaning. By integrating preparation, structure, and adaptability, you’ll write a focused, insightful response under pressure.

Learning the All Round Way:

Compare poems like a pro with expert techniques, thematic links, and structural analysis for AQA English Literature success. If you find yourself needing more guidance on specific texts or how to enhance your analytical skills, we invite you to connect with us at All Round Education Academy. Our dedicated team is here to support you in achieving your academic goals. For more information, please contact us at tuition@allround-edu.com or +852 6348 8744.