January 2010 LITA3 Question: Read the two poems (Sonnet 19, Shakespeare and Meeting Point, MacNeice) carefully, bearing in mind that they were written at different times by different writers and are open to different interpretations.
Write a comparison of these two poems.
In your answer you should consider the ways in which Shakespeare (in Item A) and MacNeice (in Item B) use form, structure and language to present their thoughts and ideas; make relevant references to your wider reading in the poetry of love. (40 marks)
Student Response from AQA Support Materials | Question 1
‘Sonnet 19’ and ‘Meeting Point’ were written at different times. But both express similar ideas of love.
The theme of love has been a constant one throughout poetry, ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st
Century, something we can clearly see from the poems by Shakespeare and MacNeice.
Firstly, they both use repetition of ‘Time’ to show the impact time has on the feelings for their lovers.
Shakespeare suggests that it does not matter how old him or his lover become, she will ‘ever live young’. It
is in this sense that he sees his sonnets as a preservation of his lover from ‘Devouring Time’. Ultimately, he
suggests that time has no effect on his love. This is similar to MacNeice’s representation of time and love
as he also suggests that time does not affect his love. MacNeice refers to love being ‘away and somewhere
else’ suggesting that when he is with his love time stops and the ‘bell is silent in the air’. This idea is
reinforced by his idea that the clock forgot them, ultimately suggesting that time itself has forgotten them
as he needs nothing but his lover. MacNeice also hints at them being almost in a kind of limbo as they are
‘neither up nor down’, again hinting that the world around MacNeice stops when he is with his lover
because she is all that matters. Shakespeare also uses a capital letter whenever he repeats ‘Time’,
highlighting its importance to the poem and its relevance to his lover. The idea of time v love is also found
in ‘Remember’ by Christina Rossetti as she feels that her lover should forget her and be happy after she
has died rather than remember her and be sad. However Rossetti presents a different idea of time to
Shakespeare and MacNeice as she feels that as time goes on she should be loved less by her lover. This is in
contrast to Shakespeare and MacNeice who arguably feel that time will not affect their love.
Secondly, ‘Meeting Point’ has a somewhat circular structure as the last line of each stanza is a repetition
of the first. This suggests that MacNeice feels his love is constant and on-going and no matter what
happens, he will still be in love. This is also reinforced in that the poem also resembles a list which again
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 suggests that MacNeice’s love is constant and continuous, just as a list can be continued by adding more
things to it. This is similar to ‘Lovesong’ by Ted Hughes, which is also written like a list, as it represents
Hughes’ often negative feelings towards who we can assume to be his ex wife Sylvia Plath. However, this is
in contrast to Sonnet 19 as it is written in the form of a sonnet, very common for the Renaissance period.
Arguably an expression of love itself, by writing in a sonnet, Shakespeare is conforming to the time. This is
in contrast to MacNeice who, as a 20th Century poet, would have been able to be less conventional.
Another difference between the two poems Is arguably their use of metaphors and descriptions.
Shakespeare uses dramatic metaphors to describe his feelings for love vs time such as ‘fierce tiger’s jaws’
and ‘lion’s paws’. This suggests how passionate and fierce the love he has for his lover is as he likens it to
wild animals, suggesting that it is rare. Another comparison he uses is to that of a ‘phoenix’, showing how
he feels that his lover will live on as the phoenix does, even more so as it is ‘in her blood’. Shakespeare’s
metaphor of ‘thine antique pen’ also suggests finery and rarity, symbolizing his love. Andrew Marvell also
uses dramatic and rare descriptions to describe his love in ‘To his coy mistress’ as he likens his ‘mistress’ to
‘rubies’. Like Shakespeare, this suggests the rarity of his love, and his lover and also suggests that it is
priceless and sought after. This is unlike MacNeice, who favours everyday experiences to describe his love.
His description of ‘two glasses and two chairs’ is simple yet it effectively describes the unity of him and his
lover and how it is solid and apparent in everyday life. MacNeice’s references to everyday life is also
reflected in ‘not caring if the markets crash’, likely to be referring to the Wall Street crash of 1929. As
‘Meeting Point’ was published in the 1930s, it is likely that this reference would have been picked up by
the reader and the extent of the love he is describing recognised. By using everyday experiences such as
‘they sat in a coffee shop’, MacNeice makes seemingly irrelevant descriptions such as ‘around the cups and
plates’ to represent his strong feelings of love. The vastness of his love is shown in ‘the desert was their
own’ which suggests that MacNeice’s love, like the desert, is vast and seems never-ending. Another poet
who uses everyday descriptions is John Donne in ‘The Flea’. Like MacNeice, Donne uses a seemingly
irrelevant and insignificant description (‘The Flea’) to show how great his desire is for the woman in the
poem. Ultimately, this use of description proves to be effective as it is something readers can relate to.
Overall, it would seem that although Sonnet 19 and Meeting Point both represent similar ideas of love,
Shakespeare and MacNeice present it in very different ways. With Shakespeare’s dramatic description and
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 MacNeice’s everyday experiences the different times in which they were writing is evident, however they
both present their idea of love effectively.
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 Reverse Planning and Analysis
Task 1| Reverse Planning | Complete the brainstorm below, noting down the key focus of the essay, the topic for each section and the
points made in each section
Section focus:
Section focus: Main focus:
Section focus:
Task 2| Find it! Highlight it! Label it! | Identify as many features of a good response as you can
AO1 Quality of writing | Use of terminology and concepts | Evidence from texts | Quality of argument (informed, relevant, creative) AO2 Understanding of how form, structure and language shape meaning | The quality of your analysis Point relevant to the text and question Comment on how language creates meaning Text A is understood Comment on how structure creates meaning Comment on how form creates meaning Analysis (effect + why/how) rather than description Text B is understood Relevant terminology used correctly Essay starts with an introduction Specific, relevant, embedded reference to the text(s) Introduction includes a thesis statement / argument Embedded quotation from the text(s) Introduction includes comment on context TOP GRADE: Insight = show deeper understanding, not just Each section = one key idea / argument the obvious Each section starts with a topic sentence TOP GRADE: Confident analysis = secure/solid + systematic Each section ends with a concluding, summative sentence TOP GRADE: Mastery of detail = notice the finer details Connectives used to make ideas flow TOP GRADE: Conceptual response = you form an overall TOP GRADE: Confidence = secure/solid use of terminology and argument that comes together in your response theory + systematic response + notice finer details TOP GRADE: Cogency = to the point + picky + only most relevant and important points TOP GRADE: Sophisticated & mature = see less obvious meaning AO3 Comparison | Alternative interpretations + being sensitive to different meanings + evidence of thorough knowledge Compare and/or contrast language in both texts Compare and/or contrast structure in both texts Compare and/or contrast form of both texts Understanding of the written context | Understanding of the received context | Wider Reading Compare and/or contrast subject matter of both texts Compare and/or contrast theme(s) in both texts Wider reading comparison and/or contrast Alternative interpretations AO4 Context to enrich understanding (not bolt‐on = part of analysis) TOP GRADE: Explore comparisons confidently = examine and investigate systematically Relevant and detailed wider reading links that enhance understanding (not bolt‐on = compare and contrast) TOP GRADE: Sophisticated & mature = see less obvious Influence of culture on reading meaning + being sensitive to different meanings + evidence Influence of text type or genre on reading of thorough knowledge Influence of historical period on reading TOP GRADE: Explore = examine and investigate systematically Overall judgement: circle the one you think! TOP GRADE: Evaluate the influence of context = judge how far Band it influenced the shaping of meaning or reading of text 1 Limited, few, inaccurate TOP GRADE: Sophisticated links with wider reading = sensitive 2 Basic, simple, straightforward, describe, obvious, underdeveloped, irrelevant well‐chosen wider reading texts with strong links 3 Relevant, informed, appropriate, organised, coherent, clear, accurate, analysis, develop 4 Relevant, confident, cogent, sophisticated, mature, insight, detail, conceptual, explore ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 January 2010 LITA3 Question: Read the two extracts (The Invention of Love by Tom Stoppard and The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall) carefully, bearing in mind that they were written at different times by different writers and are open to different interpretations.
Write a comparison of the ways in which forbidden love is presented in these two extracts.
In your answer you should consider the ways in which Stoppard (in Item C) and Hall (in Item D) use form, structure and language to express their thoughts and ideas; make relevant references to your wider reading. (40 marks) Student Response from AQA Support Materials | Question 2
Forbidden love is often a common theme that is approached by writers in many different ways, as
have Stoppard and Hall. In order to present the idea of forbidden love, they both need to convey
their techniques effectively.
Firstly, they both use short sentences, possibly to represent the ultimate time their love will last as it
is ‘forbidden’. It also suggests that the short sentence symbolise the love felt by Housman and Stephen
as it cannot be anymore than ‘short’. In the invention of love the short sentences said by Housman
are in contrast to the much longer ones by AEH, suggesting that the younger Housman is ultimately
more rational than the elder and is more aware that the forbidden love cannot stand the test of the
time. This is reinforced as Housman feels that ‘I don’t know what love is’. This is similar to ‘The Well
of Loneliness’ as it is Angela Crossby who says the short sentences representing her rationality at the
situation. This is reinforced as she says ‘Stephen – don’t’ showing that she is not all that comfortable
with the situation, emphasising the idea that it is a ‘forbidden love’.
However, the extracts are different in that ‘The Invention of Love’ is presented using different
viewpoints. One being that of the older, AEH and the other of the younger Housman. However
another viewpoint is also expressed – that of Stoppard’s, as he is ‘imagining’ A.E. Houseman’s
‘reminiscences from beyond the grave’. By providing the viewpoints of both the younger and older
Housman and also by having them converse with each other, Stoppard could be representing the
different opinions people at the time had about homosexual love. The significance of Housmann and
AEH having a conversation with each could signify AE Houseman’s battle with his conscience over his
forbidden love for Moses Jackson and whether it was not. This is similar to ‘Enduring Love’ by Ian
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 McEwan who presents the idea of Parry’s homosexual love for Joe Rose. McEwan also uses differing
viewpoints of Rose and Parry to represent the idea of whether love for another man is forbidden or
not. This is in contrast to the well of loneliness as there appears to be only one significant viewpoint,
that of Stephen’s. It is often glorified as she is described as loving Angela ‘far more deeply’ and her
voice sounding ‘like that of a dreamer’. Although some effort is made by Angela at providing a
differing viewpoint, it is overshadowed by Stephen and eventually overcome. This is similar to the
forbidden love between Jessica and Lorenzo in ‘The Merchant of Venice’, as they cannot consider any
other opinion for their love with Jessica even going as far as converting religions. This glorified and
one-sided opinion of forbidden love found in both ‘The Well of Loneliness’ and ‘The Merchant of
Venice’ can arguably represent the fantasy of love and how by representing forbidden love in this
make makes it seem less ‘forbidden’.
A similarity between the two extracts is the metaphor of ice. By Stoppard describing love as ‘like the
ice held in the hand by children’ he is suggesting that the forbidden love between two men can never
last and will eventually die away, just as ice does. Also by using the metaphor which was said by
Sophocles, Stoppard is suggesting that this has been the case for many years, even since the Ancient
Greeks. This is similar to ‘The Collector’ by John Fowles as he likens the collector’s love of Mirada to
that of the love he has for butterflies he kills and collects; it cannot last. This idea is also in ‘The Well
of Loneliness’ as Stephen mentions the frozen lakes in winter. The reference of ice and winter also
suggests that like in ‘The Invention of Love, the forbidden love felt by Stephen cannot and will not
last. By making reference to winter, Hall is suggesting that like winter, the love between Stephen and
Angela will change with the seasons and eventually ‘thaw’. This idea is reinforced as Hall mentions the
‘sunset’, again suggesting that the love between Angela and Stephen will set on them eventually. By
Stephen also being ‘drawn to the stars’, Hall is suggesting that the love in the extracts is more fantasy
than reality and will never become real and within reach, much like the stars.
Overall, it would seem that the idea of forbidden love presented in the two extracts is often done so in
different ways by Hall and Stoppard, using different techniques. However, the same idea is ultimately
presented, the idea that love of someone the same sex is controversial not only to other people but
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 also to the person in love, as it is the case with A.E. Housman. And also that the feeling it can go
somewhere is based on fantasy, as is presented by Hall, through Stephen in ‘The Well of Loneliness’.
ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 Reverse Planning and Analysis
Task 1| Reverse Planning | Complete the brainstorm below, noting down the key focus of the essay, the topic for each section and the
points made in each section
Section focus:
Section focus: Main focus:
Section focus:
Task 2| Find it! Highlight it! Label it! | Identify as many features of a good response as you can
AO1 Quality of writing | Use of terminology and concepts | Evidence from texts | Quality of argument (informed, relevant, creative) AO2 Understanding of how form, structure and language shape meaning | The quality of your analysis Point relevant to the text and question Comment on how language creates meaning Text A is understood Comment on how structure creates meaning Text B is understood Comment on how form creates meaning Relevant terminology used correctly Analysis (effect + why/how) rather than description Essay starts with an introduction Specific, relevant, embedded reference to the text(s) Embedded quotation from the text(s) Introduction includes a thesis statement / argument Introduction includes comment on context TOP GRADE: Insight = show deeper understanding, not just Each section = one key idea / argument the obvious Each section starts with a topic sentence TOP GRADE: Confident analysis = secure/solid + systematic TOP GRADE: Mastery of detail = notice the finer details Each section ends with a concluding, summative sentence Connectives used to make ideas flow TOP GRADE: Conceptual response = you form an overall TOP GRADE: Confidence = secure/solid use of terminology and argument that comes together in your response theory + systematic response + notice finer details TOP GRADE: Cogency = to the point + picky + only most relevant and important points TOP GRADE: Sophisticated & mature = see less obvious meaning + being sensitive to different meanings + evidence of thorough knowledge Compare and/or contrast language in both texts Compare and/or contrast structure in both texts Compare and/or contrast form of both texts Understanding of the written context | Understanding of the received context | Wider Reading Compare and/or contrast subject matter of both texts Compare and/or contrast theme(s) in both texts AO4 AO3 Comparison | Alternative interpretations Wider reading comparison and/or contrast Context to enrich understanding (not bolt‐on = part of Alternative interpretations analysis) TOP GRADE: Explore comparisons confidently = examine and Relevant and detailed wider reading links that enhance investigate systematically understanding (not bolt‐on = compare and contrast) TOP GRADE: Sophisticated & mature = see less obvious meaning + being sensitive to different meanings + evidence Influence of culture on reading Influence of text type or genre on reading of thorough knowledge Influence of historical period on reading TOP GRADE: Explore = examine and investigate systematically Overall judgement: circle the one you think! TOP GRADE: Evaluate the influence of context = judge how far Band 1 Limited, few, inaccurate 2 Basic, simple, straightforward, describe, obvious, underdeveloped, irrelevant it influenced the shaping of meaning or reading of text TOP GRADE: Sophisticated links with wider reading = sensitive ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3 well‐chosen wider reading texts with strong links 3 Relevant, informed, appropriate, organised, coherent, clear, accurate, analysis, develop 4 Relevant, confident, cogent, sophisticated, mature, insight, detail, conceptual, explore ETH | A2 Exam Prep | LITA3