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EAL Nexus resource
Poetic terms in Anthem for Doomed Youth
Matching activity
Subject(s):
English
Age group(s):
12–14, 15–16
Topic:
Analysing poetry
Licence information | This resource is free to use for educational purposes. ©British Council 2015
Source | This resource was originally developed by Alison Fisher and has been adapted by EAL Nexus.
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
Only the stuttering
rifles’ rapid rattle
passing-bells,
hasty orisons,
prayers, bells,
choirs, candles
What passingbells for these
who die as
cattle?
Only the
monstrous
anger of
the guns.
The shrill, demented
choirs of wailing shells;
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
Only the stuttering
rifles’ rapid rattle
pall
The pallor of girls' brows
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
What passingbells for these
who die as
cattle?
Sonnet 130 – William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
Anthem for doomed youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.
A sonnet is usually a romantic poem. It has 14 lines
which are split into an octet (eight lines) and a sestet
(six lines). The octet often has an abab rhyme scheme
and the poem ends with a rhyming couplet.
contrast
alliteration
a symbol
effect
personification
a simile
comparison onomatopoeia a metaphor
irony
juxtaposition
Noun
Verb
contrast
There is a contrast
between war and
………………………………
………………………………
contrast
The poet skilfully
contrasts the war
……………………………..
………………………….....
Noun
alliteration
The poet uses alliteration to
create a ………………………………
…………………………………………..
Adjective
contrasting
The contrasting ideas of
war and
…………………………………
………………………………...
Adjective
alliterative
The alliterative use of the -r
sound helps create the sense of
…………………………………………..
Noun
Verb
Adjective
a symbol
symbolise
symbolic
The religious images
They also symbolise The religious images are
are symbols of ……….. …………………………… symbolic of ………………..
………………….............. …………………………... ……………………………….
Noun
Verb
effect
Adjective
affect
effective
There is an effective use
This image creates the It affects the reader
of imagery comparing
effect that ………………. by creating …………..
…………………………………
………………………………. …………………………….
………………………………….
Noun
Verb
personification
personify
Personification is used when
………………………………………………….
The poet personifies the
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
Noun
Verb
juxtaposition
The juxtaposition of the two worlds
…..…………………………………………….
…………………………………………………
juxtapose
Owen juxtaposes the idea of
……………………………………………..
……………………………………..........
Noun
Verb
comparison
The poet makes a comparison
between the ………………………..
…………………………………………...
Noun
compare
The poet compares the two
different worlds …………………….
……………………………………………
Adjective
onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is used
……………………………………..
onomatopoeic
The onomatopoeic use of the
word ………………………………..
………………………...................
Noun
Adjective/Adverb
a metaphor
metaphorical/metaphorically
Owen uses this metaphor to
suggest that ………………………..
…………………………………………..
…………………………………………..
Here, funeral flowers are
represented metaphorically.
………………………………………………
………........................................
Noun
a simile
This simile implies that ………………………………………………………..…
…………………………………………………………………………..………………..
Noun
irony
There is irony in the poem’s
structure because …………………….
……………………………………………….
Adjective
ironic
The ironic use of …………………….
………………………………………………
Noun
Verb
contrast
Noun
Adjective
contrast
contrasting
Adjective
alliteration
alliterative
Noun
Verb
a symbol
Noun
Adjective
symbolise
Verb
effect
symbolic
Adjective
affect
effective
Noun
Verb
personification
Noun
personify
Verb
juxtaposition
juxtapose
Noun
Verb
comparison
Noun
compare
Adjective
onomatopoeia
onomatopoeic
Noun
Adjective/Adverb
a metaphor
metaphorical/metaphorically
Noun
a simile
Noun
Adjective
irony
ironic