What are these quotations suggesting about Tennyson and his poetry?

Poem lucky dip.

Godiva

The Lady of Shalott

Mariana

Ulysses

Tithonus

Women

Loss and bereavement

The past – classical and medieval settings

Progress and the future

Beauty and art

Men

Death

The women in Tennyson’s poems are presented as victims of a male world.

‘Tithonus’ is simply a cautionary tale.

‘Ulysses’ is a celebration of old men.

Several Victorian painters were inspired by Tennyson’s poetry therefore the visual effects Tennyson creates are the most memorable feature of his poetry.

Stagnation and inactivity dominate the worlds of Tennyson’s poems.

“Tennyson’s use of classical and medieval settings could enhance or detract from theappeal of his poems”.

‘The Lotos-Eaters and Choric Song’ is a condemnation of drug-taking.

“For Tennyson, to act is vital; there is nothing to be gained by being passive.” Tennyson’s poetry presents the advantages of an active life.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

AO1: argument, debate, focused on the question, well-supported, embedded throughout, clear understanding of the stories and the methods used to tell them, clearly written and argued, woven into comments about the other AOs.

AO2: analysis of aspects of language, structure and form that have been used to tell the story. Language = words and phrases, description, metaphor, characters, titles, names. Structure = order, time & sequence, rhyme, repetition, chronology, fragmentation, chapters, sections, stanzas. Form = why a poem or a prose, monologues, lyrical poetry, first person narration, omniscient narration, present or past tense.

AO3: other readers, including personal responses, different interpretations, different ideas and beliefs, could, should, may, might.

AO4: contexts, historical, social, context of narrative (story telling).

Section A – even numbered questionSection B

Section A – odd numbered questionSection B

Section A – even numbered questionSection B

Section A – even numbered question

Model answer

• The first question: named poem, marked only for AO2 (Language, Stucture, Form).

• Analyse the effects of the choices of L, S, F on the way the story is told – refer to relevant narrative methods:– Scenes and locations– Characters and characterisation– Time and sequence– Voice– Point of view– Destination

What?How?Why?

Reader and writer.

Model answer

• The second question: same writer, a debatable idea is presented, marked for AO1 (argument and support/relevance), AO3 (other readers) and AO4 (context).– Debate the question – yes (agree), no (disagree) and why– AO1 should be woven through your answer – always

focus on the question and your argument/debate– Refer to how different readers may respond, this could be

due to time or their beliefs and opinions– Bring in relevant contextual information – about

Tennyson’s life (that may have influenced his choices), about the Victorian period (which may have influenced his topics) and if appropriate, modern contexts

Model answer

• The final question: the other 3 writers, a debatable idea is presented, marked for AO1 (argument and support/relevance), AO2, L, S, F and AO3 (other readers).

• Debate the question – yes (agree), no (disagree) and why– AO1 should be woven through your answer – always

focus on the question and your argument/debate– Make comparisons and structure your argument– Give examples relating to the question and how

language, structure and form are used– Refer to how different readers may respond, this could be

due to time or their beliefs and opinions

Look at the other models.

• Go through them and find examples for the AOs

• Look at the annotations from the examiner and where they have put the ticks

• Ticks indicate what is being marked and rewarded

• Try and pick out key phrases, even for texts that you haven’t studied

• Read the commentaries

The women in Tennyson’s poems are presented as victims of a male world.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

‘Tithonus’ is simply a cautionary tale. Which of the poems to

connect to and explore (3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

‘Ulysses’ is a celebration of old men. Which of the poems to

connect to and explore (3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

“Tennyson’s use of classical and medieval settings could enhance or detract from theappeal of his poems”.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

Several Victorian painters were inspired by Tennyson’s poetry therefore the visual effects Tennyson creates are the most memorable feature of his poetry.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

Lotos-Eaters and Choric Song’ is a condemnation of drug-taking. Which of the poems to

connect to and explore (3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

Stagnation and inactivity dominate the worlds of Tennyson’s poems.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

For Tennyson, to act is vital; there is nothing to be gained by being passive.” Tennyson’s poetry presents the advantages of an active life.

Which of the poems to connect to and explore

(3 of them)?Yes – why?No – why?

Tennyson

Tennyson is ‘the poet of melancholia, passion and despair’.T. S. Eliot

Tennyson

Have a read of the quotations. Do any of them obviously link to any of the poems? Label them.

Which do you feel is the strongest/most interesting comment and why?Which poem/s does it apply to?

Tennyson

Have a read of the quotations. Do any of them obviously link to any of the poems? Label them.

Which do you feel is the strongest/most interesting comment and why?Which poem/s does it apply to?

Tennyson‘The women in Tennyson’s poems are presented as victims of a male world.’ How far do you agree?

Some will agree and focus on• the wife of Ulysses • the Lady of Shallot • Godiva to a point • Aurora - victim of the male gods

perhaps • MarianaSome will disagree and focus on • Godiva’s triumph over her husband

and her gaining immortality in legend • Mariana might be discussed as a

victim of herself or of clinical depression

• Tithonus – more a victim than Aurora • Lady of Shallot – victim perhaps of

supernatural forces, etc.

AO1: Articulate creative, informed and relevant responses to literary texts, using appropriate terminology and concepts, and coherent, accurate written expressionAO3: clear consideration of some different interpretations of texts with some evaluation of their strengths and weaknessesAO4: detailed exploration of some contextual factors with specific, detailed links between context/texts/task

Tennyson‘The women in Tennyson’s poems are presented as victims of a male world.’ How far do you agree?

AO1: Articulate creative, informed and relevant responses to literary texts, using appropriate terminology and concepts, and coherent, accurate written expressionAO3: clear consideration of some different interpretations of texts with some evaluation of their strengths and weaknessesAO4: detailed exploration of some contextual factors with specific, detailed links between context/texts/task

Plan:

Set up the debate in the first paragraph – are they only presented as victims? What does it mean to be a victim? What does the term suggest? Could they be viewed differently?

Choose one of the poems and explore how the female character and her story are presented. What images do we get of her? How could she be interpreted by different readers? How might we respond to her character? Why is Tennyson presenting her character like this – consider the ways that women were treated and how they were viewed both at the time (contemporary) and now (modern context).

Consider a second character.

Consider a third character – maybe one who is completely different.

‘The women in Tennyson’s poems are presented as victims of a male world.’ How far do you agree?

Some readers and critics may argue that…The counter argument would be that…Alternatively…It is debatable that…There is ambiguity regarding…It can be argued that…However…It could be interpreted that…A contemporary reader may… whereas a modern reader might…

Yes:………

No:………

Don’t forget to connect to the STORY/NARRATIVE. Consider voices, description, events, sequence.