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When you have settled on a suitable poem, you should note down a variety of links between the poems. The key thing to do when comparing poems is to note the points where they are similar and the points where they differ.

When writing an essay comparing your two poems you should consider the points below.

Essay-writing tips

A good approach to begin with is to highlight any key terms which stand out for you.

In the sample question the key term you must think about is ‘sense of duty in conflict’.

Make sure you use the key term frequently throughout your essay.

Begin by introducing both poems. Give a brief overview of their main subject or message. Explain the relevant context of each poem, the feelings the poet expresses and how each poem can be connected to the theme of sense of duty in conflict.

You MUST refer to the key term in your introduction.

Compare and contrast how the form and structure of each poem highlights the poets’ attitude to the theme of sense of duty in conflict.

Compare and contrast how the language and imagery of each poem highlights the poets’ attitude to the theme of sense of duty in conflict.

End with a conclusion illustrating how each poem finally addresses the theme of sense of duty in conflict.

Your essay should be peppered with comparing words and phrases such as "similarly...", "in contrast to this…" and "this can also be seen in…".

For each point you need to provide evidence in the form of a quotation or reference. Attempt to link this - by explaining and analysing - to the key term of the question, sense of duty in conflict.

This may mean quoting a full line at times, but could also involve detailed analysis of one significant word.

Remember to include any relevant context on each poem in relation to sense of duty in conflict.

You will not get marks for context which is not linked directly to the question. For example, don’t simply write down everything you know about the poet if it is not relevant to the question.

If you were to compare The Charge of the Light Brigade with Vitaï Lampada by Henry Newbolt for example, you could use some of the following points:

• Both poems are written about an historical event - battles that took place as part of wider campaigns. The Charge of the Light Brigade is about the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. Vitaï Lampada is about the Battle of Abu Klea in Sudan in 1885.
• Both poems reveal society's attitude to war at that time.
• Both poems reveal the bravery of the soldiers who fought in these battles and how many of the men died. Tennyson uses the refrain “Rode the six hundred” in the first three stanzas but “Not the six hundred” in stanza four. Newbolt uses the metaphor “The river of death has brimmed his banks”.
• Tennyson uses repetition to recreate the sound and visual effects of battle when the "Cannon in front of them / Volley’d and thunder’d”. Whereas Newbolt uses the English sport of cricket to symbolise the battlefield when he writes “Ten to make and the match to win”.
• Tennyson uses the features of the ballad form to recreate the battlefield while Newbolt’s structure indicates changes in time and place.

When writing about these similarities and differences, you should discuss the methods used by the poets.

Look at the earlier sections on themes, language, form and structure to get ideas.