Can someone help me with marking? GCSE AQA English Literature

Hello, I would like help - can someone mark this GCSE English Literature AQA essay on Macbeth? It is the November 2021 Paper 2 question on Macbeth. Here is the question link: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/sample-papers-and-mark-schemes/2021/november/AQA-87022-QP-NOV21.PDF
Here is my answer:
In the archetypal play ‘Macbeth’, the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is portrayed as unnatural and pivotal, where it transforms from loving to uncaring. This is portrayed through Lady Macbeth’s dominance over Macbeth, uncommon in a contemporary relationship, their love and trust at the start of the play, and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation which eventually results in the heinous crime of regicide. Shakespeare uses their relationship to explore the effects of breaking the Great Chain of Being and the Natural order, warning the contemporary audience.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is portrayed by Shakespeare as loving and trusting. This is highlighted through Lady Macbeth’s portrayal as Macbeth’s ‘dearest love’, and ‘partner in greatness’. This immediately highlights their relationship toward each other, affectionate and caring. Shakespeare uses the superlative ‘dearest’ to further inform and reiterate to the readers of their loving relationship, possibly mirroring the contemporary relationship at the time. However, Shakespeare also portrays their relationship as somewhat unnatural. The term ‘partner’ symbolises equality, symbolising Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as on the same level in their relationship. This contrasted the common relationship between men and women at the time, where men were seen as higher and possessing greater authority over the women. Perhaps this foreshadows Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s unnatural act, as a result of their unnatural relationship. The use of positive language and dialogue by Shakespeare serves to highlight the depth of their relationship where affection, care and love is the foundation. However, soon Shakespeare portrays their relationship as a downward slope, as where affection, love and care used to be, now their nihilistic, uncaring relationship is, where Macbeth only believes she ‘should have died hereafter’, as a result of the heinous act of regicide. Ultimately, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as loving and caring yet uncommon through positive language and dialogue.
As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth is portrayed to be dominant over Macbeth through her imperative language and Machiavellian attitude. Shakespeare highlights her manipulative attitude, initially highlighted through her persuasion for Macbeth to kill the king. This is portrayed when she believes when he ‘durst do it, then he shall be a man’. This is also furthermore reiterated when she believes Macbeth was lying when he said he loves her. This form of gaslighting and manipulation conveys Lady Macbeth’s cruel inner character and her thirst for ambition, serving as a catalyst for Macbeth’s heinous act of regicide. Thus, Shakespeare perhaps condemns women who step out of their place in the natural order and in the relationship, highlighted through Lady Macbeth’s effect on Macbeth’s actions. Shakespeare also portrays her as dominant over Macbeth through her imperative language. She asks Macbeth to ‘Give her the daggers’. This depicts Lady Macbeth as a motherly figure over Macbeth through her command and her imperative language, echoed throughout the play. This highlights her authority over Macbeth, shocking a contemporary audience due to the extreme unnaturalness of their relationship. The authority of the women over the men is absent in the other relationships in the play, such as Lady Macduff and Macduff. Thus, this highlights Lady Macbeth’s authority as the cause of the heinous act. Shakespeare portrays their relationship as unnatural through Lady Macbeth’s authority and her manipulation, portrayed through her imperative language.
By the end of the play, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as uncaring and absent, as a result of the heinous act. Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as nihilistic by the end of the play, disregarding the relationship he had with Lady Macbeth. This is portrayed through his belief that ‘she should have died hereafter’ upon hearing of Lady Macbeth’s death. The lack of extreme emotion highlights Macbeth’s ignorance and disregard of what was once a loving, ‘dearest’ relationship as a result of breaking the Great Chain of Being. Through this Shakespeare highlights the extreme effects of disturbing the natural order. Shakespeare also highlights the effect of misaligning with the contemporary relationship at the time, where women were seen below men. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship serves as a warning to the contemporary readers, warning them of the result of regicide. Overall, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is seen as unloving and uncaring by the end of the play, through Macbeth’s nihilistic attitude toward Lady Macbeth, highlighting the start contrast to the start of the play. Thus, Shakespeare warns us of the consequences of regicide through their change in attitude in their relationship. Shakespeare portrays their relationship as unloving by the end of the play through Macbeth’s nihilistic attitude towards Lady Macbeth.
Overall, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as pivotal, where they transform from loving and affectionate to uncaring and nihilistic, as a result of breaking the natural order and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation. This serves as a warning of the consequences of breaking the natural order, and ultimately committing regicide.

level 5 or 6. if am honest. it can be structured better, the format and some things could be arranged slightly better. points could be slightly developed and this type of question can have more context. an example could be Lillith which is definitely where Shakespeare gets inspiration for his more dominant female characters.
you can also throw in your personal opinion ie how it makes you feel, how would it make the audience feel, why do such a thing ( which is in essence is his intention). its overall well structured, some words you have used are a bit curious lets say which regards to archetypal play. i would refer to it as a dramatic play or a strategy. which is in essence the entire relationship a strategy and hence a warning of not to do.

level 5 or 6. if am honest. it can be structured better, the format and some things could be arranged slightly better. points could be slightly developed and this type of question can have more context. an example could be Lillith which is definitely where Shakespeare gets inspiration for his more dominant female characters.
you can also throw in your personal opinion ie how it makes you feel, how would it make the audience feel, why do such a thing ( which is in essence is his intention). its overall well structured, some words you have used are a bit curious lets say which regards to archetypal play. i would refer to it as a dramatic play or a strategy. which is in essence the entire relationship a strategy and hence a warning of not to do.

Do you mind also marking/grading/ and giving feedback on this An Inspector Calls essay for GCSE level AQA. It's out of 34 (4 marks spag). The question is about how social responsibility is explored in the play.
In J.B Priestley’s: ‘An Inspector Calls’, responsibility is one of the central, most important themes which arguably underpins the whole play. It is clear that whilst the older generation capitalists, Mr and Mrs Birling – as well as Gerald - fail to take responsibility for their harsh actions, it is the younger characters Sheila and Eric who respond positively to the Inspector’s socialist message.
It is the characters of Mr and Mrs Birling who seemingly never take responsibility of their callous exploitation of Eva Smith, however they aren’t the only ones. It seems that aristocrat and fiancé of Sheila Birling: Gerald Croft also never ends up accepting responsibility for his sexual exploitations of Eva Smith and he arguably delusions the audience who likely hoped he would change. When confronted by the omniscient Inspector Goole, Mr Birling tries diverting attention away from himself and instead, exclaims “(angrily) You’re the one I blame for this” to his own son Eric. The use of the stage directions “angrily” make clear his frenzied state. The fact that Birling is trying to accuse his own son for his heartlessness shows how hard-headed and selfish the older generation truly were. Priestley, being a socialist himself, sought to critique the Edwardian Era capitalists just like Mr Birling and warn a post war audience that the world can not devolve back into the money-driven, wretched society of 1912. Mr Birling’s wife also strongly refuses to accept her exploitations of desperate Eva Smith. Instead, by accepting her actions, she tells the Inspector to “go and look for the father of the child” as it is “his responsibility”. This use of dramatic irony poses Mrs Birling as a complete hypocrite, as the audience would have been aware that Eric was the true father of the “child”. By presenting her as foolish, Priestley was able to, by enlarge, critique the whole of the older-generation capitalists who believed they were superior due to their higher social status. Interestingly, Mrs Birling also formerly told the Inspector that her organization “only takes deserving cases”, inviting the reader to question why Eva Smith’s case was not “deserving”. This makes Mrs Birling seem like a heartless woman who believes she is always in the right, instead of being able to for once, take responsibility for her wrongdoings. However, whilst Mrs and Mr Birling are the main characters of the play who don’t take responsibility, Gerald Croft is another addition. Whilst he seems to show some remorse at first by exclaiming how he has just “taken it in – that she is properly dead!”, it is shortly after made clear that he does not truly care for the brutal effects he has had on Eva. His fragmented speech arguably suggests how he has nothing to say, or is finding it difficult to find the words to describe the situation, hinting at some sort of feelings of sorry. Furthermore, the fact that it is an exclamative shows some true remorse and maybe even sympathy. To the audience, this incomplete speech and his emotive acts would have likely made them hopeful that Gerald was finally understanding the consequences of his dire actions. However, shortly after this, it is highlighted that he in fact did not feel full remorse as he tells the Inspector that he does not involve himself in this “suicide business”. The juxtaposition of death with business and money shows how Gerald can not possibly think of anything but money and exemplifies how he is so set on his greedy, money-driven ways. Therefore, whilst he did show some shock and remorse at first, he ultimately, like the other older-generation characters of the play, ends up failing to accept and feel sorry for his cruel wrongdoings and sexual exploits of Eva Smith. This, as a result, presents the older-generation capitalists as selfish, mean and unable to believe they are in the wrong.
However, the younger-generation children of Mr and Mrs Birling: Sheila and Eric seem to respond in a positive manner to the Inspectors message. They perhaps symbolize socialism in the play. Priestly likely presented them in this way deliberately to show a post-war 1945 audience that it is infact the younger generation who must rise up and take responsibility to lead the political zeitgeist of the post-war society. In fact, Sheila acts as the Inspector’s proxy when she herself repeats “fire, blood and anguish”. This polysyndeton of infernal imagery used creates an incredibly powerful image of disaster, chaos, hell and destruction. Therefore, the fact that Sheila has repeated this powerful, fear-evoking phrase suggests she is beginning to understand the harsh effects of not taking responsibility for your actions. By acting as the Inspector’s proxy, the audience are able to see Sheila transform into an independent individual who is no longer dependent on material goods like the “ring”, but one who truly cares for others around here. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t only the end of the play where Sheila showed some traits of accepting socialist ideologies and responsibility, but even when Mr Birling (her father) used the girls at the factors for “cheap labour”, she told her dad that “these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people”. “these girls” shows how under Mr Birlings almost tyrannical business, the girls were grouped as one, evoking a sense of loss of identity, however by actually referring to them as “people”, Sheila is taking away this sense of the girls being one, sole identity and in a way, giving them the voice they deserve. Clearly, Sheila starkly acted as a foil and juxtaposition to her father in that moment in the play because whilst Mr Birling can’t seem to realise what is wrong about his actions, Sheila is acting as the more mature, responsible individual. However, Sheila is certainly not the only one who ended up taking responsibility in the play – her brother Eric also went through the same shared discourse of remorse. Nearing the end of the play, he tells his family as well as the Inspector that the “money’s not the important thing” but actually it was what he and his family did to Eva “and what happened to her that matters”. By rejecting the “money” and making it seem unimportant, Eric proves to be a responsible young man. He is able to realise what he and his family did were wrong and accept his responsibility for it, unlike his parents. Seemingly, Eric transformed from being a drunken, “squiffy” individual to a more warm, responsible one. By presenting the younger generation characters of the play as responsible, and sensible, Priestley likely aimed to send a message to a 1945 audience recovering from the traumatic, detrimental effects of war. He sought to emphasise how socialism and the younger generation were to be entrusted to represent this new era of hope and stability.
The all-knowing Inspector acts as both Priestley’s mouthpiece and as an agent of God, guiding Eric and Sheila to take collective responsibility for their actions, and he made very clear the importance of responsibility. In his final, dramatic monologue, the Inspector emphasies how “we are all members of one body”. The metaphor of “one body” evokes a sense of collectivity and togetherness, mirroring Priestley’s views. Furthermore, the collective pronoun “we” helps to reinforce this idea. In addition, he also directly refers to ideas of responsibility when he tells the Birling family that “we are all responsible for one another”. The anaphoric repetition of the collective pronoun “we” all throughout his monologue shows how firmly he believes in togetherness and staying together. These socialist views are exactly what Priestley was such a firm believer of and so by employing the character of the Inspector, Priestley was fully able to voice his concerns to a post-war audience. Moreover, the fact that we are “all responsible for one another” emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for our actions and how it is the only way forwards in society.
The cyclical structure of the play is also highly interesting as it seems that another Inspector calls. This suggests that the Birlings (mainly Mr and Mr Birling) are stuck in this cycle of endless doom, and will continue to be until they are able to take responsibility for their actions, further exemplifying the importance of responsibility.
In conclusion, the them of responsibility in ‘An Inspector Calls’ is of utmost importance and Priestley wanted to make this clear to a 1945 audience. The only way to progress and develop as a society is to begin taking responsibility for our wrongdoings and work to amend our mistakes.

intro, its great, I may have mentioned the inspector as a divine judge making people take responsibility for their actions as he's intricacy linked in your points such as gerald where at one point he believed in the inspector's power and was essentially scared with the speech but once he's seen as a fake, he switches up. so just a thought. you can see the inspector as somewhat divine with the language that references biblical stuff, such as we are all members of one body.
i may say for the intro that the older characters are representatives of the Edwardian class and that the only social responsibility was an employer has is delivering profits to his shareholders. so its more a difference of opinion and a warning that if we turn back and reject socialism then common basic responsibility will be removed and a heartless capitalistic profit-driven morality is in power. also with socialism, I would make the overarching claim that socialism embodies the need for social responsibility whereas captalism believes in absolute freedom in the market with works hence a lack of responsibility and a repression of social responsibility in the form of unions being rejected because money.
paragraph 1
you also should remember this, the contemporary audience may have different feelings and attidues just imagine how your grandparents would feel if they heard this as they represent mostly when this was written. as a side note.
you can also mention Gerlad switch up when they realise the inspector isn't real. he only accepts responsibility if there is consequences. presitly (cba to spell him right, plus he's a hypocrite) saying to prevent a tragedy like this in his play we should have government regulation with workers rights. just a thought. I'm not sure it is Gerald but one of them essentially said he was a conman and the end.
in your summary, the older generation and wealthy only bend to the idea of responsibility if there is consequences to the actions such as a damage in reputation but if there is no consequences then their responsibility is out the roof. socialism aims to control these callous characters by restricting the power they have.
kinda repeating myself.
not exactly what you should write but an idea.
paragraph 2
first bit you should say the Shiela and eric are a microcosm with regards to the attitudes of the younger generation to socialism. with your point of factors ( factories) you could say there is a spark in the younger female generation, which could be a link to feminism and its success. you could also say socialism gives power to the people, and the workers and frees them, shiela and others are no longer are "objects" for marriage and sex but are human and when freed have the power to take on the responsibility which is normally denied or delegated to their husband (work as it was uncommon in this time and was something bad and not empowering) .
importance of responsibility with regard to embodying socialistic values as it is a means to gain it away from the ruling class. i would mention socialism as you did mention it a lot in your other intro wich would be nice to link in.
wonderful analysis. worried about timing, you typed this up but how long would it take you, to do this organically without any devices or notes in an exam done in around 45 minutes on paper unless there is some specific conditions. its a great piece, well written could be linked up with your ideas. but its a level 6. so a 8-9 level if you do consistent In your other essays. ( normally a 9 for level 6 but anyways ). i don't doubt you did this without notes but it should be organic, in the moment almost.

Hello, I would like help - can someone mark this GCSE English Literature AQA essay on Macbeth? It is the November 2021 Paper 2 question on Macbeth. Here is the question link: https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/sample-papers-and-mark-schemes/2021/november/AQA-87022-QP-NOV21.PDF
Here is my answer:
In the archetypal play ‘Macbeth’, the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is portrayed as unnatural and pivotal, where it transforms from loving to uncaring. This is portrayed through Lady Macbeth’s dominance over Macbeth, uncommon in a contemporary relationship, their love and trust at the start of the play, and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation which eventually results in the heinous crime of regicide. Shakespeare uses their relationship to explore the effects of breaking the Great Chain of Being and the Natural order, warning the contemporary audience.
At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is portrayed by Shakespeare as loving and trusting. This is highlighted through Lady Macbeth’s portrayal as Macbeth’s ‘dearest love’, and ‘partner in greatness’. This immediately highlights their relationship toward each other, affectionate and caring. Shakespeare uses the superlative ‘dearest’ to further inform and reiterate to the readers of their loving relationship, possibly mirroring the contemporary relationship at the time. However, Shakespeare also portrays their relationship as somewhat unnatural. The term ‘partner’ symbolises equality, symbolising Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as on the same level in their relationship. This contrasted the common relationship between men and women at the time, where men were seen as higher and possessing greater authority over the women. Perhaps this foreshadows Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s unnatural act, as a result of their unnatural relationship. The use of positive language and dialogue by Shakespeare serves to highlight the depth of their relationship where affection, care and love is the foundation. However, soon Shakespeare portrays their relationship as a downward slope, as where affection, love and care used to be, now their nihilistic, uncaring relationship is, where Macbeth only believes she ‘should have died hereafter’, as a result of the heinous act of regicide. Ultimately, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as loving and caring yet uncommon through positive language and dialogue.
As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth is portrayed to be dominant over Macbeth through her imperative language and Machiavellian attitude. Shakespeare highlights her manipulative attitude, initially highlighted through her persuasion for Macbeth to kill the king. This is portrayed when she believes when he ‘durst do it, then he shall be a man’. This is also furthermore reiterated when she believes Macbeth was lying when he said he loves her. This form of gaslighting and manipulation conveys Lady Macbeth’s cruel inner character and her thirst for ambition, serving as a catalyst for Macbeth’s heinous act of regicide. Thus, Shakespeare perhaps condemns women who step out of their place in the natural order and in the relationship, highlighted through Lady Macbeth’s effect on Macbeth’s actions. Shakespeare also portrays her as dominant over Macbeth through her imperative language. She asks Macbeth to ‘Give her the daggers’. This depicts Lady Macbeth as a motherly figure over Macbeth through her command and her imperative language, echoed throughout the play. This highlights her authority over Macbeth, shocking a contemporary audience due to the extreme unnaturalness of their relationship. The authority of the women over the men is absent in the other relationships in the play, such as Lady Macduff and Macduff. Thus, this highlights Lady Macbeth’s authority as the cause of the heinous act. Shakespeare portrays their relationship as unnatural through Lady Macbeth’s authority and her manipulation, portrayed through her imperative language.
By the end of the play, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as uncaring and absent, as a result of the heinous act. Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as nihilistic by the end of the play, disregarding the relationship he had with Lady Macbeth. This is portrayed through his belief that ‘she should have died hereafter’ upon hearing of Lady Macbeth’s death. The lack of extreme emotion highlights Macbeth’s ignorance and disregard of what was once a loving, ‘dearest’ relationship as a result of breaking the Great Chain of Being. Through this Shakespeare highlights the extreme effects of disturbing the natural order. Shakespeare also highlights the effect of misaligning with the contemporary relationship at the time, where women were seen below men. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship serves as a warning to the contemporary readers, warning them of the result of regicide. Overall, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is seen as unloving and uncaring by the end of the play, through Macbeth’s nihilistic attitude toward Lady Macbeth, highlighting the start contrast to the start of the play. Thus, Shakespeare warns us of the consequences of regicide through their change in attitude in their relationship. Shakespeare portrays their relationship as unloving by the end of the play through Macbeth’s nihilistic attitude towards Lady Macbeth.
Overall, Shakespeare portrays their relationship as pivotal, where they transform from loving and affectionate to uncaring and nihilistic, as a result of breaking the natural order and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation. This serves as a warning of the consequences of breaking the natural order, and ultimately committing regicide.

Thanks for your response. I will take that into consideration next time I write an essay.

hey, I can mark some more of your english essays if you want. I got a grade 9 in both aqa gcse eng lang and lit. I am currently studying aqa a level eng lang.

hey, I can mark some more of your english essays if you want. I got a grade 9 in both aqa gcse eng lang and lit. I am currently studying aqa a level eng lang.

This is also an AQA poetry anthology comparison question I wrote. To be honest I'm not the best at poetry but could you also maybe grade/mark this and give feedback?
COMPARE THE WAY POETS PRESENT IDEAS ABOUT THE REALITY OF CONFLICT IN BAYONET CHARGE AND ONE OTHER POEM (EXPOSURE)
In both Bayonet Charge and Exposure, Owen and Hughes seek to make clear the harsh reality of war and its many dire effects. War is presented as psychologically and physically tormenting as well as futile in both poems. However interestingly, whilst Exposure is written about all of the soldiers collectively, Bayonet Charge is written from the perspective of a single soldier and his thoughts about the reality of conflict is explored throughout the entirety of the poem.
Both poets structure their poems differently however largely for the same effect: to highlight chaotic war truly is. Hughes structures his poem with a lack of rhyme scheme, evoking a sense of chaos and lack of order, perhaps reflecting the feelings of the individual soldier. However, it is important to note that both poems begin in medias res, immediately thrusting the reader into the chaos of war right from the outset. Hughes keeps this feeling of continuous motion in the first stanza by using enjambment evoke feelings of movement. However, the second stanza switches from the use of enjambment to the mass use of caesuras. This creates constant stops in the poem, making it quite difficult and aggravating to read, likely seeking to mirror the feelings of the soldier as he “almost stopped-“, to think more philosophically about war and why he is even there. Also, Hughes utilizes the third person singular perspective in his poem. This means the poem is describing a single soldier out of the likely thousands or hundreds who are fighting. This makes the poem much more personal and deeply psychologically more tormenting. Contrastingly, Owen makes use of a cyclical structure in his poem as the last line of the first and ending stanza begin with “but nothing happens”, suggesting the soldiers are trapped within this cycle of war and eternally doomed, and also portrays war as a vicious cycle. Furthermore, Owen uses bathos in his poem in the last line of each stanza, making this last line less impressive and bringing the readers mind back to the fact that it is a war poem they are reading, making conflict seem rather monotonous. Furthermore, Owen’s use of pararhyme in his poem makes it hard to read and creates an uncomfortable atmosphere, perhaps mimicking that of the soldiers”. Also, Owen uses the repetition of “we” all throughout the poem, giving a sense of collectivity. This perhaps highlights how all the soldiers feel the same, shared feelings, again adding to the monotonous and futile feeling of conflict. Conversely, Hughes only describes one man in his poem, evoking feelings of loneliness and discomfort.
Moreover, in both poems, Hughes and Owen both seek to highlight how the reality of conflict is that is it ultimately futile. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker seems to list all the reasons why one goes to war, “King, honour, human dignity” however they all just “dropped like luxuries”. The asyndetic list of abstract nouns aid the reader in understanding the myriad of reasons many soldiers choose to go to war. These abstract nouns create a semantic field of nobility and bravery, but all these reasons are futile as they “dropped like luxuries”. This simile makes clear how when in the face of war, many just forget the reasons as to why they are actually there, adding to the sense of futility. In Exposure, this same idea of futility of conflict is presented with “but nothing happens”. The anaphoric repetition of this line shows how during the course of the poem, the effects of conflict are more psychological rather than physical, creating a sense of futility as war is meant to be all about action and death.
In addition, in both poems, it seems that in the face of great danger and conflict, both speakers ponder and think deeply about why they are actually at war. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker “almost stopped-“ and began questioning, “in what cold clockwork of he stars and nations was//He the hand pointing that second?” The use of the rhetorical question suggests he is beginning to think war is pointless and futile and he begins doubting himself, creating a negative image of war. Furthermore, the use of mechanical imagery suggests that the soldier is simply only a cog in the machine of warfare and conflict. This metaphor serves to highlight how the soldier is actively being dehumanized in his role, perhaps evoking sympathy in the reader towards him. The alliterative consonance of “cold clockworks” creates a rather harsh tone, mirroring the speaker’s beliefs about the harsh dehumanization he faces from the authorities. Similarly, the speaker in Exposure also uses rhetorical questions such as “What are we doing here?” This rhetorical question is slightly paradoxical as the soldiers know exactly what their role is (to fight) and so then invited the reader to question why the solider has asked such a question. This makes clear the harsh reality of conflict and that when facing conflict, many forget their morals and reasons to fight. The fact that both poets use rhetorical questions highlights how psychologically tormenting conflict truly is. Owen himself was a soldier therefore he would certainly have known the terrible effects war had on people. Owen himself even suffered PTSD as a result of war, meaning he was more than well placed to write about the effects of war. Perhaps It was the experiences he faced during his time that made his poems seem even more realistic and upsetting as they were. In fact, Hughes was very much inspired by Owens’ poetry which is clear as Hughes’ shares some similarities with Owens’ war poetry.
Conflict is also portrayed as incredibly dangerous in both poems. This idea of danger is the most true and dire reality of conflict in both poems. However, in Exposure, it is more the restless nature that poses a threat to the soldiers, whereas in Bayonet Charge, the most dangerous thing about conflict is the weaponry and artillery. In Exposure, it was the “merciless iced east winds that knive[d] us [the soldiers]”. The mass use of sibilance here mimics the sound of wind flowing, making the horrible effect of nature seem even more real. The verb “merciless” shows how the wind will never stop until it finishes its job: to torment the soldiers. The violent imagery of “knive” creates connotation of death and danger, exemplifying the dangerous behavior of the weather and presenting it as a murderous killer. The pararhyme here creates a very uncomfortable, awkward tone, perhaps reflecting how the soldiers feel in the trenches as the wind “knive” them. In Bayonet Charge, Hughes also makes use of violent imagery when the speaker witnesses “bullets smacking the belly out of the air”. The plosive ‘b’ sound mimic the sound of bullets flying, creating a very tense and chaotic atmosphere. This use of plosives also forces the reader to sort of be in the action too. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the violent verb “smacking”, which has connotations of power and force with the positive visual image of a “belly”, which connotes new life and joy, is interesting and perhaps seeks to symbolizing the soldiers conflicted and frenzies feelings, making conflict seem unpredictable and tormenting. Whilst Hughes himself did not participate in war, his father was one of the seventeen people to survive the Gallipoli campaigns, leaving Hughes which must distress and sadness. Therefore, whilst not fighting firsthand in war, he too, like Owen, knew the devastating effects and harsh reality of conflict, creating an even more saddening tone in both poems. Also, both poets seem to use violent imagery in their poems, inviting the readers to picture the terrorizing events they describe in their poems.
Lastly, both poets give a sense of unpreparedness in their poems, however this is definitely shown more so in Bayonet Charge than Exposure. This suggests that in reality, the authorities only seek to exploit and use the soldiers as pawns for their own gain and employ whatever soldiers they need in order to do so. In Bayonet charge, the soldier “lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm”. The verb “lugged” suggests the soldier does not have the strength or power to wield his weapon, further showing his unpreparedness. This simile also shows how the ‘soldier’ is not really ready to fight at all. The violent image of a “smashed arm” evokes feelings of horror and fright in the reader, making clear the horrific reality of war. In Exposure, there is also a slight feeling of unpreparedness as the soldier questions, “Is it that we are dying?” This rhetorical question shows how the soldiers are in the trenches are not even acutely aware of what is going on outside or inside the trenches, hinting at a small level of unpreparedness. Therefore, in both poems, it is clear that whilst soldiers are typically meant to be strong and brave in war, they are in fact unprepared and frightened. This makes clear that the reality of war is more upsetting and melancholier as many authorities make it out to be. Owen himself was very aware of war and the propaganda used to glorify it formerly. Owen himself was a soldier who knew about the horrible ways the authorities would spread false information in the hopes of recruiting soldiers. This understanding of authority tactics permitted him to make his war poetry so realistic, which contrasted the way many other poets would portray war during his time.
To conclude, it is clear that in both Exposure and Bayonet Charge, both poets really unveil the devastating, horrifying and tormenting effects war has on many. Both poems also seem to act as a warning and make clear to the readers that war can only end in peril and that it is highly futile.

This is also an AQA poetry anthology comparison question I wrote. To be honest I'm not the best at poetry but could you also maybe grade/mark this and give feedback?
COMPARE THE WAY POETS PRESENT IDEAS ABOUT THE REALITY OF CONFLICT IN BAYONET CHARGE AND ONE OTHER POEM (EXPOSURE)
In both Bayonet Charge and Exposure, Owen and Hughes seek to make clear the harsh reality of war and its many dire effects. War is presented as psychologically and physically tormenting as well as futile in both poems. However interestingly, whilst Exposure is written about all of the soldiers collectively, Bayonet Charge is written from the perspective of a single soldier and his thoughts about the reality of conflict is explored throughout the entirety of the poem.
Both poets structure their poems differently however largely for the same effect: to highlight chaotic war truly is. Hughes structures his poem with a lack of rhyme scheme, evoking a sense of chaos and lack of order, perhaps reflecting the feelings of the individual soldier. However, it is important to note that both poems begin in medias res, immediately thrusting the reader into the chaos of war right from the outset. Hughes keeps this feeling of continuous motion in the first stanza by using enjambment evoke feelings of movement. However, the second stanza switches from the use of enjambment to the mass use of caesuras. This creates constant stops in the poem, making it quite difficult and aggravating to read, likely seeking to mirror the feelings of the soldier as he “almost stopped-“, to think more philosophically about war and why he is even there. Also, Hughes utilizes the third person singular perspective in his poem. This means the poem is describing a single soldier out of the likely thousands or hundreds who are fighting. This makes the poem much more personal and deeply psychologically more tormenting. Contrastingly, Owen makes use of a cyclical structure in his poem as the last line of the first and ending stanza begin with “but nothing happens”, suggesting the soldiers are trapped within this cycle of war and eternally doomed, and also portrays war as a vicious cycle. Furthermore, Owen uses bathos in his poem in the last line of each stanza, making this last line less impressive and bringing the readers mind back to the fact that it is a war poem they are reading, making conflict seem rather monotonous. Furthermore, Owen’s use of pararhyme in his poem makes it hard to read and creates an uncomfortable atmosphere, perhaps mimicking that of the soldiers”. Also, Owen uses the repetition of “we” all throughout the poem, giving a sense of collectivity. This perhaps highlights how all the soldiers feel the same, shared feelings, again adding to the monotonous and futile feeling of conflict. Conversely, Hughes only describes one man in his poem, evoking feelings of loneliness and discomfort.
Moreover, in both poems, Hughes and Owen both seek to highlight how the reality of conflict is that is it ultimately futile. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker seems to list all the reasons why one goes to war, “King, honour, human dignity” however they all just “dropped like luxuries”. The asyndetic list of abstract nouns aid the reader in understanding the myriad of reasons many soldiers choose to go to war. These abstract nouns create a semantic field of nobility and bravery, but all these reasons are futile as they “dropped like luxuries”. This simile makes clear how when in the face of war, many just forget the reasons as to why they are actually there, adding to the sense of futility. In Exposure, this same idea of futility of conflict is presented with “but nothing happens”. The anaphoric repetition of this line shows how during the course of the poem, the effects of conflict are more psychological rather than physical, creating a sense of futility as war is meant to be all about action and death.
In addition, in both poems, it seems that in the face of great danger and conflict, both speakers ponder and think deeply about why they are actually at war. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker “almost stopped-“ and began questioning, “in what cold clockwork of he stars and nations was//He the hand pointing that second?” The use of the rhetorical question suggests he is beginning to think war is pointless and futile and he begins doubting himself, creating a negative image of war. Furthermore, the use of mechanical imagery suggests that the soldier is simply only a cog in the machine of warfare and conflict. This metaphor serves to highlight how the soldier is actively being dehumanized in his role, perhaps evoking sympathy in the reader towards him. The alliterative consonance of “cold clockworks” creates a rather harsh tone, mirroring the speaker’s beliefs about the harsh dehumanization he faces from the authorities. Similarly, the speaker in Exposure also uses rhetorical questions such as “What are we doing here?” This rhetorical question is slightly paradoxical as the soldiers know exactly what their role is (to fight) and so then invited the reader to question why the solider has asked such a question. This makes clear the harsh reality of conflict and that when facing conflict, many forget their morals and reasons to fight. The fact that both poets use rhetorical questions highlights how psychologically tormenting conflict truly is. Owen himself was a soldier therefore he would certainly have known the terrible effects war had on people. Owen himself even suffered PTSD as a result of war, meaning he was more than well placed to write about the effects of war. Perhaps It was the experiences he faced during his time that made his poems seem even more realistic and upsetting as they were. In fact, Hughes was very much inspired by Owens’ poetry which is clear as Hughes’ shares some similarities with Owens’ war poetry.
Conflict is also portrayed as incredibly dangerous in both poems. This idea of danger is the most true and dire reality of conflict in both poems. However, in Exposure, it is more the restless nature that poses a threat to the soldiers, whereas in Bayonet Charge, the most dangerous thing about conflict is the weaponry and artillery. In Exposure, it was the “merciless iced east winds that knive[d] us [the soldiers]”. The mass use of sibilance here mimics the sound of wind flowing, making the horrible effect of nature seem even more real. The verb “merciless” shows how the wind will never stop until it finishes its job: to torment the soldiers. The violent imagery of “knive” creates connotation of death and danger, exemplifying the dangerous behavior of the weather and presenting it as a murderous killer. The pararhyme here creates a very uncomfortable, awkward tone, perhaps reflecting how the soldiers feel in the trenches as the wind “knive” them. In Bayonet Charge, Hughes also makes use of violent imagery when the speaker witnesses “bullets smacking the belly out of the air”. The plosive ‘b’ sound mimic the sound of bullets flying, creating a very tense and chaotic atmosphere. This use of plosives also forces the reader to sort of be in the action too. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the violent verb “smacking”, which has connotations of power and force with the positive visual image of a “belly”, which connotes new life and joy, is interesting and perhaps seeks to symbolizing the soldiers conflicted and frenzies feelings, making conflict seem unpredictable and tormenting. Whilst Hughes himself did not participate in war, his father was one of the seventeen people to survive the Gallipoli campaigns, leaving Hughes which must distress and sadness. Therefore, whilst not fighting firsthand in war, he too, like Owen, knew the devastating effects and harsh reality of conflict, creating an even more saddening tone in both poems. Also, both poets seem to use violent imagery in their poems, inviting the readers to picture the terrorizing events they describe in their poems.
Lastly, both poets give a sense of unpreparedness in their poems, however this is definitely shown more so in Bayonet Charge than Exposure. This suggests that in reality, the authorities only seek to exploit and use the soldiers as pawns for their own gain and employ whatever soldiers they need in order to do so. In Bayonet charge, the soldier “lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm”. The verb “lugged” suggests the soldier does not have the strength or power to wield his weapon, further showing his unpreparedness. This simile also shows how the ‘soldier’ is not really ready to fight at all. The violent image of a “smashed arm” evokes feelings of horror and fright in the reader, making clear the horrific reality of war. In Exposure, there is also a slight feeling of unpreparedness as the soldier questions, “Is it that we are dying?” This rhetorical question shows how the soldiers are in the trenches are not even acutely aware of what is going on outside or inside the trenches, hinting at a small level of unpreparedness. Therefore, in both poems, it is clear that whilst soldiers are typically meant to be strong and brave in war, they are in fact unprepared and frightened. This makes clear that the reality of war is more upsetting and melancholier as many authorities make it out to be. Owen himself was very aware of war and the propaganda used to glorify it formerly. Owen himself was a soldier who knew about the horrible ways the authorities would spread false information in the hopes of recruiting soldiers. This understanding of authority tactics permitted him to make his war poetry so realistic, which contrasted the way many other poets would portray war during his time.
To conclude, it is clear that in both Exposure and Bayonet Charge, both poets really unveil the devastating, horrifying and tormenting effects war has on many. Both poems also seem to act as a warning and make clear to the readers that war can only end in peril and that it is highly futile.

AO1 - 10/12
AO2 - 11/12
AO3 - 4/6
Using the AQA mark scheme, I award you 25/30. Your AO2 is excellent due to your word-level language analysis, just some more focus on form and structure would get the extra mark. For AO3, more context altogether is required along with AO1 looking at conflict as a whole.

Sorry to bother, but could you also mark my Jekyll and Hyde essay please ?
Repression:
In the crime and mystery novella “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde '', Stevenson portrays repression as an incarcerating and immanent force within the streets of London. Through the construct of Mr Utterson, the psychological conflict between Dr Jekyll and “his devil”, and above all the dichotomous nature of man, Steveson aims to illustrate the prevalence of repression within a Christian Victorian society. Perhaps Stevenson aims to expose the hypocrisy of the middle class, emphasising how as long as repression exists, secrecy and “evil” will always prevail.
From the onset of the novella, repression is depicted through the construct of Mr Utterson, who for the reader acts as the lens for which the majority of the mystery is told. Stevenson presents the theme of repression in chapter 1, through Utterson's description “ although he loved the theatre, he had not crossed the door of one in 20 years” which perhaps explores how repression is a product of a Victorian Society’s, incessant ideologies of maintaining an “austere” Victorian gentleman facade. The juxtaposition between the emotive language of “love” and the initial description of “dusty and dreary” perhaps explores how Victorian gentlemen can never truly express themselves and indulge in their desires, ultimately leading them to detach themselves from the things they love the most, like Utterson “ drinking gin to mortify the taste vintages”. Furthermore, the lexical choice of “theatre” a leisure activity, on one hand perhaps highlights how incarcerating repression can be, and how in order to maintain facades we must give up our true passions and “ conceal our pleasures”. Alternatively the employment of “theatre” would be a place where crime and homosexual acts would take place, as a result of society caging their “devils” during the day. So perhaps Stevenson highlights how repression leads to crime, which ultimately leads to a chaotic and dangerous Society, where leisurely activities like the “theatre” must be avoided to remain safe. However, the lexical choice of “door” may be symbolic of the threshold between Utterson’s desires and morality. Utterson within the novella is symbolic of the epitome of a Victorian gentleman, so by Stevenson highlighting how Utterson does not “cross” the door of the theatre , he may be critical of how Society fails to accept their true “pleasures” and explore their “ duplicitous nature”, to which some extent, completely contradicts the persona of the Victorian gentlemen.
Later on in the novella, Stevenson explores how repression is a battle between one’s “dual nature”. This is explored in Chapter 3, Dr Jekyll is quite at ease, where the reader begins to encounter the detriments of repression, as we see Jekyll begin to ultimately lose control of his sanity and mental psyche. Stevenson explores this through the slight transformation” he grew pale in the lips, and a blackness came about his eyes”, which perhaps symbolises how repression is only a temporary method to conceal one's true desires, and slowly leads to the plaguing of one's mind. The imagery of “grew” connotes illness, almost as though a sickness is spreading through Jekyll, in this case “evil”. Stevenson here explores the stubbornness of a Victorian society via Jekyll, emphasising how when we refuse to fully accept our true selves and instead “hyde” and repress our “pleasures”, it will only lead to self destruction. The imagery of “pale” to a Victorian reader, on one hand may denote affluence, as most Victorian gentlemen would have worked indoors, detached from any form of labour and the sun, however, Stevenson deliberately uses the gothic imagery of “pale” to emphasise how repression causes one to become sickly and inhumane, and how they slowly lose themselves to a societal facade. Additionally, the symbolism of “eyes”, which act as windows to the soul, further explores how Dr Jekyll is increasingly becoming evil, down to his core, as he continues to keep his “devil caged”, rather than fully releasing the burden of repression.
Thirdly, Stevenson explores how repression can lead to isolation, and also explores how imminent repression is in the 19th century, even so that it spreads to the setting. This is explored in the description of Dr Jekyll’s house in Chapter 5: “three dusty windows barred with iron” which illustrates the lengths Dr Jekyll has to go to keep his “ spirit of evil” caged, which perhaps is symbolic of the Victorian Society’s reluctance and resistance to change. The imagery of “three” perhaps parallels to Freud's idea, that the human psyche is complex, consisting of the Id, Ego and SuperEgo, which is inextricably linked to Dr Jekyll’s conjecture that “man is not truly one, but truly two”. Perhaps Stevenson explores how “prolonged” repression can lead us to not only isolate ourselves from society, but can ultimately lead us to placing a barrier [“barred iron”] between our societal and intrinsic persons. Furthermore, the employment of “iron” further denotes the extent to which society represses themselves, almost symbolic of a jail cell. However, alternatively, perhaps Stevenson uses the chemical imagery of “iron” a drug, to perhaps interestingly explore how repression can lead to addiction and drug misuse. Contextually, this would be a serious issue within a Victorian society, especially with the rise of opioids.
Finally, Stevenson explores how repression can lead to the ultimate destruction of one's psyche, in this case, the prime example being Dr Jekyll, an ostensibly “fine figure of man”. Stevenson illustrates this through the metaphor “my devil had long been caged, and came out roaring”. The semantic field of “caged” and “roaring” interestingly explores how Dr Jekyll’s, darker and repressed side “Hyde" is animalistic, primitive and “trodolytic”. Therefore, through the imagery of “roaring” Stevenson emphasises how prolonged repression can lead to an explosive catharsis, which throughout the novella are explored as Hyde’s wicked and “hellish” outbursts and murders. Additionally, interestingly, the metaphor “caged” symbolises how we can all grapple and take full control of our desires, so perhaps Stevenson is only critical of a Victorian society that unnecessarily forces and indoctrinates its citizens to uphold the negligent ideologies of a Victorian gentleman. Linking back to “caged” and its primitive connotations, perhaps Stevenson uses this as a subtle reference to Darwinism, criticising how a Christian society fails to truly accept their nature, and more widely their “pleasures''. In addition, the religious imagery of “spirit of hell”, creates a sense that repression is directly linked to “hell” and evil, and for a Christian audience acts as a means to warn society that repression will only lead to humanity further succumbing to their temptations. Interestingly, the lexical choice of “spirit” may also be tied to alcohol and indulgence, which further explores how we can never truly rid ourselves of our desires, as it is an intrinsic element to our human dichotomy.
To conclude, Stevenson, through the theme of repression, fully aims to educate his audience, a Victorian society that increasingly induces its population with the false idea that repression will not lead to chaos. Through his novella, Stevenson aims to expose our societal facades, highlighting our inescapable but true “ readiness to evil”

Hey, is this a past paper question if yes which year. Just clarifying is ur exam board AQA and also pls send me the extract that was given with this question

This is also an AQA poetry anthology comparison question I wrote. To be honest I'm not the best at poetry but could you also maybe grade/mark this and give feedback?
COMPARE THE WAY POETS PRESENT IDEAS ABOUT THE REALITY OF CONFLICT IN BAYONET CHARGE AND ONE OTHER POEM (EXPOSURE)
In both Bayonet Charge and Exposure, Owen and Hughes seek to make clear the harsh reality of war and its many dire effects. War is presented as psychologically and physically tormenting as well as futile in both poems. However interestingly, whilst Exposure is written about all of the soldiers collectively, Bayonet Charge is written from the perspective of a single soldier and his thoughts about the reality of conflict is explored throughout the entirety of the poem.
Both poets structure their poems differently however largely for the same effect: to highlight chaotic war truly is. Hughes structures his poem with a lack of rhyme scheme, evoking a sense of chaos and lack of order, perhaps reflecting the feelings of the individual soldier. However, it is important to note that both poems begin in medias res, immediately thrusting the reader into the chaos of war right from the outset. Hughes keeps this feeling of continuous motion in the first stanza by using enjambment evoke feelings of movement. However, the second stanza switches from the use of enjambment to the mass use of caesuras. This creates constant stops in the poem, making it quite difficult and aggravating to read, likely seeking to mirror the feelings of the soldier as he “almost stopped-“, to think more philosophically about war and why he is even there. Also, Hughes utilizes the third person singular perspective in his poem. This means the poem is describing a single soldier out of the likely thousands or hundreds who are fighting. This makes the poem much more personal and deeply psychologically more tormenting. Contrastingly, Owen makes use of a cyclical structure in his poem as the last line of the first and ending stanza begin with “but nothing happens”, suggesting the soldiers are trapped within this cycle of war and eternally doomed, and also portrays war as a vicious cycle. Furthermore, Owen uses bathos in his poem in the last line of each stanza, making this last line less impressive and bringing the readers mind back to the fact that it is a war poem they are reading, making conflict seem rather monotonous. Furthermore, Owen’s use of pararhyme in his poem makes it hard to read and creates an uncomfortable atmosphere, perhaps mimicking that of the soldiers”. Also, Owen uses the repetition of “we” all throughout the poem, giving a sense of collectivity. This perhaps highlights how all the soldiers feel the same, shared feelings, again adding to the monotonous and futile feeling of conflict. Conversely, Hughes only describes one man in his poem, evoking feelings of loneliness and discomfort.
Moreover, in both poems, Hughes and Owen both seek to highlight how the reality of conflict is that is it ultimately futile. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker seems to list all the reasons why one goes to war, “King, honour, human dignity” however they all just “dropped like luxuries”. The asyndetic list of abstract nouns aid the reader in understanding the myriad of reasons many soldiers choose to go to war. These abstract nouns create a semantic field of nobility and bravery, but all these reasons are futile as they “dropped like luxuries”. This simile makes clear how when in the face of war, many just forget the reasons as to why they are actually there, adding to the sense of futility. In Exposure, this same idea of futility of conflict is presented with “but nothing happens”. The anaphoric repetition of this line shows how during the course of the poem, the effects of conflict are more psychological rather than physical, creating a sense of futility as war is meant to be all about action and death.
In addition, in both poems, it seems that in the face of great danger and conflict, both speakers ponder and think deeply about why they are actually at war. In Bayonet Charge, the speaker “almost stopped-“ and began questioning, “in what cold clockwork of he stars and nations was//He the hand pointing that second?” The use of the rhetorical question suggests he is beginning to think war is pointless and futile and he begins doubting himself, creating a negative image of war. Furthermore, the use of mechanical imagery suggests that the soldier is simply only a cog in the machine of warfare and conflict. This metaphor serves to highlight how the soldier is actively being dehumanized in his role, perhaps evoking sympathy in the reader towards him. The alliterative consonance of “cold clockworks” creates a rather harsh tone, mirroring the speaker’s beliefs about the harsh dehumanization he faces from the authorities. Similarly, the speaker in Exposure also uses rhetorical questions such as “What are we doing here?” This rhetorical question is slightly paradoxical as the soldiers know exactly what their role is (to fight) and so then invited the reader to question why the solider has asked such a question. This makes clear the harsh reality of conflict and that when facing conflict, many forget their morals and reasons to fight. The fact that both poets use rhetorical questions highlights how psychologically tormenting conflict truly is. Owen himself was a soldier therefore he would certainly have known the terrible effects war had on people. Owen himself even suffered PTSD as a result of war, meaning he was more than well placed to write about the effects of war. Perhaps It was the experiences he faced during his time that made his poems seem even more realistic and upsetting as they were. In fact, Hughes was very much inspired by Owens’ poetry which is clear as Hughes’ shares some similarities with Owens’ war poetry.
Conflict is also portrayed as incredibly dangerous in both poems. This idea of danger is the most true and dire reality of conflict in both poems. However, in Exposure, it is more the restless nature that poses a threat to the soldiers, whereas in Bayonet Charge, the most dangerous thing about conflict is the weaponry and artillery. In Exposure, it was the “merciless iced east winds that knive[d] us [the soldiers]”. The mass use of sibilance here mimics the sound of wind flowing, making the horrible effect of nature seem even more real. The verb “merciless” shows how the wind will never stop until it finishes its job: to torment the soldiers. The violent imagery of “knive” creates connotation of death and danger, exemplifying the dangerous behavior of the weather and presenting it as a murderous killer. The pararhyme here creates a very uncomfortable, awkward tone, perhaps reflecting how the soldiers feel in the trenches as the wind “knive” them. In Bayonet Charge, Hughes also makes use of violent imagery when the speaker witnesses “bullets smacking the belly out of the air”. The plosive ‘b’ sound mimic the sound of bullets flying, creating a very tense and chaotic atmosphere. This use of plosives also forces the reader to sort of be in the action too. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the violent verb “smacking”, which has connotations of power and force with the positive visual image of a “belly”, which connotes new life and joy, is interesting and perhaps seeks to symbolizing the soldiers conflicted and frenzies feelings, making conflict seem unpredictable and tormenting. Whilst Hughes himself did not participate in war, his father was one of the seventeen people to survive the Gallipoli campaigns, leaving Hughes which must distress and sadness. Therefore, whilst not fighting firsthand in war, he too, like Owen, knew the devastating effects and harsh reality of conflict, creating an even more saddening tone in both poems. Also, both poets seem to use violent imagery in their poems, inviting the readers to picture the terrorizing events they describe in their poems.
Lastly, both poets give a sense of unpreparedness in their poems, however this is definitely shown more so in Bayonet Charge than Exposure. This suggests that in reality, the authorities only seek to exploit and use the soldiers as pawns for their own gain and employ whatever soldiers they need in order to do so. In Bayonet charge, the soldier “lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm”. The verb “lugged” suggests the soldier does not have the strength or power to wield his weapon, further showing his unpreparedness. This simile also shows how the ‘soldier’ is not really ready to fight at all. The violent image of a “smashed arm” evokes feelings of horror and fright in the reader, making clear the horrific reality of war. In Exposure, there is also a slight feeling of unpreparedness as the soldier questions, “Is it that we are dying?” This rhetorical question shows how the soldiers are in the trenches are not even acutely aware of what is going on outside or inside the trenches, hinting at a small level of unpreparedness. Therefore, in both poems, it is clear that whilst soldiers are typically meant to be strong and brave in war, they are in fact unprepared and frightened. This makes clear that the reality of war is more upsetting and melancholier as many authorities make it out to be. Owen himself was very aware of war and the propaganda used to glorify it formerly. Owen himself was a soldier who knew about the horrible ways the authorities would spread false information in the hopes of recruiting soldiers. This understanding of authority tactics permitted him to make his war poetry so realistic, which contrasted the way many other poets would portray war during his time.
To conclude, it is clear that in both Exposure and Bayonet Charge, both poets really unveil the devastating, horrifying and tormenting effects war has on many. Both poems also seem to act as a warning and make clear to the readers that war can only end in peril and that it is highly futile.

you seem to be fine if I am honest for english lit.
level 6, it fits in really well so I would estimate 27/30.
give a second opinion cause why not

Thanks very much, really appreciate it, this has really made me less stressed about English but i’ll still work on it obviously but really means a lot 👍👍

hey, I can mark some more of your english essays if you want. I got a grade 9 in both aqa gcse eng lang and lit. I am currently studying aqa a level eng lang.

hello, sorry for the late reply as i haven't even opened thestudentroom is quite a while now,
that would be very great and helpful, seeing as my mocks are literally on Monday. I will do a crap ton of essay questions tommorow, and maybe you can mark some for me?
Thanks for your help