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Could anyone mark this GCSE Ozymandias-London essay?

Compare the way that negative feelings are presented in 'London' and in one other poem from 'Power and Conflict'. [30 marks]

'London' was a protest poem written by William Blake against the oppression of the working people by the status quo. During this poem, Blake expresses his anger at the monarchy and Church whilst at the same time painting a vivid image of the suffering of the population. 'Ozymandias' was a poem written by Shelley, which describes such abuse of power from the leader's perspective. Negative emotions in this poem include pride and arrogance.

Blake uses vivid description to help the reader to empathise with the suffering of the people. People from all members of society are mentioned, such as a 'chimney-sweeper' a 'hapless soldier' and a 'youthful harlot'. Many of the mentioned people are from vulnerable sectors of society, such as a newborn baby. We can infer that one of the first things it heard in the world must have been its mother swearing, which reflects how the society described removes all innocence. This idea is also shown by the fact that a young woman has been forced to turn to prostitution rather than any other job. Child labour is also criticised in this poem, as chimney sweepers were typically young boys trying to earn money for their families. Listing is used to convey the sheer amount of people who were oppressed by such a small group of rulers. 'In every' is repeated at the start of every line in the second stanza, which suggests that nobody can escape the perpetual suffering. Suffering is also potrayed to be constant and life-long. As well as babies being affected, the final line - 'And blights with plagues the marriage hearse' suggests that people are oppressed until the very point of their death. 'Plagues' highlights the poor living conditions - this is likely not only talking about a literal plague, but social ills as well (hence the plurality).

'Ozymandias' was written by Shelley as it was predicted that the Duke of Wellington would become Prime Minister. He had had a successful military career, and had defeated Napoleon in battle. However, many feared that he would establish a military dictatorship over Britain, so one interpretation is that the purpose of this poem is to subtly warn those in power about what will happen to them if they do not treat their subjects with respect, and to remind them that ultimately, striving for power is futile. Ozymandias is portrayed as an arrogant, cruel leader who did not care about the people, delusionally proud of his own illusion of power. The sculptor of the statue he commissioned seems to understand this - he is given a 'frown / And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command'. This shows that Ozymandias was not well-liked by his subjects (or anyone) at the time of his rule, and he has failed to make history remember him well. What was the point of his 'Works' and achievements, when they all crumble down like his statue and 'shatter'd visage'? A possible meaning of 'the hand that mock'd them' is that the sculptor is attempting to mock and ridicule Ozymandias, in order to let future generations know about the brutality of his rule.

Unlike 'Ozymandias', 'London' focuses on the people's perspective, creating a situation of 'them' against 'us', blaming those in charge for causing such oppression. This allows Blake to create a sense of anger among the real people in Britain at the time, as the conditions seem very desperate. At this time in Europe, the French Revolution was ongoing, in which the people had seized power from the monarchy and those in charge, and had started to rule themselves. 'Mind-forged manacles' could suggest that the only thing stopping the people from achieving such a thing themselves is their own minds. This could be interpreted as a call to revolutionary action. The Romantic movement, provided an alternative to the current society of perpetual work and suffering. Romantic poets believed that people should work as little as possible (much unlike the society of Britain during the Industrial Revolution) and to appreciate life and nature and take pleasure in the small things. The status quo is blamed for destroying society - the 'hapless' soldiers are disillusioned with the causes they are fighting for, while their blood runs 'down palace walls'. This implies that those inside (the monarchy, whom they are dying in service of) are not suffering or injured themselves, and are protected by the literal barrier of 'palace walls'. This is the barrier that separates the oppressors from the oppressed. Organised religion is also criticised - the 'black'ning church' is said to be 'appall[ing]' the poor and suffering. The Church is usually associated with the colour white, representing holiness and purity. However, even that has been corrupted, and religious figures have become increasingly greedy and uncaring. Now it has turned black, the colour of evil and sin. The churches could have also literally turned black, due to the soot and smoke from the chimneys, reflecting how industrialisation is harming everyday life.

The oppression of the people by their ruler, Ozymandias is shown throughout the poem. Firstly, he has a 'sneer of cold command'. 'cold command' is guttural alliteration, reflecting the harshness of his rule, and 'cold' suggests that his 'comand:undefined:' were authoritative, unfeeling, and supposed to be followed without deeper thought or personal considerations. The ruler proclaims himself 'king of kings', revealing that he was even arrogant enough to challenge other leaders. This also reflects how all of his power is merely an illusion, and that his efforts to control the people were futile - he is now just an abandoned and crumbling statue in the desert, only described on a second-hand account by someone who has met a 'traveller from an antique land'. He has lost all his power and is completely irrelevant to the descendants of the people whom he once ruled. He calls upon other kings to 'despair', but in reality, it is him who should 'despair', as all of his power has disappeared and 'Nothing beside remains' of his great civilisation. 'The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed' is juxtaposition, reflecting the duality of his rule. At the same time, he mocks and belittles those whom he rules, while they still depend on him for food and survival. This may cause the question to arise of whether or not the survival of one whole nation should depend on the generosity of one indiviual ruler.

In conclusion, both poems describe negative emotions - 'London' focuses on Blake's anger towards the oppressing classes as he strolls through the streets of the industrialised English capital, while 'Ozymandias' focuses on the ruler's emotions of unjustified and excessive pride and arrogance, and likely the sculptor of the statue's hatred and anger towards him. Both convey to some extent a person's anger at the status quo, and offer as a warning to the modern rulers of society. However, 'London' deals with such oppression from the people's perspective, and 'Ozymandias' describes it from the perspective of a tyrannical leader.

Reply 1

Copy and paste the question and answer into tilf.io. It’s really accurate and free for 3 answers.

Reply 2

Original post by Sichwünschen
Compare the way that negative feelings are presented in 'London' and in one other poem from 'Power and Conflict'. [30 marks]
'London' was a protest poem written by William Blake against the oppression of the working people by the status quo. During this poem, Blake expresses his anger at the monarchy and Church whilst at the same time painting a vivid image of the suffering of the population. 'Ozymandias' was a poem written by Shelley, which describes such abuse of power from the leader's perspective. Negative emotions in this poem include pride and arrogance.
Blake uses vivid description to help the reader to empathise with the suffering of the people. People from all members of society are mentioned, such as a 'chimney-sweeper' a 'hapless soldier' and a 'youthful harlot'. Many of the mentioned people are from vulnerable sectors of society, such as a newborn baby. We can infer that one of the first things it heard in the world must have been its mother swearing, which reflects how the society described removes all innocence. This idea is also shown by the fact that a young woman has been forced to turn to prostitution rather than any other job. Child labour is also criticised in this poem, as chimney sweepers were typically young boys trying to earn money for their families. Listing is used to convey the sheer amount of people who were oppressed by such a small group of rulers. 'In every' is repeated at the start of every line in the second stanza, which suggests that nobody can escape the perpetual suffering. Suffering is also potrayed to be constant and life-long. As well as babies being affected, the final line - 'And blights with plagues the marriage hearse' suggests that people are oppressed until the very point of their death. 'Plagues' highlights the poor living conditions - this is likely not only talking about a literal plague, but social ills as well (hence the plurality).
'Ozymandias' was written by Shelley as it was predicted that the Duke of Wellington would become Prime Minister. He had had a successful military career, and had defeated Napoleon in battle. However, many feared that he would establish a military dictatorship over Britain, so one interpretation is that the purpose of this poem is to subtly warn those in power about what will happen to them if they do not treat their subjects with respect, and to remind them that ultimately, striving for power is futile. Ozymandias is portrayed as an arrogant, cruel leader who did not care about the people, delusionally proud of his own illusion of power. The sculptor of the statue he commissioned seems to understand this - he is given a 'frown / And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command'. This shows that Ozymandias was not well-liked by his subjects (or anyone) at the time of his rule, and he has failed to make history remember him well. What was the point of his 'Works' and achievements, when they all crumble down like his statue and 'shatter'd visage'? A possible meaning of 'the hand that mock'd them' is that the sculptor is attempting to mock and ridicule Ozymandias, in order to let future generations know about the brutality of his rule.
Unlike 'Ozymandias', 'London' focuses on the people's perspective, creating a situation of 'them' against 'us', blaming those in charge for causing such oppression. This allows Blake to create a sense of anger among the real people in Britain at the time, as the conditions seem very desperate. At this time in Europe, the French Revolution was ongoing, in which the people had seized power from the monarchy and those in charge, and had started to rule themselves. 'Mind-forged manacles' could suggest that the only thing stopping the people from achieving such a thing themselves is their own minds. This could be interpreted as a call to revolutionary action. The Romantic movement, provided an alternative to the current society of perpetual work and suffering. Romantic poets believed that people should work as little as possible (much unlike the society of Britain during the Industrial Revolution) and to appreciate life and nature and take pleasure in the small things. The status quo is blamed for destroying society - the 'hapless' soldiers are disillusioned with the causes they are fighting for, while their blood runs 'down palace walls'. This implies that those inside (the monarchy, whom they are dying in service of) are not suffering or injured themselves, and are protected by the literal barrier of 'palace walls'. This is the barrier that separates the oppressors from the oppressed. Organised religion is also criticised - the 'black'ning church' is said to be 'appall[ing]' the poor and suffering. The Church is usually associated with the colour white, representing holiness and purity. However, even that has been corrupted, and religious figures have become increasingly greedy and uncaring. Now it has turned black, the colour of evil and sin. The churches could have also literally turned black, due to the soot and smoke from the chimneys, reflecting how industrialisation is harming everyday life.
The oppression of the people by their ruler, Ozymandias is shown throughout the poem. Firstly, he has a 'sneer of cold command'. 'cold command' is guttural alliteration, reflecting the harshness of his rule, and 'cold' suggests that his 'comand:undefined:' were authoritative, unfeeling, and supposed to be followed without deeper thought or personal considerations. The ruler proclaims himself 'king of kings', revealing that he was even arrogant enough to challenge other leaders. This also reflects how all of his power is merely an illusion, and that his efforts to control the people were futile - he is now just an abandoned and crumbling statue in the desert, only described on a second-hand account by someone who has met a 'traveller from an antique land'. He has lost all his power and is completely irrelevant to the descendants of the people whom he once ruled. He calls upon other kings to 'despair', but in reality, it is him who should 'despair', as all of his power has disappeared and 'Nothing beside remains' of his great civilisation. 'The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed' is juxtaposition, reflecting the duality of his rule. At the same time, he mocks and belittles those whom he rules, while they still depend on him for food and survival. This may cause the question to arise of whether or not the survival of one whole nation should depend on the generosity of one indiviual ruler.
In conclusion, both poems describe negative emotions - 'London' focuses on Blake's anger towards the oppressing classes as he strolls through the streets of the industrialised English capital, while 'Ozymandias' focuses on the ruler's emotions of unjustified and excessive pride and arrogance, and likely the sculptor of the statue's hatred and anger towards him. Both convey to some extent a person's anger at the status quo, and offer as a warning to the modern rulers of society. However, 'London' deals with such oppression from the people's perspective, and 'Ozymandias' describes it from the perspective of a tyrannical leader.
(response from tilf)
Paragraphs Feedback
The introduction effectively sets the context for both poems and outlines the main negative feelings to be discussed. To improve, consider providing a clearer thesis statement that directly addresses the comparison aspect of the question. For example, you could state how both poems, despite their different perspectives, convey a shared sense of oppression and negative emotions.
This paragraph presents a strong analysis of Blake's use of vivid imagery and listing to convey suffering. However, it could benefit from a more explicit connection to the theme of negative feelings. For instance, you could elaborate on how the imagery evokes empathy and anger in the reader, enhancing the emotional impact of the poem.
The analysis of 'Ozymandias' is insightful, particularly in discussing the arrogance of the ruler. To strengthen this paragraph, consider integrating more direct quotes from the poem to support your points. For example, when discussing the sculptor's understanding of Ozymandias, you could quote the lines that illustrate this relationship more clearly.
This paragraph provides a good comparison between the two poems, highlighting the different perspectives on oppression. However, it could be improved by more explicitly linking the analysis back to the negative feelings presented. For example, you could discuss how Blake's focus on the people's suffering contrasts with Shelley's portrayal of the ruler's pride, emphasizing the emotional ramifications of their respective positions.
The exploration of the Church's role in 'London' is compelling, but it could be enhanced by drawing a clearer parallel to the negative feelings in 'Ozymandias'. Consider discussing how both poems critique authority figures and institutions, and how this critique contributes to the overall theme of oppression and negative emotions.
This paragraph effectively analyzes the duality of Ozymandias's rule, but it could benefit from a more structured approach. Clearly separating the analysis of the ruler's arrogance and the sculptor's perspective could help clarify your points. Additionally, consider linking back to the theme of negative feelings more explicitly, perhaps by discussing how this duality reflects the broader emotional landscape of the poem.
The conclusion summarizes the main points well, but it could be more impactful by reiterating the significance of the negative feelings presented in both poems. Consider emphasizing how these feelings serve as a critique of power and oppression, and how they resonate with contemporary issues, creating a stronger connection to the question.
What Went Well
The essay demonstrates a clear understanding of both poems and effectively compares the presentation of negative feelings. The use of textual references is generally strong, and the analysis of the poets' intentions and the societal context is insightful, particularly in relation to the themes of oppression and power.
Even Better If
To achieve a higher mark, the essay should include more direct textual evidence to support claims, particularly in the analysis of 'Ozymandias'. Additionally, enhancing the clarity of the comparisons between the two poems and ensuring that each paragraph explicitly ties back to the theme of negative feelings would strengthen the overall argument.
Overall Feedback
Overall, the essay presents a thoughtful comparison of negative feelings in 'London' and 'Ozymandias'. It effectively explores the perspectives of both the oppressed and the oppressor, providing a nuanced understanding of the themes. However, to reach a higher level of attainment, the essay should focus on improving the integration of textual evidence and enhancing the clarity of comparisons throughout.
Mark
Score: 24
Level: 5

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