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Compare how poets present ideas about identity in ‘Tissue’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’. (Aqa english lit power and conflict)

Both ‘Tissue’ and ‘Ozymandias’ explore the theme of identity throughout the poems, with some similar and many contrasting ideas. ‘Ozymandias’ emphasises the transience and fragility of identity built upon power and status, however ‘Tissue’ highlights the fragility yet power that paper holds in relation to its impact on our identity as humans.

In the poem ‘Tissue’, identity is presented as something that is fragile yet holds great power, which is implied by the ‘fine slips from grocery shops’ in reference to receipts on which our purchases are recorded. The adjective ‘fine’ connotes flimsiness and weakness, implying that our identity, recorded on these slips of paper, is never going to last forever- where we have been and what we have spent will soon become irrelevant, suggesting that our own identity is transient and fragile. Dharker reinforces this idea through the use of enjambment throughout the poem and the lack of a regular rhyme scheme. Despite that, that line could also imply the power that paper has on our identity. Although it won’t last forever, the paper still has details of our lives on it and is therefore a large part of who we are on a daily basis.

On the other hand, in the poem ‘Ozymandias’, identity built on power is presented as completely transient, suggesting that even the most powerful rulers will inevitably be forgotten at some point. After naming himself ‘King of Kings’, Ozymandias’ statue has ironically been reduced to ‘two vast and trunkless legs of stone’. The adjective ‘vast’ highlights his prior status and impression of greatness, which illustrates that he was once well known and respected. However, the statue is now ‘trunkless’ which reflects his identity being forgotten. Shelley emphasizes this idea through the use of form- the poem starts as a Petriarchan sonnet, however the form is lost throughout, which also highlights Ozymandias’ gradual downfall and loss of identity, showing its fragile nature.

Furthermore, both poems acknowledge the impact of nature on our identity. In ‘Tissue’, natural sources are the things revealing our identity and allowing them to be discovered, which is implied by the ‘paper that lets the light shine through’. This idea of the ‘light’ is also repeated with a later reference to the sun and connotes positivity and enlightenment. This implies that it is nature itself allowing us to make our identity known, as the light shining through is what ‘could alter things’. The verb ‘alter’ demonstrates that this was not always possible, and so nature is what allows us to build our identity as people.

However, in the poem ‘Ozymandias’, our identity is presented as something that is destroyed by nature, as nothing remains other than ‘the decay of that colossal wreck’. The noun ‘decay’ links to a natural process, which is what caused Ozymandias’ legacy to be forgotten. The oxymoron of ‘colossal wreck’ emphasises what nature has done to his once powerful identity, highlighting the futility of trying to preserve an identity built upon power, as nature will always be more powerful. We also learn that the ‘lone and level sands stretch far away’, suggesting that the natural landscape is infinite, reflecting its ever-lasting impact on identity.

In conclusion, both poems explore the theme of identity but in varying ways. Shelley presents identity as temporary and ultimately insignificant, critiquing arrogant rulers who thrive on excessive power. However Dharker suggests that identity is fluid and shaped by natural forces, with paper symbolising the delicate yet influential nature of humans. ‘Tissue’ offers a more optimistic perspective, implying that identity is always changing in contrast to Shelley’s warning against arrogant rulers.

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