These four poems explore how power works in different contexts... Show more
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11 Dec 2025
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Power and Conflict Poetry Study Flashcards
E
Emily Beresford
@emilyberesford_blpw
1 / 4
Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney
Ever felt completely powerless against something much bigger than yourself? Heaney captures this feeling perfectly as he describes islanders facing a violent storm - but there's much more going on beneath the surface.
The power of nature dominates this poem through aggressive verbs like "blast," "pummels," and "hits." These sensory words make you feel like you're right there, getting battered by the wind and rain. The islanders can't fight back - they're completely passive victims in this one-sided battle against nature's fury.
However, Heaney's militant language hints at something deeper. The poem was written about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, where two sides fought over the country's future. The plosive sounds in words like "blast" mirror the sounds of war, suggesting that living through conflict feels just as terrifying and unpredictable as weathering a storm.
The opening line "we are prepared" shows community strength through the pronoun "we," but the colon that follows creates an ominous pause. This confident statement actually reveals how these people live in constant fear, always having to be ready for the next disaster - whether natural or man-made.
Key Insight: Heaney uses one long stanza with conflicting sentences to mirror the overwhelming, uncontrollable nature of both storms and war.
My Last Duchess by Robert Browning
Imagine someone so controlling they can't stand their partner being happy around other people. Browning's Duke reveals himself as exactly this type of person - and accidentally shows us how toxic masculinity destroys everything it touches.
The Duke obsessively uses "my" and "mine" to claim ownership over his wife, treating her like property rather than a person. But here's the twist - his power has serious limits. The Duchess refused to behave like his obedient possession, staying "too easily impressed" and "too soon made glad" by simple pleasures like sunsets and gifts from others.
Browning cleverly exposes Victorian attitudes towards women by letting the Duke condemn himself with his own words. When he criticises her for thanking people and being cheerful, we see how gendered expectations trapped women in impossible situations. Be happy and you're "flirtatious"; be serious and you're ungrateful.
The chilling phrase "as if she were alive" reveals the Duchess's fate while the caesura (pause) lets this horrifying implication sink in. The Duke's jealousy and need for control ultimately destroyed what he claimed to value most.
Key Insight: This dramatic monologue format gives the Duke complete control of the conversation - just like he tried to control his wife - but ironically reveals his own moral bankruptcy.
London by William Blake
Walking through your local area, do you ever notice the same problems everywhere you look? Blake felt exactly this way about 1790s London, and his anger jumps off the page as he describes a city where suffering has become completely normalised.
The poem opens with "wander," immediately setting an aimless, hopeless tone. Blake repeats "in every" to hammer home how widespread the misery is - every face shows permanent damage, every voice reveals weakness. No one escapes the city's problems, regardless of their social class or circumstances.
Blake's fury targets corrupt institutions through phrases like "blackening church appalls." The verb "appalls" shows his genuine horror at how religious and political leaders ignore suffering. "Chimney sweepers cry" reminds us that children were forced into dangerous work while those in power did nothing to help them.
The most powerful image, "mind-forged manacles," suggests people are trapped by their own thoughts and accepted limitations. Blake argues that systematic indoctrination keeps people from fighting for better conditions. The "marriage hearse" oxymoron shows how even supposedly happy occasions are poisoned by urban decay.
Key Insight: Blake's ABAB rhyme scheme and four-stanza structure create a methodical, relentless rhythm that mirrors the systematic nature of London's problems.
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Think the most powerful people in your world will be remembered forever? Shelley's poem about a crumbling statue in the desert suggests otherwise, showing how even mighty rulers eventually become forgotten ruins.
The statue's inscription "king of kings" mockingly echoes religious language, which fits Shelley's atheist beliefs perfectly. This arrogant boast becomes deeply ironic when we see his "works" are now just a "wreck" surrounded by empty desert. The imperative "Look on my works" demands respect for achievements that no longer exist.
Shelley consistently shows nature's transcendent power through words like "vast," "boundless," and "antique." While human empires crumble, the natural world continues unchanged, neither impressed by nor concerned with human ambition. This transience of power forces us to question what really matters in life.
The poem's sonnet form traditionally celebrates eternal love, but Shelley subverts this by showing how nothing human truly lasts. His variation on the typical rhyme scheme represents how power constantly changes and evolves - no system stays the same forever.
Key Insight: The poem's brevity reinforces its message about impermanence - even this powerful ruler's story can be told in just 14 short lines.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Power and Conflict Poetry Study Flashcards
E
Emily Beresford
@emilyberesford_blpw
These four poems explore how power works in different contexts - from natural storms to controlling rulers to corrupt cities to fallen empires. Each poet uses vivid language and clever techniques to show us that true power often lies where... Show more
Storm on the Island by Seamus Heaney
Ever felt completely powerless against something much bigger than yourself? Heaney captures this feeling perfectly as he describes islanders facing a violent storm - but there's much more going on beneath the surface.
The power of nature dominates this poem through aggressive verbs like "blast," "pummels," and "hits." These sensory words make you feel like you're right there, getting battered by the wind and rain. The islanders can't fight back - they're completely passive victims in this one-sided battle against nature's fury.
However, Heaney's militant language hints at something deeper. The poem was written about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, where two sides fought over the country's future. The plosive sounds in words like "blast" mirror the sounds of war, suggesting that living through conflict feels just as terrifying and unpredictable as weathering a storm.
The opening line "we are prepared" shows community strength through the pronoun "we," but the colon that follows creates an ominous pause. This confident statement actually reveals how these people live in constant fear, always having to be ready for the next disaster - whether natural or man-made.
Key Insight: Heaney uses one long stanza with conflicting sentences to mirror the overwhelming, uncontrollable nature of both storms and war.
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Improve your grades
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My Last Duchess by Robert Browning
Imagine someone so controlling they can't stand their partner being happy around other people. Browning's Duke reveals himself as exactly this type of person - and accidentally shows us how toxic masculinity destroys everything it touches.
The Duke obsessively uses "my" and "mine" to claim ownership over his wife, treating her like property rather than a person. But here's the twist - his power has serious limits. The Duchess refused to behave like his obedient possession, staying "too easily impressed" and "too soon made glad" by simple pleasures like sunsets and gifts from others.
Browning cleverly exposes Victorian attitudes towards women by letting the Duke condemn himself with his own words. When he criticises her for thanking people and being cheerful, we see how gendered expectations trapped women in impossible situations. Be happy and you're "flirtatious"; be serious and you're ungrateful.
The chilling phrase "as if she were alive" reveals the Duchess's fate while the caesura (pause) lets this horrifying implication sink in. The Duke's jealousy and need for control ultimately destroyed what he claimed to value most.
Key Insight: This dramatic monologue format gives the Duke complete control of the conversation - just like he tried to control his wife - but ironically reveals his own moral bankruptcy.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
London by William Blake
Walking through your local area, do you ever notice the same problems everywhere you look? Blake felt exactly this way about 1790s London, and his anger jumps off the page as he describes a city where suffering has become completely normalised.
The poem opens with "wander," immediately setting an aimless, hopeless tone. Blake repeats "in every" to hammer home how widespread the misery is - every face shows permanent damage, every voice reveals weakness. No one escapes the city's problems, regardless of their social class or circumstances.
Blake's fury targets corrupt institutions through phrases like "blackening church appalls." The verb "appalls" shows his genuine horror at how religious and political leaders ignore suffering. "Chimney sweepers cry" reminds us that children were forced into dangerous work while those in power did nothing to help them.
The most powerful image, "mind-forged manacles," suggests people are trapped by their own thoughts and accepted limitations. Blake argues that systematic indoctrination keeps people from fighting for better conditions. The "marriage hearse" oxymoron shows how even supposedly happy occasions are poisoned by urban decay.
Key Insight: Blake's ABAB rhyme scheme and four-stanza structure create a methodical, relentless rhythm that mirrors the systematic nature of London's problems.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Think the most powerful people in your world will be remembered forever? Shelley's poem about a crumbling statue in the desert suggests otherwise, showing how even mighty rulers eventually become forgotten ruins.
The statue's inscription "king of kings" mockingly echoes religious language, which fits Shelley's atheist beliefs perfectly. This arrogant boast becomes deeply ironic when we see his "works" are now just a "wreck" surrounded by empty desert. The imperative "Look on my works" demands respect for achievements that no longer exist.
Shelley consistently shows nature's transcendent power through words like "vast," "boundless," and "antique." While human empires crumble, the natural world continues unchanged, neither impressed by nor concerned with human ambition. This transience of power forces us to question what really matters in life.
The poem's sonnet form traditionally celebrates eternal love, but Shelley subverts this by showing how nothing human truly lasts. His variation on the typical rhyme scheme represents how power constantly changes and evolves - no system stays the same forever.
Key Insight: The poem's brevity reinforces its message about impermanence - even this powerful ruler's story can be told in just 14 short lines.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Poetry Theme
Most popular content in English Language
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user