Effective context: Victorian poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can effectively evaluate context when writing about the Victorian poems in the anthology.
Key learning points
- Context must be precise and avoid generalisations.
- Victorian society disempowered women but many disagreed with their subordinate position in society (e.g. the Brownings).
- Contextual references should be judiciously chosen and rooted in our argument about the text.
- An understanding of specific Victorian context deepens our interpretation of Victorian poetry.
Keywords
Judicious - well-thought out or carefully chosen
Context - the circumstances or background surrounding a text
Patriarchal - a society or system where men hold power
Objectification - treating someone as an object rather than a person
Autonomy - the ability to make decisions and act independently
Common misconception
All Victorian poets held the same views and attitudes towards societal issues.
Victorian poets had diverse views. Some challenged norms, others reinforced them. Consider each poem's own unique perspective.
Teacher tip
If students have previously studied 'A Christmas Carol' or 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' lean in to any existing Victorian context. Some of this is equally applicable to the study of these poems (e.g. morality and social propriety).
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA 'Love and Relationships' anthology when completing this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is being described here: 'the circumstances or background surrounding a text'?
Q2.Who wrote the poem 'Porphyria's Lover'?
Q3.Which of the following poems from the AQA 'Love and Relationships' anthology can be considered 'Victorian'?
Q4.If something is 'well-thought out or carefully chosen' then it is ...
Q5.Which of the below are reasonable synonyms of the word 'autonomy'?
Q6.A system where men hold power is known as a system.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete this quotation from the poem 'Porphyria's Lover': "That moment she was mine, mine, , / Perfectly pure and good''
Q2.How can you effectively use context to develop inferences in your written responses?
Q3.How does Browning use possessive language in 'Porphyria's Lover' to highlight power dynamics?
Q4.Why is it important for contextual points to be anchored to the text in analytical essays?
Q5.What is the significance of discussing the form of 'Porphyria's Lover' (a dramatic monologue) in contextual analysis?
Q6.Which of the following is not a relevant contextual factor for analysing 'Porphyria's Lover'?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Effective context: Victorian poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Effective context: Victorian poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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