Understanding 'Winter Swans' by Owen Sheers
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Sheers presents a change in the speaker’s romantic relationship with another person.
Key learning points
- Sheers depicts a relationship which is initially fragmented as the couple are physically and emotionally separated.
- By the end of the poem the couple have salvaged their relationship and are reunified.
- The inconsistent form followed by a final couplet could mirror the changing status of the relationship.
- The setting at the start of the poem reflects the couples despairing and hopeless emotions.
- The poem is from a wider collection entitled 'Skirrid Hill' which means 'shattered mountain'.
Keywords
Fragmented - broken into pieces; lacking togetherness or unity
Unified - formed or integrated into a whole; cohesive or combined
Hope - an optimistic expectation; a longing for a positive outcome
Despair - overwhelming sadness; a loss of hope
Salvageable - something that can be saved or repaired
Common misconception
Form and structure are the same thing.
Form deals with the 'poetic rules' that govern a poem and helps us to categorise it along with other similar poems whereas structure deals with how the ideas in the poem are ordered and organised.
Teacher tip
The literacy focus of this lesson is tentative language. As you are reading aloud model answers, encourage students to raise their hand each time they hear you say an example of tentative language.
Equipment
You will need access to the poem 'Winter Swans' by Owen Sheers. This can be found in the AQA Love and Relationships Poetry Anthology.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
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