Identity Poetry Anthology
CCEA’s Unit 2 Drama and Poetry examination requires students to study one of three anthologies: Identity, Conflict and Relationships. This page includes articles to support analysis of the poems in the Identity anthology. The poems with ThinkLit analysis articles are hyperlinked for you below:
- Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare
- Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
- Invictus by William Ernest Henley
- The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
- Piano by D.H. Lawrence
- Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice
- I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin
- Catrin by Gillian Clarke
- Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson
- In Mrs Tilscher’s Class by Carol Ann Duffy
- Kid by Simon Armitage
- Here by R.S. Thomas
- Docker by Seamus Heaney
- Genetics by Sinead Morrissey
- Effacé by Paul Maddern
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Identity Study Guides
Identity Themes:
Childhood
Our childhood is a defining feature of our identity. The memories of childhood linger with us throughout our whole lives and the games, lessons, experiences and friends we had during our childhood shape the people we become. Poems such as Piano by D.H. Lawrence and In Mrs Tilscher’s Class by Carol Ann Duffy remember childhood fondly and hark back to those days as glorious and idealised. Other poems, such as I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin look back with regret over missed experiences of childhood.
Another poem in the anthology which explores the theme of childhood is Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice. In this poem, it is not so much childhood memories or experiences, but rather the voice of an unborn child grieving over the world it is about to be born into. Childbirth is also explored in Catrin by Gillian Clarke. The speaker explores the experience of giving birth, and of struggling through the pain and emotions associated with it.
Family
The theme of family experiences and relationships takes a central focus for many of the poems in the Identity anthology. Piano by D.H. Lawrence explores the fond memories of the speaker’s mother playing the piano, and Genetics by Sinead Morrissey explores the significance of DNA in binding people together despite the distances of time and place. In the poem Catrin by Gillian Clarke, the speaker explores the experience of motherhood and the complex battles between mother and daughter, both in the experience of birth and in the experience of letting go of children growing up.
Love and relationships
Relationships are formative in shaping who we are, for good or for bad. In Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare, the speaker experiences difficulty in his public life, but being loved by someone is enough to restore his sense of self-worth and belonging in the world. In Effacé by Paul Maddern, the speaker thinks back on a past relationship. Time, place and circumstance have changed, and the relationship is no more. The speaker questions whether each should be happy without the other.
Place
Places can be a significant influence on our lives. The place itself, its views, landmarks and experiences can be important in hosting important moments in our lives. Not only that, but place influences our culture and our sense of belonging. In I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin, the speaker is triggered into a series of emotions by arriving unexpectedly in the city of Coventry, England. Place is central in understanding Docker by Seamus Heaney. The place, Belfast, is explored through its cultural landscape, the shipbuilding industry and the division between religious denominations. Another poem which explores the importance of place, and indeed the place of Belfast, is Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson. In this poem, as in Docker, the speaker explores the division and conflict of the place.
In Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold, the speaker is inspired to ponder the uncertainties of modern life by looking out over the cliffs of Dover and out towards France. Setting and place are central to the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. The setting of the poem sets up an extended metaphor which is of central importance: a fork in the road of this autumnal New England wood inspired the speaker to consider the choices in life that lead to our next destination.
Growth and self-discovery
Several poems in this identity anthology explore the themes of coming of age, growth, self-discovery and loss of innocence. In Kid by Simon Armitage, the speaker, Robin the Boy Wonder, chooses to leave Batman behind and go it alone. The poem explores growing up away from the shadow of a partner and friend, and the self-discovery that accompanies a big change like this. In Invictus by William Ernest Henley, the idea of discovering the power of the individual, and the strength that comes in the face of fear is a marker of identity. In the poem In Mrs Tilscher’s Class by Carol Ann Duffy, growing up is the central theme. Discovering how you were born and the dawning of adolescence is a hugely influential experience in understanding your identity. In Here by R.S. Thomas, the speaker realises that he is a man now, and grapples with the importance of his choices with this new self-understanding and sense of identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the past paper questions for CCEA's Identity Anthology?
a) Look again at Genetics by Sinead Morrissey which deals with the theme of influences on identity, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of influences on identity.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about influences on identity. You should include relevant contextual material.
b) Look again at Here by R. S. Thomas which deals with the theme of a sense of who you are, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of a sense of who you are.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about a sense of who you are. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Piano by D.H. Lawrence which deals with the theme of how childhood memories influence identity, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of how childhood memories influence identity.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about the influence of childhood memories. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson which deals with the theme of how place influences identity, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of how place influences identity.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about how place influences identity. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold which deals with the theme of having doubts, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of having doubts.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about having doubts. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at Invictus by William Ernest Henley which deals with the theme of difficult experiences, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of difficult experiences.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about difficult experiences. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Kid by Simon Armitage which deals with the theme of growing up,
and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of growing up.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about growing up. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice which deals with the theme of facing danger, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of facing danger.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about facing danger. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare which deals with the theme of discontent, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of discontent.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about discontent. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost which deals with the theme of looking back, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of looking back.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about looking back. You should include relevant contextual material.
a) Look again at In Mrs Tilscher’s Class by Carol Ann Duffy which deals with the theme of change, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of change.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about change. You should include relevant contextual material.
b) Look again at Docker by Seamus Heaney which deals with the theme of conflict, and at one other poem from the IDENTITY anthology which also deals with the theme of conflict.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about conflict. You should include relevant contextual material.
CCEA English Literature Poetry:
CCEA’s GCSE English Literature offers a choice of three poetry anthologies: IDENTITY, CONFLICT and RELATIONSHIPS. Click here to check out the other anthologies:
GCSE English Language resources:
