CCEA Relationships 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 Relationships anthology. The full list of poems with ThinkLit analysis articles are linked for you below:
- On My First Son by Ben Jonson
- Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
- ‘How Do I Love Thee?’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
- To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
- The Laboratory by Robert Browning
- Remember by Christina Rosetti
- When You Are Old by W B Yeats
- i carry your heart by E E Cummings
- Funeral Blues by W H Auden
- Long Distance II by Tony Harrison
- Wild Oats by Philip Larkin
- Symptoms of Love by Robert Graves
- Before You Were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy
- Clearances 7: In the Last Minutes by Seamus Heaney
- I Am Very Bothered by Simon Armitage
Themes in the RELATIONSHIPS anthology:
Loss
Loss of a loved one or loss of a relationship is a prevalent theme in several poems. “On My First Son” by Ben Jonson expresses the profound sorrow of losing a child and Seamus Heaney’s “Clearances 7” is an elegy for his late mother, while “Remember” by Christina Rossetti explores the plea for remembrance after death. “Long Distance II” by Tony Harrison deals with the lingering pain of a father’s death, and “Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden poignantly portrays the world-stopping impact of a loved one’s passing.
Love
Love, in its various forms, is central to many poems. “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare humorously challenges conventional love poetry by describing his mistress in a realistic manner while “Symptoms of Love” by Robert Graves humorously describes the symptoms and effects of being in love, treating love almost like an illness with physical and emotional symptoms. Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee?” passionately enumerates the depths of her love, and E. E. Cummings’ “i carry your heart” offers a deeply personal and intimate view of love’s inseparability.
Strong feelings
Strong emotions, whether of love, anger, or obsession, dominate these poems. “The Laboratory” by Robert Browning reveals intense jealousy and rage as the speaker plans revenge. In “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell, there’s a passionate urgency in the speaker’s persuasion. Seamus Heaney’s “Clearances 7: In the Last Minutes” captures the profound bond and emotion between mother and son in the moments before her death.
Death of a loved one
Several poems focus on the death of loved ones and the impact it has on those left behind. “On My First Son” by Ben Jonson and “Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden both express the devastating effect of death. Christina Rossetti’s “Remember” contemplates the legacy left behind after death, while “Clearances 7: In the Last Minutes” by Seamus Heaney delves into the personal loss of a mother.
Desire
Desire, both physical and emotional, features prominently. Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” is driven by carnal desire and the urgency to consummate love. “The Laboratory” by Robert Browning explores a darker desire for revenge and power. In “Wild Oats” by Philip Larkin, there’s a reflection on youthful romantic desire and its consequences.
Regret
Regret permeates poems such as “Wild Oats” by Philip Larkin, where the speaker reflects on missed romantic opportunities. “Before You Were Mine” by Carol Ann Duffy conveys a sense of regret for the lost life her mother had before she was born. “I Am Very Bothered” by Simon Armitage portrays regret over a youthful mistake that harmed another. “When You Are Old” by W. B. Yeats reflects on the passage of time and the regret of lost opportunities for love.
Grief
Grief is poignantly depicted in “Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden, where the world seems to stop with the loss of a loved one. Tony Harrison’s “Long Distance II” shows the enduring nature of grief as the speaker’s father continues to act as if his wife is still alive. “On My First Son” by Ben Jonson also expresses profound grief over the death of his son, and similarly, Seamus Heaney’s “Clearances 7: In the Last Minutes” describes the grief in the moment of his mother’s passing.
Being young
Being young and the implications of youth are explored in several poems. “Wild Oats” by Philip Larkin and “I am very bothered” by Simon Armitage both reflect on youthful relationships and the impact they have on later life. “Before You Were Mine” by Carol Ann Duffy nostalgically looks back at her mother’s youth before she was born. Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” addresses the fleeting nature of youth and beauty.
CCEA 'Relationships' Past Paper Questions
(a) Look again at Before you were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy which deals with the theme of a child’s feelings towards its parent, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of a child’s feelings towards its parent.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about a child’s feelings towards its parent. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at I am very bothered by Simon Armitage which deals with the theme of regret about a relationship, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of regret about a relationship.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about regret about a relationship. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Remember by Christina Rossetti which deals with the theme of loss, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of loss.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about loss. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at I Carry Your Heart by EE Cummings which deals with the theme of love, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of love.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about love. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at Funeral Blues by W H Auden which deals with the theme of the death of a loved one, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of the death of a loved one.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about the death of a loved one. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare which deals with the theme of strong feelings, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of strong feelings.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about strong feelings. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell which deals with the theme of desire, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of desire.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about desire. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at When You Are Old by W B Yeats which deals with the theme of regret, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of regret.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about regret. You should include relevant contextual material.
(a) Look again at On My First Son by Ben Jonson which deals with the theme of grief, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of grief.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about grief. You should include relevant contextual material.
(b) Look again at Wild Oats by Philip Larkin which deals with the theme of being young, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of being young.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about being young. You should include relevant contextual material.
a) Look again at Symptoms of Love by Robert Graves which deals with the theme of heartbreak, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of heartbreak.
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about heartbreak. You should include relevant contextual material.
b) Look again at Clearances 7: In the last minutes by Seamus Heaney which deals with the theme of family relationships, and at one other poem from the RELATIONSHIPS anthology which also deals with the theme of family relationships.Â
With close reference to the ways each poet uses language, compare and contrast what the speakers in the poems say about family relationships. You should include relevant contextual material.
Relationships Study Guides
