Many of the poems in the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology explore the theme of the corrupting influence of power.
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Poems that deal with the theme of the corrupting influence of power:
Shelley depicts the arrogance of a once-powerful ruler, Ozymandias, whose pride leads to his downfall. Despite his immense power, his empire lies in ruins, suggesting the fleeting nature of authority and the corrupting influence of unchecked power.
Key quotations and explanations:
- “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” (lines 10-11):Â This boastful inscription reveals Ozymandias’ arrogance, believing his power is eternal.
- “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay / Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare” (lines 12-13): The desolate landscape around the broken statue highlights the impermanence of power, despite Ozymandias’ hubris.
- “The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed” (line 8): This line suggests the sculptor captured Ozymandias’ cruelty alongside his power, implying a negative use of his authority.
The Duke’s monologue reveals his possessive and controlling nature, demonstrating how power can corrupt individuals. His desire to exert dominance over his deceased wife and his callous attitude towards her fate exemplify the destructive influence of power on relationships and morality.
Key quotations and explanations:​
- “She thanked men—good! but thanked/ Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked/ My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name/ With anybody’s gift”. (lines 31-34): The Duke’s possessive way of talking about his dead wife shows his controlling nature and his need to maintain power even after death.
- “Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,/ Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without/ Much the same smile?” (lines 24-25): The Duke criticises the Duchess’ supposed expressions, revealing his desire to control even her emotions.
- “This grew; I gave commands;/ Then all smiles stopped together.” (lines 45-46): Here, the Duke casually mentions silencing the Duchess, showcasing his ruthless exercise of power.
Blake’s poem portrays the oppressive atmosphere of London, highlighting the corrupting influence of power structures on society. The repetition of “charter’d” suggests the pervasive control exerted over individuals, while the descriptions of poverty and suffering illustrate the consequences of unchecked power.
Key quotations and explanations:​
- “In every cry of every man, / In every Infant’s cry of fear, / In every voice, in every ban, / The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.” (lines 5-8) These lines use strong imagery of cries and bans to depict the oppression caused by the power of industrialism, with the “mind-forged manacles” representing the mental and emotional toll on the people caused by those in power, whose power has corrupted their moral character.
- “How the Chimney-sweeper’s cry / Every blackening Church appalls;” (lines 9-10) This line depicts child labor as a consequence of industrialisation, highlighting the suffering it inflicts on the most vulnerable. The “blackening Church” symbolises the corruption of powerful institutions due to industrial greed.
- “But most thro’ midnight streets I hear / How the youthful Harlot’s curse / Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear, / And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.” (lines 11-14) This grim passage portrays the social breakdown caused by industrialism, with prostitution, poverty, and death becoming commonplace. The “Marriage hearse” symbolises the destruction of family life. All of these negative consequences on the people of London are linked directly back to those in power who made these corrupt decisions.
Tennyson’s poem critiques the blind obedience and reckless actions of military leaders, demonstrating how power can lead to disastrous consequences. The soldiers’ unwavering loyalty to authority results in needless sacrifice, highlighting the corrupting influence of power when wielded irresponsibly.
Key quotations and explanations:
- “Someone had blundered” (line 12): This understated line criticises the leadership’s mistake, highlighting the cost of power misused.
- “Stormed at with shot and shell” (line 22 and repeated on line 43): The brutal imagery depicts the devastation caused by the flawed order, showcasing the negative consequences of power.
- “‘Forward the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!’ he said.” (lines 5&6): This line portrays the leader’s command as forceful and unquestioning, suggesting a power structure that doesn’t consider the human cost.
Checking Out Me History
Agard’s poem challenges the Eurocentric portrayal of history, revealing how power structures manipulate narratives to maintain control. By reclaiming his cultural heritage and challenging dominant historical perspectives, the speaker confronts the corrupting influence of power on identity and collective memory.
Key quotations and explanations:
- “Bandage up me eye with me own history / Blind me to my own identity” (lines 3-4): This powerful metaphor exposes how the speaker’s education, controlled by those in power, has suppressed his understanding of his own history and cultural identity.
- “Dem tell me bout Lord Nelson and Waterloo / but dem never tell me bout Shaka de great Zulu” (lines 19-20): This line highlights the bias in historical narratives, focusing on the achievements of those in power (European figures) while neglecting the stories of resistance and leadership from marginalised groups (African leaders).
- “Dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492 / but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too” (lines 21-22): This line exposes the violence and injustice of colonisation, hidden by the dominant narrative that glorifies European explorers (Columbus) while ignoring the devastating impact on indigenous populations.
Kamikaze
Garland’s poem explores the internal conflict faced by a Kamikaze pilot, highlighting the corrupting influence of societal pressure and duty. The pilot’s decision to turn back from his mission defies expectations and exposes the destructive nature of power when it suppresses individual autonomy and morality.
Key quotations and explanations:
- Her father embarked at sunrise/ with a flask of water, a samurai sword/ in the cockpit, a shaven head/ full of powerful incantations …”: these opening lines show the corrupting influence of the power of the state, which has hypnotised or perhaps brain washed him into these actions.
- “the neighbours too, they treated him/ as though he no longer existed”: social pressure is a powerful influence on the way this man is treated. He is ostracised as a result of not meeting their expectations, showing the negative power and influence that society can wield over the individual.
- “till gradually we too learned/ to be silence, to live as though/ he has never returned”: again, this quotation shows how society influences others in a corrupt way, this time showing its corruption of innocent minds and children.
Planning and writing an essay on the theme of the corrupting influence of power
This free, printable template guides you through writing a full essay without giving you all of the ideas. the structure is in place to guide learners through the steps to plan and write an essay. The rest of the information you need is on this post or in the individual study guides. It takes time, but exam practice takes time and effort. Good luck!
