The Power and Conflict comparison is the part of the exam students find hardest, and it is almost always because they revised the poems one by one and never practised putting two together. This guide fixes that. It shows how the question works, gives you the strongest pairings by theme, and hands you a planning method you can use on any question they set.
How the Power and Conflict question works
Power and Conflict is Section B of AQA English Literature Paper 2. You get one named poem printed on the paper, and the question asks you to compare how the poets present a particular idea, for example power, or the effects of conflict, in that poem and one other poem of your choice from the anthology. It is worth 30 marks, and it is marked on AO1 (your response and use of quotes), AO2 (language, form and structure) and AO3 (context). Most students spend around 45 minutes on it. The key freedom, and the key danger, is that you choose the second poem, so your choice matters enormously.
How to choose your second poem
Pick the poem you can say the most about in relation to the printed one, not the one you happen to like best. A good second poem gives you both similarities and differences to explore, because comparison marks come from contrast as much as connection. If the printed poem is Ozymandias and the theme is power, My Last Duchess gives you a rich comparison of arrogant, controlling men, while Tissue gives you a sharper contrast about whether power lasts at all. Both work. Choose the one you can develop.
The best pairings by theme
Power of humans
Ozymandias with My Last Duchess is the classic pairing on proud, controlling men exposed by the poet. For the fragility of power, pair Ozymandias with Tissue. For institutional power crushing people, pair London with My Last Duchess.
Power of nature
Storm on the Island with Exposure is the strongest pairing in the whole anthology, since both turn nature into an attacking army. For awe against fear, pair Extract from The Prelude with Storm on the Island.
Reality and glory of conflict
The Charge of the Light Brigade with Exposure is a perfect glory-versus-futility contrast. For heroism against fear, pair The Charge of the Light Brigade with Bayonet Charge.
Effects of conflict
Remains with War Photographer is the go-to pairing for trauma and guilt. For the home front, pair Poppies with Kamikaze.
Memory and identity
The Emigree with Checking Out Me History is the standard identity pairing. For memory and loss, pair The Emigree with Poppies.
A planning method that works
Before you write a word, spend five minutes on a comparison plan. Read the printed poem and underline three things the poet does with the theme. Choose your second poem. Then find, for each of your three points, how the second poem does something similar or different. That gives you three comparison paragraphs, each holding both poems at once, which is exactly what the mark scheme rewards. Never write everything about poem one and then everything about poem two. Weave them together from the first paragraph.
When you have your plan, see it written out in full on my Power and Conflict Grade 9 essays page, try it against the practice questions, and check which theme each poem belongs to on the themes page.