Poppies vs My Last Duchess Poem Analysis (Grade 8-9)

In Poppies and My Last Duchess both writers present strong feelings of conflict. The idea of conflict is shown in the way the speaker is showing off his power and also suggesting the control he had over the Duchess's life. There is also conflict between who he presents or what he presents himself to be and who he really is as a character. This poem is based on a true historical figure, the Duke of Ferrara in 1557, a arrogant, controlling Duke whose craving for power created such conflict within his marriage that it ultimately led him to ending his wife's life. 

Similarly, Poppies looks partially at conflict because of the nature of the son going to war, however it looks more at conflict from the perspective of those it leaves behind and the emotions of the families. There is also a level of conflict in the mother's emotions; pride, fear and sadness. The poem contains many clues that it is more of a modern conflict, perhaps the Afghanistan War, howevver the poem ends at the memorial suggesting the son died at war or at least hasnt yet returned home and is now missed by the…