Loading…
GCSE English Literature · key term
A turn in a poem’s thought, tone or argument.
Used by AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas
Paper 2
Revise: OzymandiasTwo voltas, or turns in thought, organise the reader’s response. ‘And on the pedestal these words appear:’ (line 9) shifts from the traveller’s description to the ruler’s own claim. ‘Nothing beside remains.’ (line 12) then turns from that claim to the reality that disproves it.
A significant turn in a poem’s thought, tone or direction.
Explain what changes at the volta: Wordsworth moves towards comparison with rural landscapes and a more explicit account of his feelings.
Create a free account to keep every note you open and track your progress.
A turn in a poem’s argument, mood or perspective.
A turning point in a poem’s thought, argument or tone.
A turn in a poem’s thought, argument or feeling, often found in a sonnet.
A turn in a poem’s thought or argument, often marked by a change of tone or a word such as ‘yet’ or ‘but’.
Paper 2
A turn in the thought or argument of a poem, particularly a sonnet.
Revise: Sonnet 43At line 9, the poem’s volta, or turn in thought, moves from love’s extent and moral qualities towards the speaker’s personal history. She loves with “the passion, put to use” in line 9 that previously belonged to her “old griefs” in line 10. Emotional energy once associated with suffering is redirected into love.
A turn in a poem’s thought, argument or emotional direction.
A shift in thought or argument in a poem, particularly a sonnet.
Paper 2
A turn in a poem’s thought or argument. In Bright Star, line 9 redirects the speaker’s wish from distant observation towards physical closeness.
Revise: Bright StarThe decisive change arrives in the speaker’s ‘No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,’ (line 9). This is the poem’s volta, or turn in its argument. ‘No’ firmly rejects the star’s way of existing, while ‘yet’ preserves the quality the speaker still admires.
A turn in a poem's thought, argument or feeling, often found in a sonnet.
A turn in a poem’s argument, perspective or feeling, often associated with a sonnet.
Component 1, Component 2
A turn in a poem’s argument, mood or perspective.
Revise: Sonnet 29The speaker’s declaration “Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood” introduces a volta, or turn in thought. “Yet” challenges what has come before: however abundant her thoughts are, she does not want them to replace him.
A significant change in a poem’s argument, perspective or emotional direction.
A turn in a poem’s thought or argument, often associated with a sonnet.
