English Literature A-Level
Existential despair
What Existential despair means in English Literature A-Level, as defined for OCR.
Definition of Existential despair
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Reference: OCR
The poem articulates a profound despair, presenting a world seemingly devoid of spiritual salvation and a bleak, nihilistic outlook.
Topics that use Existential despair
- 5c. Component 01 – Drama and poetry pre-1900 selected poems - Christina Rossetti – Selected Poems (OCR A-Level)
Related terms
- Ageing and the loss of youth
- Annihilation and oblivion
- Betrayal and hypocrisy
- Capitalism and consumption
- Death and suicide
- Death and the afterlife
- Divine grace and intervention
- Doubt and reassurance
Using Existential despair in the exam
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