Historical Aspects of Hatred in Conflict

In this task, students will relate the concepts of a poem entitled “Hatred” by Wislawa Szymborska to an historical event or conflict.

This is a thematic assessment that can apply to any time period, war, or conflict (either chosen by the student or by the teacher).

Students will research the chosen conflict and analyze that event using the poem. They should choose at least four of the poem’s eight stanzas to use in their analysis. In an essay, students will explain how the poem helps us understand the historical conflict they have chosen.

They will then express their views as to how to prevent hatred by identifying a brewing conflict and explaining how the ways of hatred might be avoided.