Duffy uses hyperbole within dynamic verbs: “arched my back and squeezed water from the sultry air”. Duffy exaggerates the sexual tension and eruption in the poem and the pleasure both women are receiving. This first line from the third stanza builds a vivid picture of the two women lustful relationship. Also the “air” is being metaphorically compared to a fruit such as orange which its juice can be squeezed out from.
The poem is a flashback; this is evident due to the used of past verbs such as “pressed”. In the beginning of the poem the female speaker says “that hot September night” which shows that she is recounting on the event that happened.
Alliteration is used in the poem. For example, the opening line of the poem includes alliteration: “September night we slept in a single”, the sound of “s” is used to give the readers that the poem is about sex. Herrmann said “I count myself an individualist”
Duffy uses onomatopoeia in the poem. For example, the readers hear the speakers’ voice: “de da de da de da”. Duffy wants the readers to relate personally with the female speaker therefore she allows them t o her hear her voice.
The register of the poem is very formal due to the female speaker using picturesque language in poem. The poem is structured with four quatrains stanza. Punctuation is highly used to increase the pace of the poem: “I looked up, even then, to see my fingers counting themselves, dancing”.
The second stanza is divided into two sections. Duffy does this to make the readers notice the moment climax and tension is built in the poem.
What is Power?
Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of others through rewards or punishments. For example parents influence their children through rewards or punishments.
What is Liberal Democracy?
Liberal Democracy is an indirect and representative form of democracy whereby the right to rule is gained through success in competitive elections on the basis of political equality. In a liberal Democratic state the people are protected by individual rights such as the civil rights in America and a constitutional government which based on rules set out in a codified constitution like in the US constitution.
What is Democracy?
Democracy is rule by the people. This is reflected in the idea of government by the people therefore key political decisions are made by the people. Democracy reflects the idea of equal citizenship whereby each citizen has the right to influence political decisions. For example, in February 2003 one and a half million citizens took to the streets of London. They are protesting against UK’s involvement in the Iraq war. This reflects ‘people power’ to influence political decisions. England is an example of a democratic state while North Korea is an example of an undemocratic state.
Define Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a limited and indirect form of democracy whereby the representatives act and speak on behalf of the people. The representatives can be chosen and removed by the public through elections. In a representative democratic state popular participation in government is limited and indirect to the act of voting very few years for a representative to represent them.
