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Introduction

Chrystalla Athamou 12PTU Mrs Ager Close Analysis of Carol Ann Duffys ?Mrs Aesop?. In 1999 Carol Ann Duffys book ?the worlds wife? was published by picador. ?The worlds wife? is a collection of poems by Duffy written by the female halves of the great and legendary men of time in both reality and myth. Duffy has created a literal version of an old saying ?behind every great man there is an even greater woman?. These poems are both shocking and thought provoking as Duffy steps into the shoes of every woman, whose spouse has affected history or the world of legends in any way and given them a voice. Aesop was a fabulist or story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains uncertain no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. In many of the tales, animals speak and have human characteristics. ...read more.

Middle

- he stopped and made a note - and then, about a mile further on, a tortoise, somebody's pet, creeping, slow as a marriage, up the road.? Duffy draws on her reader?s knowledge of Aesop?s fables in order to emphasise the slight change of tone in the 3rd stanza as Duffy has incorporated a simile in which she compares Mrs Aesop?s marriage to the famous fable of the tortoise and the hare. Here Duffy demonstrates Mrs Aesop?s anger at her husband?s slow-wittedness, in this stanza Mrs Aesop?s superiority and dominance starts to shine through at last as putting up with her husband?s constant fables and morals have become mind numbing for her. ?a*****e. What race? What sour grapes? What silk purse, sow's ear, dog in a manger, what big fish? Some days I could barely keep awake as the story droned on towards the moral of itself. Action, Mrs A., speaks louder than words.? In Mrs Aesop Duffy makes reference to women as blunt and constantly critisising, a trait that is very unusual for a feminist. ...read more.

Conclusion

Duffy?s extreme feminism is what makes Mrs Aesop a fascinating poem as it follows Mrs Aesop?s transformation from the classic recessive wife with a dominant husband to an empowered and confident woman that was able to have the last word. ?That shut him up. I laughed last, longest.? Mrs Aesop?s monologue was written in the form of a poem and structured with stanza?s which is traditional for a poem. Duffy assimilates a variety of poetic techniques such as symbolism, similes, internal rhyme etc all these participating in the creation of the new and improved Mrs Aesop that has become more dominant and confidant which is what Duffy has set out to do in order to express her feminist attitude. I thoroughly enjoy Mrs Aesop as she is forthcoming, and witty. Mrs Aesop?s demanding voice draws my attention to the fact that she has conquered a huge problem that like many women before her have faced, that her views are not listened to and she is just dismissed as un important. This links to Duffys feminist agenda and adds humour and shock to the situation, this entertains me highly as it?s amusing and truthful. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level Carol Ann Duffy section.