Compare and contrast the poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice
Tom Gatenby Compare and contrast the poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice The poems Mrs Faust and Eurydice are taken form the collection of poems called 'The Worlds Wife'. The collection is written by Carol Ann Duffy, it is a compilation of poems that explores feminist principles, the state of feminism today and other such similar topics. The poem Mrs Faust however is not particularly a feminist poem; instead it looks into the shallow materialistic values of our society. Eurydice has feminist connotations, again though is not particularly a strongly feminist poem. Mrs Faust is written in a style that attracts the reader's attention, the opening passage has conversational undercurrents, which has the effect of involving the reader, and in effect urging the reader to read on. "First things first-" the first line of the poem is an excellent example of the conversational tone that Carol Ann Duffy has adopted. This style of writing is also in effect in the poem Eurydice, again the opening statement is a good example of this. "Girls, I was dead and down in the underworld," in this she has taken the conversational tone to the next level. This statement is now aimed at a specific group of people; women. By doing this, women, perhaps the main target demographic can relate to the poem more easily, and as such it will have a larger effect on them. The language and structure of Mrs Faust is
Duffy has said that violence and evil arent owned by men. How far is this borne out in the poem Delilah?
Duffy has said that “violence and evil aren’t owned by men.” How far is this borne out in the poem ‘Delilah’? Dee Homruen The collection of poems in ‘World’s Wife’ was written with Duffy’s intent of focusing on transforming myths, historical events and stories that originally enlisted characters which were male dominated and through her feminist ways, elevating women to being superior to men. The main themes that are common are equality, sexism and supremacy between the male and female characters and modernised the poems to allow her readers to engage with her work. ‘Delilah’ explores the concept of violence and evil between Samson and Delilah within heterosexual relationships. The juxtaposition of Samson’s temperate voice with his violent ways and his inability to care shows his capability to be gentle, but must conform to society’s expectations, therefore is only violent because he has to be. Delilah’s sexual and destructive behaviour portrays the notion that evil and violence derive from her emotions, with motivation to strip Samson’s masculinity away. ‘Delilah’ opens with a directive from Samson, ‘Teach me... how to care,’ introduces the true character of Samson. It indicates that he’s commanding and wanting from Delilah, showing his physical powers (conforming); however he wants to be taught how to care. This suggests that
Light can take on many different forms, some more prominent than others. This concept is explored through the poem, The Grammar of Light, written by Carol Ann Duffy.
Jenny Tran English 30-1 IB Block 8 Teacher: Ms. Rault Due Date: September 25th, 2012 The Potential of Language Light can take on many different forms, some more prominent than others. This concept is explored through the poem, “The Grammar of Light”, written by Carol Ann Duffy. The title itself is a metaphor as the term ‘light’ is being compared to language and how it can be structured in several different ways. As grammar is the study of how language is structured, Carol Ann Duffy uses the structure of light to emphasize language’s potential and/or its limitations. Because light is shown through many different aspects in life, it provides the reader a more meaningful understanding of language. How can light/language literally be defined when it could mean nothing at all or everything at the same time? Language is something that cannot be entirely understood but can still be something that one can learn about. With the use of personification, alliteration, and other literary devices, Carol Ann Duffy takes the perceptions of light and stresses this theme, giving the reader a poem that is open to many different interpretations. Essentially, this shows that language can also be interpreted in many different ways which adds on to the tension of what the potential and meaning of language really is. The poem is arranged into five stanzas, each with its own setting
Compare the representation of relationships in the poems Text, Forest, Row and Quickdraw
Yasmin Ahmed 13MLO Compare the representation of relationships in the poems ‘Text’, ‘Forest’, ‘Row’ and ‘Quickdraw’: Rapture is Carol Ann Duffy’s chronological recollection of a previous relationship which lasted 52 weeks; hence the book consisting of 52 poems. The first of the poems stated is ‘Text’ which represents the birth of the relationship as Carol and her lover text each other ‘significant words’. The poem ‘Forest’ marks the relationship’s transcendence into intimacy as the poem ‘Row’ illustrates the rocky patches of the relationship in which they have an argument and ‘Quickdraw’ is the aftermath of their anger towards each other which leads to a period of dormancy. The language used in the poems represents the stage in which the relationship is in during the week it correlates with. Repetition emphasises the stage in which the relationship has developed. ‘Text’ uses the repetition of ‘text, text, text’ to illustrate the almost obsession Carol develops as the relationship progresses. Forest uses the repetition of “Kissed, kissed” to emphasise the intimate undertone of the poem, whereas ‘Row’ repeats the words “no kiss, no kiss”; reflecting the deterioration of their relationship as the word ‘kiss’ becomes a symbol of togetherness throughout the book. Duffy uses semantic field of nature in
How is a sinister tone created in Carol Ann Duffy's 'Havisham'?
Choose a poem which expresses a point of view you find disturbing. Explain what distubs you about the poet's point of view and discuss to what extent you are nevertheless able to admire the way the poem is written. Carol Ann Duffy's poem 'Havisham' is a dramatic monologue written from the eyes of the infamous character Miss Havisham who is extracted from Dickens’s 'Great Expectations'. Miss Havisham is a very disturbing character for a number of different reasons conceived by the pain and hurt she has endured through out her life after being jilted at the altar many years before the poem is set. Through out Havisham we learn that there is more underlying problems to Havisham than what was once acknowledged. Hatred completely destroys Havisham and that instead of helping her to get revenge, it makes her worse which results in her hating all men. In the first stanza of the poem, we immediately learn about Miss Havisham through her gritty honesty. She is expressing the pain of being jilted at the altar as she reveals her personal feelings of the man she was about to marry. “Beloved sweetheart bastard.” Here we see Duffy opening the poem in an oxymoronic way. She uses this technique to entise us in to the poem and to emphasise the contrast of her hectic feelings towards her ex-lover. This is also a very controversial way of opening the poem, possibly throwing us in at
