Carol Ann Duffy uses the theme of growing up in her poem 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'. She starts off by setting the first stanza in a class in a primary school. She uses 'you could travel up the Blue Nile with your finger
English Coursework How poets betray growing up in their poems. Carol Ann Duffy uses the theme of growing up in her poem 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'. She starts off by setting the first stanza in a class in a primary school. She uses 'you could travel up the Blue Nile with your finger, tracing the route while Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery. Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswan'. This quite obviously tells us that she teaching the young, ambitious class with a globe, again referring back to the classroom scenery as most primary school classrooms have globes. Then she says 'That for an hour, then a skittle of milk and the chalky pyramids rubbed into dust'. Here, Carol Ann Duffy is showing that when the geography lesson has finished and the children have had a break they simply forget about what they've been taught. She also refers back to the geography with chalky pyramids. This stanza basically emphasising the happiness of the children at that age. 'This was better than home. Enthralling books. The classroom glowed like a sweetshop'. This is the opening two lines of the second stanza again showing the happiness and excitement of the children. 'Better than home' home is great so school must be even greater. 'The classroom glowed like a sweetshop' a child's favourite place is a sweetshop so Carol Ann Duffy here is using a simile showing that the atmosphere in her classroom is
Compare and Contrast "You in Anger", and "Poison Tree" paying attention to how diction form and structure contribute to the meaning.
Compare and Contrast "You in Anger", and "Poison Tree" paying attention to how diction form and structure contribute to the meaning. The two poems have two entirely different themes but a common subject of Anger. The theme of Poison tree is the development of anger if it is not confronted. The second difference is that Poison Tree is allegorical and metaphorical. It is told in stages of growth and development. It tells one story through another. The beginning passage describes how the poet was angry with his friend and, therefore, confronted his friend. It shows how when the anger is confronted, it can be allowed to pass and both individuals can move on. The poet told his friend that he was angry because he obviously cared for his friend and their relationship and did not want to build up his angry so that it could grow to make him resentful and hateful. It also tells that when he became angry with his enemy, he did not confront his enemy. This shows how if we do not like a person, we have no will to rectify the situation. On the surface, it seems nothing is lost from allowing the anger to develop. The implications of such actions seem obvious. To emphasize the stupidity of the situation the poem is in rhyming couplets and in a four-line stanza. This makes the poem sound very childish. The simplicity of the language is used to emphasize the simplicity of the situation and
How do you feel about the ways in which old age is presented in 'Old man, Old Man' and 'Warning'?
How do you feel about the ways in which old age is presented in 'Old man, Old Man' and 'Warning'? 'Warning' is about a middle-aged woman describing her wishes for the future. You can tell she is talking about the future due to the way the writer uses the words 'when' 'shall' and 'you can', which are all used to describe future objectives. 'Old Man, Old Man' is about the past and present life of an old man. Both poems focus on different aspects of old age. In 'Warning' the impressions of old age that come across are those of hope, rebellion and change. The impression of hope is there because the writer is looking forward to old age and all the things that she will be able to do when she is old. The impression of rebellion comes across because the writer says she wants to 'learn to spit', 'press alarm bells', 'And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens' all of which you wouldn't expect an elderly person to do. Change comes across because the writer is planning to do things she wouldn't do at the present time such as 'wear purple / with a red hat' or spend money on useless trivialities. In a way the writer views old age as a second childhood. In 'Old Man, Old Man' old age is seen as the loss of independence and how that has changed how the old man lives compared to how he lived when he was younger and more independent 'Things in bottles with tacky labels. He was always / a
Duffy's message in the 'Worlds Wife,' seems to be that ultimately the 'World's Wife,' wants a divorce. How far do I agree with this assessment of the anthology?
Duffy's message in the 'Worlds Wife,' seems to be that ultimately the 'World 's Wife,' wants a divorce. How far do I agree with this assessment of the anthology? Duffy explores dislocated or dissonant relationships in her anthology 'The World's Wife.' She mostly writes about the relationships between famous or mythical men and their wives. In her dramatic monologues she shows how behind every man is a strong woman. Duffy shows her dissatisfaction with the world of men, through the use of her negative sexual imagery and tone, which she uses in the majority of her poems throughout the anthology. This quote is an example of how Duffy uses sexual imagery to make fun of males, 'Ladies, dear ladies, the average penis - not pretty...,' This is a blunt quote from 'Frau Freud.' It makes fun of the male anatomy, and the quote sounds very much like it comes from Duffy's point of view. This negative attitude to men is also shown in 'Mrs Aesop.' Phrases like 'he could bore for purgatory,' clearly shows Duffy's negative attitude towards men, but the phrase 'slow as marriage,' also gives us an insight into Duffy's opinion of marriage, and as this poem comes very early on in the anthology it gives the reader a taste of what is to come Duffy explores many issues through the anthology, for example, infidelity in 'Medusa,' selfishness in 'Mrs Midas', and wanting a change for something new
In Medusa it can be said that Duffys main concerns are negative ones: jealousy, self loathing and loneliness. How far do you agree?
In 'Medusa' it can be said that Duffy's main concerns are negative ones: jealousy, self loathing and loneliness. How far do you agree? Carol Ann Duffy has been called "the representative poet of her day" upon publication of "The World's Wife". She is a woman who sought to reveal the dynamics between men and women, in which women have historically had less power. "The World's Wife" allows individual voices to be heard whilst Duffy builds up what amounts to an orchestra of individual women's voices that result in a collective female voice. These voices are often forgotten or disregarded in a world that lionises men but marginalises the women who live with them. Revolutionism is used to portray the characters and their motivations from a negative perspective, conveying a different message to that of the well known tale. Duffy's satirical style, influence by the exploration of her feminine identity, implies Duffy's primary concerns within her poetry to be negative. However throughout "Medusa" there's an underlying tone which is, in fact, positive. Duffy uses "Medusa's" appearance as an embodiment of jealousy through the subversion of the original Greek myth. It is the jealousy of Athena that leads to the transformation "Medusa" undertakes, thus giving a metaphorical representation. Duffy opens the poem by introducing the theme female paranoia, one which causes Duffy to pass
Analysis of 'Before You Were Mine'
Robyn Ashton ‘Before You Were Mine’ by Carol Ann Duffy Analysis Carol Ann Duffy’s Before You Were Mine is a poem written retrospectively about her mother ten years before she was born. The title indicates that it is a love poem whilst the first stanza could be mistaken for being written about a lover illustrating the strong bond between her and her mother. A conversational is adopted throughout that demonstrates this love and this is communicated through false conversations between the two of them. For example, through the colloquialism “eh?” Moreover, the title also gives a sense of possession that is consistent throughout with the conspicuous use of the pronoun “mine” and “my loud, possessive yell.” Generally, the mother is thought of having ownership of a child and not the child, however, alternatively Duffy utilises an inversion of the natural use of the phrase. She also takes on the role as a parent in the third stanza to reinforce this notion: “Whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?” The reoccurrence of the possession by the child gives the reader a sense that Duffy’s mother had lost her freedom. Duffy refers to this loss of freedom throughout the poem and youthful life of glamour and vivacity that she perceives her mother to have had before she was born. This is supported through the quotations: “I knew you would dance like that…”
In Mrs. Tilscher's Class - Carol Ann Duffy Poem Analysis
Bader Tayyar Carol Ann Duffy – In Mrs Tilscher’s Class *Updated* The poem is written as an exploration of changing from having innocence to experience, the process of growing up. It consists of two stanzas of 8 lines followed by two stanzas of 7 lines. Throughout the poem there is a significant change, and leads to the poem’s topic which is change. This links to childhood suddenly changing into a memory as it is the process of growing up; which gradually includes a loss of innocence. The first word in the first stanza is “You”, which is addressing the reader, causing them to feel involved as it is in second person narration. The poem starts with the topic of travel. Perhaps that journey symbolizes the journey through life; A life that is full of different countries, which leads to new experiences. Also it could be told that the child loved Mrs Tilscher’s class due to the fact that every single detail (country) is remembered. The word chanted has been mentioned which meant that the class felt magical for the child. “That for an hour, then a skittle of milk” indicates the use of metaphor due to the bottle’s shape as that of a skittle, which can refer to an indication of enjoyment and pleasure from the children, thus is a characteristic every aspect of primary school life. “And the chalky pyramids rubbed into dust.” adds symbols of the ancient
In this collection Duffy shows no sympathy for men. How far do you agree with this assessment of The Worlds Wife?
Aimee “In this collection Duffy shows no sympathy for men.” How far do you agree with this assessment of ‘The World’s Wife’? It is clear that throughout Duffy’s poetry that she focuses on the negative aspect of men and speaks very dimly of them. She portrays men as being subordinate in comparison to women. It can be argued that Duffy wrote “The Worlds Wife” collection as retaliation against the dominance of male literature. In 'Little Red-Cap', Duffy portrays the persona to be naive and meek by use of inferior clichés such as “sweet sixteen” accentuating to the reader that Duffy immediately places the female as inferior, however, this is misleading as there is a contrast in the final stanza; 'I took an axe to a willow to see how it wept, I took an axe to a salmon to see how it leapt.' Duffy, through the use of a rhyming couplet and first person narrative, makes the reader imagine how the persona is getting ready to kill the “wolf” and “cuts it from scrotum to throat.” This demonstrates to us, the reader that the killing is quick, sharp and no emotion is present as indicated by the simple verb of “cuts”. Moreover, the persona cuts the wolf in the two places which initially attracted her as these are the two aspects of him which lure naive girls, as indicated by the “glistening white bones of my grandmother”. She shows no remorse as it is
How does Duffy present personal experience of war in Passing Bells?
Chanelle J Nazareth English Literature, 6L7 Mrs Blake How does Duffy present personal experience of war in Passing Bells? Passing Bells is about the passing of the soldiers’ soul as he is killed in action, at war. The title itself ‘passing bells’ is referring to the moment when his soul leaves him, it ‘passes’ so to speak- the bell being their soul. The poem displays the stark contrasts between life and death, normality and a life of war. The life of a soldier is portrayed so clearly through his death. The death of a soldier is unknown for months, because there is no time for them to stop, to take the body back in the middle of war. We are so unaware of their deaths, it is almost casual, like the passing of a bell- Passing Bells an apt title to capture this. The use of ‘bells’ is also significant religious imagery, because England is a Christian country, the idea of having a funeral in a Church is widely understood and recognised- we remember that a soldier does not get this kind of ‘send off,’ because they can’t bring his body back with the survivors. “That moment when the soldier’s soul slipped through his wounds”. Duffy begins Passing Bells with the death of a soldier. She goes on to make his death a personal moment, as it goes on to say “seeped through the staunching fingers of his friend”. This soldier was someone’s
To What Extent is Anne Hathaway Typical of the Collection The World's Wife?
'Anne Hathaway' is written in a very similar style to all the other poems in The World's Wife. "My lover's words were shooting starts that fell to earth as kisses" is a metaphor emphasising the brilliance of his words and implying that they originated in heaven, thus making them perfect. Duffy frequently uses imagery thus. "The bed a page beneath his writer's hands" is an example of figurative language in the semantic field of writing, which is associated with Shakespeare. Similarly, 'Mrs Aesop' is filled with morals such as "the pot that called the kettle [black]", as fables are what Aesop is remembered for, and 'Frau Freud' is centred around euphemisms for penis, as penis envy was Freud's legacy. This use of subject-specific lexemes is frequently used by Duffy to invoke thoughts of the famous figures concerned. Just as "I had wept for a night and a day / over my loss" in 'Mrs Lazarus' contains enjambement, very few lines in 'Anne Hathaway' are endstopped, resulting in a flowing syntax emphasising the fluidity of their love. Duffy does, however, use caesura on the line "...a page beneath his writer's hands. Romance and drama...", dividing the ensuing "romance and drama" from Anne dreaming, perhaps implying that she would still have experienced romance and drama without dreaming. "Gone home. Gutted the place" from 'Mrs Lazarus' is another example of caesura separating
