Essay comparing a similar theme in three different poems from the section 'Standing Female Nude'

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Essay comparing a similar theme in three different poems from the section 'Standing Female Nude'

The theme I've chosen to consider is how Carol Ann Duffy adopts different personas and displays the character effectively through the use of language, style and content. The three poems I've chosen are 'Standing Female Nude' Comprehensive' and 'The Dolphins'. I've chosen these poems because they all have entirely different characters which are all shown effectively by Carol Ann Duffy.

To begin with the poem "Standing Female Nude" is from the perspective of a French prostitute being drawn by an artist. The prostitute clearly has no interest in the art, only with earning money - "He is concerned with volume, space, I with the next meal". The prostitute very bluntly, not interested in the artist or where the picture is going to be displayed, not seeing what is so spectacular about the picture of the "river-whore" - "They call it Art".

Carol Ann Duffy adopts the persona of this prostitute very well, beginning with her use of style. The poem is divided by four seven line stanza's. There is no rhyming pattern;  this allows Carol Ann Duffy to elaborate and focus on the language. The lack of rhyme could also reflect the prostitutes down to earth, blunt character, ignoring the fancy rhymes and riddles and getting straight to the point. There is enjamberment in the poem, perhaps reflecting the prostitutes careless personality. There are also several caesura's throughout the poem, perhaps showing these are the prostitutes thoughts - the way what she is thinking back and forth so abruptly. This gives use better insight to the prostitutes character, making Carol Ann Duffy's persona even more direct and realistic.

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The language used in the poem is also a very good reflection of the prostitutes characteristics. "Belly nipple arse in the window light"

                                "they call it Art"

                                "...magnificent, she murmurs, moving on. It makes me laugh"

The prostitutes mocks the upper class that see so much in a picture of a prostitute, which in reality she is simply standing naked in front of an artist to get some money for her next meal. The content of the poem is made very coarse and realistic by Carol Ann Duffy's effective use of the persona. I found her choice of ...

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