CATRIN
Gillian Clarke's "Catrin" tackles one of the well-considered themes in feminist writing - the mother-daughter relationship. The of the relationship that Clarke explores here is the bond ("rope") that ties them together and from which they try to free themselves from the very beginning, even before birth. Freeing yourself as an individual within a relationship must result in on both sides, which is what the mother and daughter in "Catrin" are experiencing now. The question we ask ourselves here is, when does the struggle begin?
Notice how the speaker uses monosyllables to describe the 'tight, red rope'. The effect of this is to make a tight sound and to perhaps simulate the mother's breathing patterns during birth, which are short breaths outwards.
There is a striking between the white, sterile room and the red rope, which is literally red, as it is covered with blood. This has the effect of making the 'red rope' memorable against the white backing. It also emphasises the neutral nature of the room as opposed to the battle of wills, love and pain that goes on there.
