Literary Analysis of Before You Were Mine

Parents play a huge role in who we are, they shape our values, morals, our beliefs and habits. For the first
18 years of our lives, they build the foundation of who we are in the future. In the poem “Before You Were
Mine” by Carol Ann Duffy, it talks about the poet's relationship with her mother, reflecting on her mothers life
before she was born and her life after she was born (her childhood specifically). In it, the speaker relates a deeply
intimate, yet distant, relationship to her mother. Additionally, the poem also explores a theme of female
suppression and restrictions, specifically in the 1900’s and the societal pressures on mothers.

Carol Ann Duffy uses many literary devices and techniques in her poem that adds meaning to the
poem. Duffy has written the poem in four equal stanzas of five lines, which is unusual for her style, which puts
the poem on a different level from her other ones. In the poem, Duffy seems to have different tones and moods.
For one, she seems to hold a certain amount of guilt that she has taken away her mothers freedom that she was
accustomed to. This can be understood when she writes “You sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were
mine”. The poem also highlights the poet's love and fondness for her mother but also looks back on how this
love may have turned into possessiveness and that this may have affected her mother negatively. Her tone of
regret is also shown when she states “The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?” were
the question “eh?” agrees with the fact that she believes that her mothers life before she was born, was better,
quieter and more free.

The word “Mine” that is repeated in the poem also reverses the typical “mother-daughter role” because
the poet says her mother is hers and it shows the hold the daughter has on her mother, the possessive hold that
she believes that she “owns'' her alone. In the first stanza, Duffy states “I'm ten years away from the corner you
laugh on '' and the long separation from the word you and I shows that maybe (especially in the beginning of
their relationship) the distance between the two. The word “corner” may also tell us the stage the mother is in
before she has her daughter. She may be in the stage right before adulthood and if she “turns the corner” she will
lose the freedom that comes with young, carfree years. The wording of “Shriek” in the line “The three of you
bend from the waist, holding each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement” forms a happy, carefree
image in the reader's mind. In this line, Duffy seems to be talking about her mothers untroubled life before she
was born. The fact that she is ‘living in the moment’ and that she has the freedom of a young person who is not
affected by society and the hardships of being a mother. In the last line of the first stanza Duffy writes “Your
polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.” The reference of Marinyn is an allusion to Marilyn Monroe
who was a beautiful woman with a carefree smile and life (in the photo of the polka-dot dress around her legs).
This reference of Marilyn Monroe could also be negative. Monroe committed sucide and so this could be a
reference to the unhappiness that came with her mother giving birth to her and having to lose her freedom to
take care of her, so the ‘sucide’ of her freedom.
 In the second stanza, Duffy states “I'm not here yet. The thought of me doesn't occur”, the word choice
seems to give off a jealous and bitter feeling as if she thinks her mother shouldn’t be happy without her in her
life, as if her mothers life should include her even when she wasn’t there yet. “In the ballroom with the thousand
eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows”. The reference to a movie, seems to show that Duffy believes her mother's life
was fictional and movie-like before she was born and when she was born she was hit with reality, the true
pressure of life and the societal pressure of being a perfect mother.

In the third stanza, Duffy writes “with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?” The
word choice of “sweetheart'' is almost sarcastic. We understood that because in previous lines, we see that the
poets mother has actually passed away (Saying things like “ghost clatters toward me over George Square”) and
because of that she almost detests her mother for leaving her (For dying) and the use of the word “sweetheart” is
used in a sarcastic, jealous-full way.

In the last stanza, Duffy writes “You'd teach me the steps on the way home from Mass” which almost
calls her mother out for her hypocrisy. The religious practice of Mass contradicts all other behaviors that her
mother was doing before she had a daughter. And afterward, when life became real and there wasn’t as much
freedom she was pressured to go to church, which relates to the poem's theme of societal pressure on mothers.
When Duffy writes “stamping stars from the wrong pavement” it is contrary to when she says “the right walk
home could bring” in the second stanza. It is almost an act of deprecation towards her mother for having a child
and how it was the wrong choice. In the last line the poet ends with “That glamorous love lasts where you
sparkle and waltz and laugh before you are mine.” which is a happy ending despite the fact that she was attacking
her mother for her choices only a few lines ago. This shows us that despite everything Duffy still loves her
mother and is thankful for her and the role she had in her life.

In the poem, there are many types of language too. For one, Duffy uses visual imagery to have the reader
use their imagination and visualize what it is she wants them to see. For example, in the lines “high-heeled red
shoes”, “ballroom with a thousand eyes” “polka-dot dress blows round your legs”. Her details of red, thousand
and polka-dot form an image in the reader's brain that have them connected to the poem. There are many
Onomatopoeia that also produce a mental image such as the words “Shriek” and “Laugh”. This also produces
another effect called synesthesia where the reader connects words to sounds and vice versa. The second type of
language is Colloquial language which is the type of literary communication that is casual and relaxed. Words
such as “pals” show the close connection Duffy has to her mother. However the word “Mother” contrasts
because it implies there is still a distant area in their lives. Another type of language is Possessive language: the
poet uses words like “mine” in an assertive and almost aggressive tone to show the role she has on her mother
and her possessiveness on her
 In the poem the use of caesura, shows us (in a deeper level) the close bond between her and her mother
even if there are some areas in there life they still need to tackle and fix. There are also many flashbacks in the
poem which gives it more depth and hidden meaning and allusions. The flashbacks are specific to her mothers
life before she was born, the freedom of youth, and her life afterwards (A flashback to the poet's childhood) and
the change that happened between the two.

In conclusion, the poem has many aspects that need to be taken into account. From the poet's word
choice, the different feelings, moods and tones she conveys and the fact that she uses different types of languages
to write the poem. All those factors, together seem to connect to the theme of societal pressures on mothers and
female suppression and restrictions. In the end, we can clearly see that Carol Ann Duffy is fond of her mother,
and that even though it is clear that they had some troubles, they are still surrounded by love and respect.