Carol Ann Duffy Poetry - Higher English TA

Originally

Poetic Structure

● The poem ‘Originally’ by Carol Ann Duffy has a regular 3 stanza, 8-line structure
● The poem is in chronological order to make it easier for the reader to determine the set stages within
CAD’s life and her transition from one home to another
● The lack of a regular rhythm/rhyme scheme highlights the lack of order within her life and her anxiety
of not having a proper home where she fully belongs

Overview

● In this autobiographical poem, Dufffy describes her affinity for Scotland and her confusion and loss of
a defined identity when she moves from Gorbals in Glasgow to England
● The poem not only describes her literal journey of moving to Scotland, but also her metaphorical
journey, and growing up and fitting in, when at first, she felt lost and confused
● As she recalls these childhood memories, she describes how her family and herself were soon able to
adapt, but how they always felt nostalgic and slightly confused of their true origins
● She explores the extent of how our identity is shaped by not only our family, but our culture and the
place we live in

Themes

Identity
● The poem reveals the importance of early childhood memories in shaping identity and how moving
can create significant drastic changes in someone’s life and how they view themselves and their ability
to fit in

Isolation/Separation
● The poem signifies the theme of isolation as Duffy feels separated from her peers as she never fits in
when she first moves into her new home, and compares herself to her brothers who have coped much
better with the drastic change

Maturing
● How to deal with change and growing up is a central, integral part of the poem

Childhood
● The poem is composed of a series of fragmented childhood memories which further adds to the
authenticity of the poem and how identity is shaped by our early experiences
Breakdown of Poem

Stanza One - refers to CAD’s journey and the emotions that she and her family felt as they journey through
the countryside, leaving their home behind and coming to terms with their new one.

1. “We came from our own country in a red room”

● Word Choice of ‘we’ emphasises that the decision to move affected her whole family
● Assonance of ‘our own’ reinforces Duffy’s sense of belonging to her home city
● Alliteration of ‘red room’ emphasises the emotions that Carol Ann Duffy feels as the word
choice of ‘red’ has connotations of danger and anger, which foreshadows how she felt about
being forced to leave Glasgow (or it could just be the car)

2. “which fell through the fields, our mother singing”

● Word choice of ‘fell’ connotes her lack of control over the situation
● “Fell through the fields” - the alliteration of ‘f’ creates a soft sound of defeat which
emphasises she is faltering which suggests that she has no power in her situation, again
emphasising her lack of control
● “Our mother singing” suggests that Duffy’s mother is optimistic about the move as she tries
to calm her children from the situation

3. “our father’s name to the turn of the wheels.”

● No analysis here

4. “My brothers cried, one of them bawling, Home,”

● Word choice of ‘cried’ suggests sadness
● ‘Bawling’ fully emphasises her sibling’s feelings of loss and sadness
● “Home” the repetition and capitalisation of ‘home’ suggests longing and reflects upon the
childish habit of repeating, suggesting the importance of ‘home’ to the child and their
vulnerability is emphasised with their inability to adjust to the situation

5. “Home, as the miles rushed back to the city,”

● The personification of ‘miles’ suggests the distance travelled and the desperation of the
children to go back to their home, which accentuates the theme of hopelessness and loss and
the lack of control that the speaker has

6. “the street, the house, the vacant rooms”

● The usage of a list seems to be almost cinematic as it draw the reader's attention to the
specific places where the family once lived, highlighting its importance to the reader, and the
word choice of ‘vacant’ accentuates the feeling of emptiness and loss

7. “where we didn’t live anymore. I stared”

● Phrase, ‘where we didn’t live anymore’ suggests that CAD is only starting to come into terms
with leaving her home and that her whole family is going through this change
● Word choice of “I” focuses of the narrator and her individual reaction, showing how she is
contemplating life
● “Stared” suggests that she is looking into the eyes of her toys for comfort

8. “at the eyes of a blind toy, holding its paw.”

 ● The word choice of “blind” suggests that the toy is helpless in helping her through her pain
which signifies her feelings of loss and helplessness

Stanza Two - refers to CAD’s feelings of alienation as she feels as though she doesn’t fit in the behaviour of
her new peers; she longs for her old home. Highlights her anxiety and fear of the unknown

1. “All childhood is an emigration. Some are slow,”

● The short sentence with caesura creates a pause which emphasises that her life is changing,
acting as a signpost to the rest of the poem
● The juxtaposition of ‘slow’ and ‘sudden’ creates a contrast to highlight the stark changes that
she is going through

2. “leaving you standing, resigned, up an avenue”

● Long drawn out sentence structure suggests a slow transition and the difficulties in
transitioning, as it highlights the theme of isolation as she is alone in this new world

3. “where no one you know stays. Others are sudden.”

● Same analysis as above

4. “Your accent wrong. Corners, which seem familiar,”

● “Your accent wrong” the short sentence and caesura creates a more abrupt realisation and
ties into the idea of being ‘sudden’ and acts as a barrier to fitting in as communication and
acceptance is more complex
● “Corners, which seem familiar”
● Word choice of corners highlights the theme of uncertainty and to knowing what's going to
come next
● ‘Familiar’ suggests that the experience seemed similar at first but was a shock to the system,
which highlights her vulnerability as a young child as something familiar at first glance
actually isn’t.

5. “leading to unimaginable pebble-dashed estates, big boys”

● Plosive alliteration of ‘big boys’ highlights that she finds the boys threatening, especially from
the viewpoint of a young child which emphasises her vulnerability and feelings of anxiety in
her new home

6. “eating worms and shouting words you don’t understand.”

● Action is seen as alien like behaviour that she is not used to, which accentuates the feelings
of being an outsider
● ‘Shouting’ seems aggressive, which highlights her feeling threatened by her neighbours
which pulls the idea of her vulnerability

7. “My parent’s anxiety stirred like a loose tooth/in ”

● “Anxiety’ word choice of anxiety creates a contrast to her mother’s previous optimism
● Simile ‘stirred like a loose tooth’, highlights the parents' nervousness, which is in contrast to
her optimism in the first stanza, which highlights that they are also struggling with the move

8. “I want our own country, I said.”

● Word choice of ‘I' and ‘You’ highlights the autobiographical nature of the poems, and links
back to the writer’s personal feelings.
Stanza Three - refers to CAD’s eventual assimilation of her new society, but part of her still
doesn't feel completely part of her new culture and is still tied to her old roots. Despite
trying to find the answer throughout the poem, in the final moments of the poem, CAD is
unable to answer the question of her true origins.

1. “But then you forget, or don’t recall, or change,”

● The word choice of ‘but’ creates a contrast in the writer’s thoughts and mediates the
inevitability of change and adaption
● Word choice of ‘you’ involves the reader in second person to make them reflect upon
childhood
● ‘Forget, don’t recall, or change’
● Polysyndetic list suggests that CAD is older and reflecting, and the details of her transition are
forgotten

2. “and seeing your brother swallow a slug, feel only”

● Alliterative phrase implies that the brothers have assimilated into his new home, acting as a
contrast the before

3. “a skelf of shame. I remember my tongue”

● Alliterative phrase ‘skelf of shame’ using Scot’s language reveals that CAD is still attached to
her Scottish roots
● Word choice of ‘skelf’ connotes a little, which suggests that she is beginning to assimilate too

4. “shedding its skin like a snake, my voice”

● Alliterative simile (sibilance) implies that losing her accent was inevitable and seamless
● Word choice of ‘snake’ connotes lying, betrayal etc, which suggests that she feels out of place
and has imposter syndrome still, even though she’s slowly fitting in

5. “in the classroom sounding just like the rest. Do I only think”
● Inversion of ‘I only’ again emphasises her feelings of isolation due to the movement away
from her family, only on focusing herself

6. “I lost a river, culture, speech, sense of first space”

● List/rhetorical question suggests the number and variety of things she has lost
● The rhetorical question sets up the last part of the stanza where the subject drives home to
the idea of change

7. “and the right place? Now, Where do you come from?”

● Use of caesura takes the reader into the present
● The question is simplistic but highlighters the complexity that they hold that has been
foreshadowed throughout the poem

8. “strangers ask. Originally? And I hesitate.”

● Word choice of originally suggests that she continues to have mixed feelings about her origins
 ● ‘And I hesitate’ the final phrase and shirt sentence creates an impact and suggests that she is
hesitating because of all that she said throughout the poem

Poem Practice Questions and Answers

37. Look at Line 1-8. Analyse how the poet uses language to convey the emotional impact of the journey on
the speaker and/or her family (2)

“Stared at the eyes of a blind toy”

● The speakers vulnerability and sadness at moving away is conveyed through the word choice of
“stared” and “blind”
● The speaker tries to find comfort within a toy that’s close to her, but as it is a toy, it cannot see the
speaker’s circumstances and cannot give her any significant support, which highlights the speakers
vulnerability and sense of loss of control over her life
“Home, Home”
● The emotional impact of the speaker’s brothers are established through this repetition and juvenile
language as it reinforces the fact that the children do not truly understand how to cope with the move
and can only emphasise their longing for what they are leaving behind

38. Look at lines 9-16. By referring to at least two example, analyse how language is used to convey the
speaker’s alienation from her new surroundings (4)

“Your accent wrong.”

● The caesura emphasises this short sentence to make it stand out, highlighting the fact that her accent,
her language, is a barrier to her fitting in and communicating with her peers.
“Big boys”
● Plosive alliteration ‘big boys’ creates a hard ‘b’ sound which suggests hardness, brutality and the word
choice is juvenile, which highlights CAD’s vulnerability as a young girl as she finds the older boys
intimidating, further accentuating her alienation as she doesn’t understand these boys
“Corners, which seem familiar…”
● The word choice of “familiar’ highlights the speaker’s alienation from her new surroundings
and it links into the idea of not belonging, furthering her alienation and inability to assimilate
to her new surroundings
● The word choice of “corners” continues to highlight the speakers inability to fit in and not
belonging, as it connotes the idea of not being able to see what will come next, and how she
won’t know what her new home will have in store for her, which further alienates her due to
the power of the unknown

39. Look at lines 17-24. By referring to at least two examples, analyse how language is used to convey a
sense of acceptance in the speaker’s situation. (4)

“you forget, or don’t recall, or change.”

● The use of a polysyndetic list suggests the readers acceptance as she seems to be older and has
moved on from more childish wishes, but is now reflecting over the details of her transition and the
word choice of “change” further suggests her acceptance of the situation and it accentuates the idea
that she has changed and has grown up from her longing.
“My voice in the classroom, sounding just like the rest.”
 ● “Voice” connotes back to the idea that CAD was unable to assimilate due to accent, but now, she’s
accepted it as she has had to change herself and no longer feels out of place due to her accent as she
has confirmed to the norms of her new home
“Feel only a skelf of shame.”
● The alliterative please using Scots language highlights the speaks acceptance of her new home, yet
she cannot forget about her roots and gives a look of shame that she’s had to leave behind her
Scottish roots
The Way My Mother Speaks
The title suggests the mother speaks differently and therefore immediately intrigues the reader. We wonder
why the mother speaks differently, in reality and metaphorically

Poetic Structure
The poem takes the form of an opening five line stanza, followed by two-stanzas of nine Iines. Duffy uses
rhythm and rhyme throughout the poem to great effect:
● The repetition of her mother's expressions create the rhythm of the train in each stanza to reveal to us
that she is on a journey
● The use of a half-rhyme “head” and “breath” and “think” and “silent” also work to hold each stanza
together
● The rhyme of ‘moving’ and ‘enemy’ are strong and implies that this moment in time is one of
transition.

Overview
● In this poem, the persona is on a train that “goes down England ”
● The journey is both literal and metaphorical as here, Duffy is concerned with the transition between
childhood and adulthood, from dependence to independence, from seeing herself as being closely
tied to her mother, yet forming her own identity as a young woman
● Duffy explores how change causes conflicting emotions which is why this poem is filled with
contradictions and contrast
● The poem’s title could refer to ‘the way’ her mother speaks in terms of dialect and set expressions,
but it might also suggest the manner in which her mother’s word came to her, they are bound to her
thoughts and feelings, a part of her being
● The poem ends on a note of optimism, insisting that you can be ‘free’ but still connected to your
background and family

Themes

Change/Growing Up
● The poem describes a transition between a nostalgia for youth and anticipation of what’s to come
next
● Duffy uses the train journey to signify this
● She repeats her mother’s phrases which have been with her her whole life, which implies the child in
her, we still keep hold of that part of ourselves who was closely brought up by a parent
● The references to a child by the frog pond is an effective way of portraying the theme of growing up

Relationships

The relationship between Duffy and her mother is poignantly handled

● The poet recalls her mother’s expressions in her thoughts and “under the shallows of my breath”
● At the end she says that she is homesick for her childhood which she remembers is a positive light,
and she refers to her ‘love’ for her mother as if still comforted by it

Other themes include nostalgia and emotions.

Breakdown of Poem

Stanza One - In the first stanza, she describes repeating her mother’s words in her head and under her
breath, suggesting they are deep within herself. The union between mother and daughter is emphasised by the
brevity of the stanza and the inclusion of the two women in it.

1. “I say her phrases to myself”

● Word choice of ‘say’ is possessive which suggest the words belong to her mother
● The first person narration makes it personal and shows the speakers actions, immediately
drawing the reader into her personal thoughts and feelings
2. “in my head”
● Word choice of ‘my’ suggests a private, personal, individual experience, suggesting she is
alone and silent, showing how the mother and daughter have a deep and personal bond
3. “or under the shallows of my breath,”
● The metaphor has connotations of nicety, whispering as if she longs for the familiar words,.
the reason for whispering and the repetition is still ambiguous to the reader
● The word choice of ‘shallow’ has connotations of water and sounds as though her mother’s
words are immersed with her entire being.
4. “restful shapes moving.”
● The word choice of ‘restfulness’ suggests that the words are soothing, helping her through
the journey
● The word choice of ‘moving’ shows how the train is moving and foreshadows how she is
moving through a landscape
● The paradox suggests peacefulness on the train
5. “The day and ever. The day and ever.”
● The italics stress the importance of the phrase and is a direct quotation from her mother
● The word choice of ‘ever’ at the end of the phrase refers to eternity as if the journey will last
her whole life, and this connection with her mother will always be there.
● The repetition mimics the movement of the train, which emphasises the melancholy and
suggests that she doesn’t want to forget her mother’s words, which indicates nostalgia.

Stanza Two - Represents the journey or the different stages ahead of her in becoming an adult, which she
embarks on, equipped with the close connection she had with her mother.

1. “The train this slow evening”

● The transferred epithet - she word ‘slow’ is given to the evening when it is really the train is
slow
● The word choice of ‘evening’ emphasises the longevity of the evening.
● The broad vowels of ‘slow’, ‘down,’ and ‘browsing’ slows the pace of the sentence down
● through pacing the vowels which adds to the unhurried mood
2. “goes down England”
3. “browsing for the right sky,”
● The word choice of ‘browsing’ has connotations of slow and unrushed, but also indicates the
theme of searching, suggesting that the author has not found what she is looking for yet - she
is not yet at the destination
● The word choice of ‘right sky’ suggests there is a place that looks right and suits her

4. “too blue swapped for a cool grey.”

 ● Word choice of ‘too’ suggests that it is too good to be true
● The word choice of ‘blue’ connotes warmth, sun and comfort and happiness
● The adds to the feeling that it feels too good to be true
● “Cool grey” connotes misery and cold, suggesting the metaphorical uncertainty of becoming
an adult
● The lack of perfection is suggested on both sides, as life is becoming ‘darker,’ both figuratively
and literally
5. “For miles I have been saying”
● The word choice of ‘miles’ emphasises the distance travelled, repeating her mother's words
the whole time
6. “What like is it.”
● Again in this stanza, CAD’s mother’s voice emerges and Duffy introduces anther one of her
phrases. Repetition suggests the sounds of the train
7. ‘The way I say things when I think.”
● This phrase highlights her contrasting identities: the way the speaker acts and thinks are
different and her mother’s voice comes to her when she thinks, which conveys that her inner
vice is linked the her mother’s, which suggests that the speaker's mother has a huge impact
on her life as she is still within the speaker’s through processes.
8. ‘Nothing is silent. Nothing is not silent.’
● Word choice of ‘nothing’ has connotations of negative feelings, loss, hesitancy and confusion
● The double negative suggests that what doesn’t exist in the here and now still has a voice in
your head, and still has influence
9. ‘What like is it.’
● Sounds in your head are real and overwhelming, but it also creates a realisation that you
don’t need to abandon your roots and forget your mum and past
● Repetition emphasises this
● Colloquial language and representation

Stanza Three - Is more positive, with a sense of excitement, and a bittersweet experience.

1. “Only tonight”
● The word choice of ‘only’ suggests that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, asserting that
this transition is a singular experience
2. “I am happy and sad”
● Use of assonance
● Word choice of ‘happy’ suggests hope for the future and happiness, with connection with her
past
● The word choice of ‘sad’ suggests that she is mourning the end of her childhood and leaving
her mother
3. “like a child”
● ‘I am… end of summer.’
● Simile compares the speaker to a child, suggesting innocence and hope as moving into
adulthood, connection to the past but embracing the present in order to thrive
4. “who stood at the end of summer”
● ‘End of summer’ is symbolic, a time of change, growing up and moving on and compares her
feelings to moving from childhood to adulthood to the change of seasons
● Links back to the ‘too blue being swapped for a cool grey.’
5. “and dipped a net”
● The word choice of dipped suggests she is exploring unfamiliar territory with caution
6. “in a green, erotic pond. The day”
● Alludes to the archetypal image of a child by the frog pond but this time its a ‘green erotic
pond.’
● The word choice of ‘pond’ suggests new depths to explore new experiences and excitement
● The word choice of ‘green’ connotes of naivety while ‘erotic’ suggests more adult themes
which overall suggests that the metaphor links to growing up and CAD’s emerging sexuality
● Because of this, she repeats her mother’s praise as a comforting manner to comfort
7. “and ever. The day and ever.”
● Juxtaposition could reflect the innocent child coming face to face with the wider world
● Because of this, she repeats her mother’s phrases like a comforting mantra, completing the
journey and accepting permanent change.
8. ‘I am homesick, free, in love’
● Word choice of ‘homesick’ is reminiscent of her childhood and her longing for her mother
● Word choice of ‘free’ suggests that is is able to establish her own identity
● Word choice of ‘love’ suggests that she is in love with life
9. ‘with the way my mother speaks.’
● Repetition makes the poem come into full circle, returning to the title
● She is free to create her own identity, yet remain connected to the past
In Mrs Tilscher’s Class

Poetic Structure
The poem has four stanzas:
● The first two stanzas have eight even lines and they describe the positive atmosphere of the classroom
● The third and fourth stanza introduces the theme of change and growing up, and only has seven
numbers, an uneven number, emphasising the destabilising nature of adolescence
● Duffy uses different times of the year in the opening of each stanza to represent the stages in the
child's journey towards adolescence

Overview
● ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ is a poem which explores a young child growing up in a nurturing primary
school environment, and the teacher, Mrs Tilscher, is described as a loving teacher who has a
profound impact upon her pupils and the class that she teaches.
● The poem is located in a school environment, with the young child growing up within a nurturing
primary school environment
● The poem is that of a personal one as it is drawn from Carol Ann Duffy’s own personal experiences,
and hence recalls her positive memories of school, and with references such as the ‘Moors Murderers’
and the use of a ‘skittle of milk’ dates the poem to the 1950’s/60’s
● The delight of Mrs Tilscher’s class protects the children from the insalubrious outside world, but it
does not last forever, with the children learning new things and having new experiences, with Mrs
Tilscher no longer being able to answer questions and hence, they ultimately leave her behind

Themes

Childhood
● Duffy conveys a childhood idyll in the first two stanzas. The classroom is a place of colour, safety,
learning and delight, which are all the elements of a happy childhood
● In the second two stanzas, the child is exposed to the outside world and the knowledge of what it
brings
● Duffy mentions the infamous ‘Moors Murderers’ but they are faded into three background due to the
positive world Mrs Tilscher creates: this conveys that in childhood the horrors of the adult world often
do not have an impact as it is a time of innocence and make believe, and as childhood only lasts two
stanzas it conveys how childhood is short lived as they are forced to grow up

Innocence
● The theme of childhood innocence is portrayed as the speaker is sucked in to the safe security of the
wondrous world that Mrs Tilscher has created, which is devoid of the dangers and the crude nature of
the outside world — such as sex and the ‘Moors Murderers’ highlighting the themes of childhood
innocence and how it diminishes with age
Contrast
● The theme of contrast is established throughout the poem as it is split up into four stanzas— the first
two stanzas highlighting childhood innocence in the classroom while the next two stanzas highlights
the speaker’s sexual realisation and her overall loss of childhood innocence; contrast between
adolescence and everything.

Self Realisation

The theme of self-realisation is conveyed through Duffy’s sexual realisation, and how her primary school no
longer reflects who she has become— primary school is no longer fun

Nostalgia

● The theme of nostalgia for childhood is prevalent especially in stanza one and two where Duffy’s use
of listing highlights the number of all the things that she loved as a child in school such as a ‘skittle of
milk’ and a ‘good gold star’ suggesting longing for those things that she had to leave behind in
childhood.

Growing Up/Change
● The poem is rooted in the theme of growing up, as the central idea of the poem is the move from
childhood to early adolescence
● Here, the secure innocent world is abandoned by the outside world as she learns what sex is—
knowledge that she isn’t prepared for
● At the end of the poem, it depicts a sexual awakening as she grows up and realises Mrs Tilscher can no
longer guide her through life, and the speaker must explore her new feelings independently
● The child is growing up and cannot go back for her childhood of innocence and safety any more— she
has to move forward, push limits and handle the storm that looms on the horizon

Breakdown of Poem

Stanza One - Stanza one introduces an idyllic primary classroom. The speaker is spellbound by her teacher
who makes learning an adventure. It ends on a note of happiness with the laughing school bell, calling the
lessons and the stanza to a close.

1. ‘You could travel up the Blue Nile’

● Word choice of ‘you’ is a singular second person pronoun creating a chatty tone that engages
the reader
● The metaphor of travelling along the map compares the children to having an adventure
(inside the classroom) suggesting that the classroom environment was fun and exciting
2. ‘with your finger, tracing the route’
● This is continued as it suggests that the long sentence structure mirrors the children’s long
journeys through childhood
3. ‘While Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery.’
 ● The word choice of ‘chanted’ suggest that Mrs T was singing, suggesting she was happy and
approachable and friendly towards the children
4. ‘Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswân.’
● List of one word sentences mimics the patient way Mrs T would explain to her class after
saying things in class, and also the number of places they ‘visit’ suggesting an adventurous
and fun atmosphere in the classroom
5. ‘That for an hour, then a skittle of milk,’
● That for an hour creates a chatty tone due to the informal language, indicating how the day
is being broken down
● A skittle of milk is a metaphor, while the glass bottles would be called ‘skittles’ they also
suggest fun and games, tying into the positive, fun nature of the classroom
6. ‘and the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust.’
○ Metaphor suggests magic and the passing of time, and the word choice of a pyramid
specifically being drawn on the board, suggests lost ancient time, the first mention of loss in
the poem
7. ‘A window opened with a long pole.’
○ Word choice brings action from the poem from imagination to reality, a window opening can
suggest new opportunities opening as well
8. ‘The laugh of a bell swung by a running child.’
○ Transferred epithet creates a happy atmosphere as the laughter is transferred to the bell
which establishes an uplifting and carefree world where children are allowed to be
themselves

Stanza Two

In stanza two, Duffy continues to portray the same wonderful environment of a classroom, comparing it to a
sweetshop.
However, she juxtaposes the horrors of the external world (by including the names of Brady and Hindley) with
the almost magical descriptions of the classrooms.
Structurally, while these names shock the reader, they have little impact on the rest of the verse, as they are
enclosed within lines of positive description. But, like the "smudge" they leave behind, they do remind us that
the innocence and joy of childhood is a precarious thing.

1. ‘This was better than home. Enthralling books.’

● Word choice of enthralling suggests interest akin learning and the short sentence creates a
tone of awe
● The short sentence and caesura of ‘this was better than home’ creates a short, impactful
statement which suggest that school has a sense of love and care that home does not have,
suggesting happiness and safety

2. ‘The classroom glowed like a sweet shop.’

● The simile suggest temptation, wonder and longing, interest and delight, suggesting that the
classroom was colourful and had the happiness of being in a sweet shop

3. ‘Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. Brady and Hindley’

● The word choice of ‘sugar’ suggests sweetness— happiness found in the classroom
● The listing of positives in the classroom highlights how the speaker was transferred into a
magical world
 4. ‘faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake.’
○ The introduction of Brady and Hindley, the Moors Murderers, creates a tense atmosphere
where we realise that the classroom has hidden the unsavoury horrors of the world, hidden
the external anxieties
○ This juxtaposition furthers this, creating a stark contrast of the safety of the classroom and
Brady and Hindley

5. ‘Mrs Tilscher loved you. Some mornings, you found’

○ The assertion that Mrs Tilscher loved her pupils highlights her teachers readiness to give love,
creating a bubble of safety, a stark contrast between the children she loved and the moors
murderers, who killed children

6. ‘She'd left you a good gold star by your name.’

○ The word choice of ‘good gold star’ suggest the small happiness of the speaker, highlighting
the childlike speaker, and how this was a safe, magical environment where small things were
valued

7. ‘The scent of a pencil slowly, carefully shaved.’

○ This vivid imagery of a pencil being newly shaved suggest new beginnings, and the long list of
adverbs prolongs the lines, to mimic the slow act of sharpening a pencil

8. ‘A xylophone’s nonsense heard from another form.’

○ A xylophone’s nonsense implies that they still had a lot to learn, yet there was still fun and
appeal in school highlighting the theme of childhood innocence

Stanza Three

Duffy introduces a turning point in stanza three. The time is Easter, when in the Christian calendar Christ rose
again. It is a time of growth and new beginnings. And it is appositely at this point that the child speaker learns
how she was born. It is interesting that this stanza takes place outside the classroom, as if this growth could not
happen in the comforting bubble Mrs Tilscher created.

1. ‘Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed’

● The word choice of ‘Easter’ is the celebration of rebirth and new beginnings, and takes place
during spring, therefore has connotations of character growth
● The word choice of inky tadpoles and the use of a metaphor to compare the changing
punctuation from something easy to more complicated highlights that the speaker is growing
up

2. ‘from commas into exclamation marks. Three frogs’

● Continuation of previous analysis

3. ‘hopped into the playground, freed by a dunce,’

● Word choice of ‘dunce’ suggest stupidity which suggest that as they grow older the joy for
learning began to diminish and there was decreased readiness to learn
● as someone let the frogs out, it suggests alarm and unexpected things
 ● The word choice of ‘hopped’ suggest games and enjoyment

4. ‘followed by a line of kids, jumping and croaking’

● The word choice of ‘jumping and croaking’ mirrors the physical changes that boys go through,
voices deepening, recklessness, highlighting the onset of puberty

5. ‘away from the lunch queue. A rough boy’

○ Word choice of ‘rough’ suggest snobbish behaviour and immaturity, and how he might know
a lot more about the crude nature of the world, linking into the themes of growing up and
the loss of innocence
6. ‘told you how you were born. You kicked him, but stared’
○ Word choice of kicked suggests that the speaker could not deal with the information,
suggesting a childish temper and that she is unable to deal with these emotions at this point
of development; disbelief
○ The short clause emphasises this
7. ‘at your parents, appalled, when you got back home.’
○ The word choice of appalled suggest that she knows the boys word to be true and
parenthesis places the word in the middle of the line adding emphasis to the horror that her
parents have had sex; the poet’s world has disintegrated, and the complex sentence structure
highlights her complex thoughts

Stanza Four

The final stanza describes the child's sexual awakening, as she experiences unfamiliar feelings and no longer
finds the answers with Mrs Tilscher. Significantly, the poem ends with the speaker leaving the school gates
perhaps to embark on the next stage in her life.

1. ‘That feverish July, the air tasted of electricity.’

● The word choice of ‘feverish’ suggests a heated or flushed mood
● ‘The air tasted of electricity’ suggests energy, and conveys the speaker's excitement and
impatience to be older

2. ‘A tangible alarm made you untidy, hot,’

● Suggests how the previous ‘laughing bell’ has been replaced by something more sinister and
agitating, suggesting the childhood loss of innocence and naivety, suggesting warning and
alarm ahead in life and the uncertain nature of adolescence
● ‘Untidy, hot’ suggests the speaker feels discomfort at not only leaving, but the onset of
puberty

3. ‘fractious under the heavy, sexy sky. You asked her’

● fractious suggest previous analysis
● ‘Heavy, sexy sky’ is pathetic fallacy and suggests the speakers feelings— suggesting that a
storm is brewing, the storm being puberty, growing up and losing childhood innocence
● Word choice of heavy suggests that this is a burden
● Word choice of sexy suggests that author’s sexual awakening
4. ‘how you were born and Mrs Tilscher smiled,’
● Mrs Tilscher’s inability to answer questions suggest that she isn’t like an idol as the speaker
had once thought of her to be, highlighting that Mrs Tilscher can no longer help her and she
moves onto the next stage of her life, and the new line break highlights the new division
between pupil and teacher

5. ‘then turned away. Reports were handed out.’

● Turned away continues to highlight this
● Reports handed out is a short sentence, a contrast to stanza’s one and two, and school is no
longer a magical place; it had a set purpose and Mrs T has become ordinary and a matter of
fact, just another step in the journey to adulthood

6. ‘You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown,’

● The parenthesis creates emphasis on the speaker's feelings and has moved on from her early
childhood and is eager to leave Mrs T behind and experience life

7. ‘as the sky split open into a thunderstorm.’

● Pathetic fallacy - the weather reflects the speaker's feelings - the dramatic feelings about
growing and and the word choice of ‘split’ suggest unstableness and fear, as well as a loss of
innocence and an inability to return to childhood
Valentine

Poetic Structure
● Valentine is a poem written in free verse and irregular stanzas
○ This supports the poet’s content and purpose, which is to reject traditional conventions such
as marrying and other notions of love.
● The poem itself is that of an onion— it forms layers that makes up the speaker’s wishes and ideals,
which is of rejecting tradition
● The words are often sharp and and monosyllabic, in order to express her ideas clearly and
ambiguously

Overview

Valentine is from a collection of papers entitled ‘Mean Time’ in 1993 and expresses love and affection in the
form of conceit, and the symbol of love is an unconventional onion
The strangeness of this unusual gift which can make a lover cry highlights the negative and positive effects of a
deep and long relationship. The forceful presentation of this gift and word choice suggest this relationship,
while living and caring, and be cruel, possessive and menacing. The poem is a warning to the dangers of
possessive love, a complete contrast to what we would have thought the poem to be about, and Duffy avoids
the language usually associated with love.

Themes

Love
● Clearly, in this poem, the theme of love is prevalent throughout, but the poem is completely
unconventional in its standards of love. Instead of the happiness and joy often associated with
romantic relationships, Duffy chooses to explore the negative sides of this emotion
● Love can be painful and destructive as well as fulfilling and enriching

Relationships
● Throughout the poem, the symbolism of an onion is used to represent a real relationship and is used
as an extended metaphor throughout
● Valentine deals with irretrievable, damaged and/or irreconcilable relationships
● The negative aspects of conventional relationships can be restrictive to the individual, but ultimately, a
love that is true is worth pursuing, especially if it is based on honesty and truthfulness

Violence
● In Valentine, Duffy ends on a note that love can be lethal and life threatening, forcing the reader to
confront the notion that love can lead to violence
● The allusion to the negative aspects of a conventional relationships suggest that they are restrictive to
damaging to the individual
Breakdown of Poem

Title

‘Valentine’
● The word choice of Valentine and the poem’s name suggests love, affection— all the positive
connotations associated with a conventional romance, suggesting that the poem will be that of a
happy one

Stanza One

1. ‘Not a red rose or a satin heart.’

● Immediately, the poetic voice starts by dismissing the notions of the poem being about
romance and love, as these traditional symbols of romance are rejected

Stanza Two

2. ‘I give you an onion.’

● This short sentence shows that the speaker is addressing a romantic partner, but gives
something unexpected instead. The gift, being so unconventional, highlights that the speaker
must have thought about the gift and its meaning and how much the relationship means to
her
● The phrase is later repeated, emphasising the importance of the gift being accepted by her
lover

3. ‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.’

● The stereotypical view of a Valentines gift is challenged when the speaker presents her lover
with a onion
● The word choice of moon suggests moonlight, candlelit dinners, highlighting traditional
notions of romance
● The word choice of ‘brown paper’ gives the impression of everything being nothing special,
tying into the idea that real gifts don’t need to be overtly extravagant

4. ‘It promises light’

● The word choice of light is positive symbolism of love as it represents happiness, optimism
and purity and the start of relationships

5. ‘like the careful undressing of love.’

● The word choice of ‘careful’ suggests tenderness and affection to allow barriers to come
down;
● ‘undressing of love’ conveys sexual undertones as the image of undressing a partner is
created but also conveys the notion that they are exposing their romantic love, not only
sexual love to each other by exposing their true feelings
Stanza Three

1. ‘Here.’
● The word choice of ‘here’ is a command that suggests simplicity and straightforwardness—
yet also conveys the theme of possessiveness as the speaker wishes their partner to take the
onion
● The commanding language and the full stop reinforces the forceful presentation of the gift

2. ‘It will blind you to tears’

● The word choice of ‘blind’ and ‘tears’ conveyed that this relationship, just like an onion, can
cause you pain and cause you to cry, suggesting that romance can cause pain and distress as
well as love

3. ‘like a lover.’
● The simile accepts the truth about love and how it is not all perfect and happy— the onion’s
scent is compared to hurting the ones who you love

4. ‘It will make your reflection/ a wobbling photo of grief’

● The use of a metaphor refers to the lover’s reflection when one’s eyes are full of tears— love
can distress and be destructive, which emphasises the vulnerability and danger one can face
when exposing themselves fully when in a relationship, which reminds us that love has
destructive potential

Stanza Four
1. “I am trying to be truthful.”
● Short sentence/ Emphatic statement suggests lies in the past— maybe the speaker/lover was
not as truthful as they could have been, and so this sentence suggests openness and
frankness
● The speaker is attempting to stress the significance of truthfulness and honesty in the
relationship and is trying to justify all that has happened so far and their desire for the
relationship to remain honest, simplistic and realistic

Stanza Five
1. ‘Not a cute card or kissogram’
● The word choice of gifts associated with romance links back to the beginning of the poem
where the speaker disapproved of stereotypical gifts
● ‘cute card’ and ‘red rose’ mirrors each other/Duffy’s repetition of overused romantic clichés
highlights her belief that she rejects stereotypical Valentine's gifts
Stanza Six

1. ‘I give you an onion.’

● Repetition of ‘I give you an onion’ is another reminder of the desire to give meaningful gifts,
but the repetition also highlights a forceful presentation of the gift— the speaker insists that
her lover should accept the gift
● The full stop represents a pause as she waits for her liver to accept the gift

2. ‘Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,’

● The metaphor of the strong taste of onion comparing to the strength of a long lasting
relationship/passion
● ‘The word choice of ‘fierce’ has connotations of anger and possessiveness, suggesting that
passion can get out of control suggesting darker connotations in the relationship
● The continued allusion to the senses through the taste of the onion suggests that the taste of
the onion, just like a deep romantic relationship is strong and difficult to erase

3. ‘possessive and faithful’

● Links to the idea of possessiveness and uncontrollable love, signalling a change in the
relationship as the word choice of ‘possessive’ suggests control, jealousy, distrust and
insecurity
● The word choice of ‘faithful’ suggest the opposite of this— caring about the relationship yet
not overtly controlling— highlighting love in the relationship

4. ‘faithful/as we are,/for as long as we are.’

● This sentence and repetition of ‘as we are’ suggest cynicism about love; instead of promising
that their love will last forever, their relationship will only last as long as long as they work at
it

Stanza Seven

1. ‘Take it.’
● The word choice and short sentence of ‘take it’ suggest urgency and leads to a pre-ultimate
climax as the speaker insists that her lover takes the gift— more desperate and insistent;
suggests fear that the gift will not be accepted and neither will she

2. ‘Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring’

● The further you get into a relationship, the more serious it gets— ending in marriage
● The comparison between the rings of an onion and wedding rings suggest that the
relationship may lead to a marriage with honesty and trust
● It also reminds the reader that marriage and traditional romantic relationships can be
constricting
● The comparison of the creamy white in an onion with the metal platinum hoops of a wedding
ring— the onion rings shrink in size when marriage occurs suggesting that marriage requires
an adjustment which may lead to restrictions on a person both mentally and physically —
relationships can be isolating
 ● Word choice of ‘shrink’ links into the image of suffocation, which suggests the relationship
may end because it closed in on them too much

3. ‘if you like.’

● The casual offer reinforces the idea that a more honest type of love is important and true

4. ‘Lethal’
● The word choice of lethal reinforces the nature of an imminent death to individuality where a
long-term union is pursued
● Is a reminder that lethal is a reminder that love can be dangerous and violent — the ring can
destroy the onion/relationship

5. ‘It’s scent will cling to your fingers’

● The word choice of ‘scent’ has connotations of a strong scent, similar to the taste of the
fierce kiss, reiterating the idea that the memories of the relationship will stay and linger just
like the smell of an onion

6. ‘Cling to your knife’

● Just as a knife can slice through an onion, so to honesty can reveal the true concerns of a
relationship
● The word choice of ‘love’ suggests a powerful love is very difficult to forget, and it may lead
you to a dangerous situation where live can be brutal and violent as a death
Mrs Midas

Poetic Structure

● This is a dramatic monologue told from the point of view of Midas’ wife- the fact that
Duffy has called her ‘Mrs’ rather than ‘queen’ adds immediate comic value
● the poem explored how she feels about the situation with her husband and her
perspective on his wish- for all the things that he could have fished for he chose that,
which suggests to the reader that he is a cruel, vain character
● Internal rhyme (rhyme within the lines) is used as well as personification and frequent
enhancement to convey the speaker’s train of thought
● gives the narrative a feeling of prose
● rhythm in ideas as concepts build on one another and become clear to the reader
● The lack of end stopped rhyme and enjambement creates a realistic, conversational
cadence throughout the poem
● As the poem does not follow the conventional poetic structure, we can see more
clearer into Mrs Midas’ thoughts and feelings
● the poem acts as a warning to the dangers of consumerism nd materialism
● the conversational style is emphasised through asides and interjections of
added/qualifying information
○ The effect of this is added intimacy between the speaker and the listener
● The conversations tone is contrasted against the horror of the events
● references to touch are subtle at the torch but more profound at the end

Overview

● Is written from the viewpoint of the wife of the mythological King Midas’ wife
● King Midas was granted the power to change everything he touched into gold
● Mrs Midas seals out against the husbands foolishness and eventually separates
herself away from him
● she leaves him to waste away in isolation while she laments the loss of their physical
relationship and the chance to have a baby together to fulfil their dreams
● Stanza’s one to six deal with the discovery of King Midas’ granted wish, and the seer
panic at the realisation and the tremendous power he has been given
● comic tone is maintained throughout, as Mrs Midas catalogues everyday terms being
turned into gold
● the remainder of the poem reveals the harsh, yet heartfelt implications of Midas’ gift,
highlighting te damage it has done to the couple’s relationship and their future
together
● The final line in the poem sums up Mrs Midas’ regret at the loss of physical contact
with her husband
Poetic Background
● In Greek Mythology, King Midas was granted a wish by the god Dionysus
● Midas chose to have the ability of having anything he could touch into gold
● Midas touched his daughter’s arm and she turned not a old statue, and he couldn’t
eat anything because his food turned into gold
● he eventually begged for his powers to be reversed
● this technique is called an ALLUSION, where one piece of literature references
another well known piece of literature, and as it is well known, no specific reference
is needed meaning that it is loaded with potential analysis

Themes

Loneliness and Solitude

● Mr Midas’ selfish decision has left Mrs Midas, as well as himself, isolated and lonely
as a life of solitude is created as he prioritises wealth over his own wife. By the end of
the poem, all that is left for both characters is solitude, a direct consequence of one
selfish act

Greed

● The poem is an indictment of greed ad consumerism in the modern world

● the damaging effects of Midas’ wish is prevalent throughout the poem through the
characterisation of the husband and wife, and they are both ultimately left isolated
● greed is a recurring theme in the poem as it is what caused Midas to wish for his wish in the
first place

Consequences of our actions

● This is a prevalent theme as Midas and his wife pay the price of not taking time to deliberate
and follow through with their actions
● it encourages the reader to think carefully about the consequences of their actions and
wishes and choices

Revealing persona - the complexity of a female character

● As we journey through Mrs Midas, she creates an interesting character study through her
dramatic monologue which allows the reader to empathise with her thoughts and feelings as
the dramatic monologue form allows Duffy to adopt the persona of various characters. Each
character can speak directly to the reader and as we do not listen through a third party we
gn a better understanding of individuals
● The conversational quality of the monologue establishes greater psychological realism as we
understand her desires and livelihoods
 ● Furthermore, Duffy’s humorous approach of well-known stories adopts the persona of
women my closely involved with the male protagonist and hence mocks the pretentiousness
of historical male figures and women’s position in olden society

Breakdown of Poem

Title

● ’Mrs Midas’
● the word choice of ‘Mrs’ instead of ‘queen’ adds immediate comic value to the
situation

Stanza One

● “It was late September. I’d just poured a glass of wine, begun”
● “it was late September” suggest the golden colour of autumn, immediately making
the reader think of gold, while autumn can also signify death and destruction and
winter is coming, suggesting that things are going to come to an end for the couple
● “I’d just poured a glass of wine,” suggests a typical domestic scene, while also
implying that Mrs Midas is beginning to relax

● “To unwind, while the vegetables cooked. The kitchen”

● word choice of ‘unwind’ implies the calm nature of Mrs Midas, a direct contrast to her
fear later on in the poem
● “while the vegetables cooked” continues on from “I’d just poured a glass of wine’
emphasising the domestic scene and her position as a caring wife

● “Filled with the smell of itself, relaxed, its steamy breath”

● the personification of the kitchen creates a warm, welcoming, appealing and calm
atmosphere
● Word choice of ‘relaxed’ suggests that Mrs Midas herself is relaxed

● “Gently blanching the window. so I opened one,”

● Blanching is a method of cooking where you boil something for a short period of time
and then submerge it in cold water to halt the cooking process
● this implies that Mrs Midas is letting the cold in, suggesting that something bad is
going to happen and that their relationship is going to halt

● “Then with my fingers wiped the other’s glass like a brow.”

● The simile introduces the importance of the sense of touch to Mrs Midas— she is no
longer able to touch him. ‘The wall between us’ basically
 ● “He was standing under the pear tree snapping a twig.”
● Contrast to the life-sapping events that are taking place outside
● The sharp change to what Mr Midas was doing demonstrates how the atmosphere
shattered. The action of a twig snapping connotes something violent

Stanza Two

● “Now the garden was long and the visibility poor, the way”
● The phrase ‘visibility poor’ suggests to the reader of Mrs Midas’ disbelief of what is
happening, as not only does it highlight the darkness of the garden, but as it is
juxtapositioned against the brightness of the twig in her hand, it highlights the
disbelief of what she is seeing. In simpler words, it is dark- she should not be able to
see bright things. The word choice of ‘long’ and ‘poor’ highlights this, as it
reemphasises the absurdity of this situation.
● Even though she wiped the window in the previous stanza. She still cannot see
clearly

● “the dark of the ground seems to drink the light of the sky,”
● The personification of the ground sounds ominous, and reflects the idea of life and
light being drained, accentuating the darkness of the garden.
● This can also act as foreshadowing to the breakdown in Mrs Midas’ life due to her
husband’s actions
● This enjambement continues to emphasise the absurdity of the situation as the long,
drawn out sentence highlights how dark the garden truly is

● “but that twig in his hand was gold. And then he plucked”
● This emphasis on the single twig in Mr Midas’ hand symbolises the unnatural nature
of this situation
● Contrast between lack of light and light, accentuated by ‘lightbulb’ and ‘gold’
● The emphasis on Mr Midas movements highlights Mrs Midas’ shock and disbelief as
she has to look directly at Mr Midas to figure out what he is doing

● “a pear from a branch. — we grew Fondante d’Automne — ”

● The pear is a special type with sweet flesh, softness is replaced with the hard,
unyielding nature of gold
● The parenthesis adds to this
● “and it sat in his palm, like a lightbulb. On.”
● ‘Like a lightbulb’ is a simile that emphasises that just how a lightbulb switches on and
is bright, so too the pear suddenly became old and sparkling in the night, and this
highlights the magical nature of the lightbulb
● ‘On’ caesura separates out the sentence and adds a dramatic effect, highlighting Mrs
Midas’ confusion and disbelief
● “I thought to myself, Is he putting fairy lights in the tree?”
 ● The emphasis of Mrs Midas’ thoughts and a simple explanation shows how Mrs
MIdas does not yet realise what her husband’s power is, suggesting naivety

Stanza Three

● “He came into the house. The doorknobs gleamed.”

● The name Midas is not mentioned, highlighting how Mrs Midas blames her husband
for what he has done.
● The focus on his simple actions emphasises how Mrs Midas believes that Mr Midas
is acting strange as a contrast is created to the simpleness of his actions and how
certain things turned gold

● ”He drew the blinds. You know the mind; I thought of”
● There is a natural rhythm established, (‘blind’ and ‘mind’) highlighting the calm nature
of Mrs Midas

● “the Field of the Cloth of Gold and of Miss Macready.”

● The ‘Field of the Cloth of Gold’ is a reference to a place of meeting between King
Henry VIII and King Francis I, and they always tried to one up each other through
glamour and extravagance in order to show off their wealth. This reference begins to
highlight how Mr Midas is selfish and obsessed with riches and money, as he has
wished to have great wealth.
● “He sat in that chair like a king on a burnished throne.”
● The word choice of ‘burnished’ suggest freshly polished, demonstrating Mr Midas’
wealth and grandeur
● “The look on his face was strange, wild, vain. I said,”
● The contrast of being king like and Mr Midas’ ‘vain, strange, wild’ face reflects his
selfishness and greed as he reflects on his new prowess
● “What in the name of God is going on? He started to laugh.”
● The question reflects Mrs M’s disbelief and fear for the unknown
● The word choice of ‘laugh’ implies obsession with power and immaturity as he has
not yet released the full extent of his actions

Stanza Four

● “I served up the meal. For starters, corn on the cob.”

● A comic situation is created as Mrs M continues with her domestic duties
● The use of ‘corn on the cob’ is an appropriate choice of food as it is fitting to the
situation (e.g yellow as gold, small and significant actions to build up to the horror)

● “Within seconds he was spitting out the teeth of the rich.”

● The horror of the situation is emphasised because Mr Midas’s actions are becoming
apparent; he can’t even eat, which represents the consequences of his actions and
foreshadows his future
 ● “He toyed with his spoon, then mine, then with the knives, the forks.”
● The word choice of ‘toy’ suggests immaturity and creates a sense of child-like
curiosity as he is acting casually, emphasising his lack of understanding
● The emphasis of the list highlights Mr Midas’s curiosity but also Mrs Midas’ growing
realisation that her husband can turn things into gold

● “He asked where was the wine. I poured with a shaking hand,”
● Wine is a drink, liquid, flowing. If Mr Midas is able to turn it into gold it will ultimately
reinforce and confirm Mrs Midas’ fears
● This is emphasised by the word choice of ‘shaking’ as it suggests Mrs Midas is
scared and anxious

● “a fragrant, bone-dry white from Italy, then watched”

● ‘Bone dry white’ has connotations of a white bone and death, foreshadowing Mr
Midas’ last drink and his death
● ‘From Italy’ implies wealth as it implies it has come from a far off place.
● The enjambement draws out the sentence, implying how Mrs Midas is holding her
breath; she can’t believe what is happening

● “as he picked up the glass, goblet, golden chalice, drank.”

● The alliteration of the ‘g’ sound creates a harsh ‘g’ sound adds drama and tension to
the situation and the inversion implies this
● The listing is a list of the transformations to show the process of change in order to
confirm Mrs Midas’ fear
● The word choice of ‘chalice’ implies damage and danger, showing how the poem
has taken on a more sinister tone— chalice implies the last death
● A contrast in the colours is created the bright golden colour of the chalice and the
white of drink to emphasise Mr Midas’ power

Stanza Five

● “I was then I started to scream. He sank to his knees.”

● the dramatic opening to the stanza as both realise and accept the reality of the
situation
● The word choice of ‘scream’ demonstrates Mrs M’s horror while Mr Midas ‘sank to his
knees in despair’
● The devastating effects come into fruition as Mr Midas is no longer curios or intrigued
● The sibilants of ‘started,’ ‘screamed’ and ‘sank’ creates a soft, breaking sound to
imply how their relationship has broken down and conveys horror

● “After we’d both calmed down, I finished the wine”

● The comedy of drinking the wine is combined with shock, implying to the reader that
Mrs M is experiencing a wide range of emotions and how she still can’t believe what
is going on. A chatty nature is established and maintained.
● It seems absurd that she has calmed down so quickly

● “on my own, hearing him out. I made him sit”

 ● ‘On my own’ implies that a rift has opened between the couple and they are no
longer together

● “on the other side of the room and keep his hands to himself.”
● The enhancement separates out the sentence and suggests that Mrs M still seeks a
physical relationship with Mrs M. The fact that he is made to sit on the other side of
the room represents the distance between them, caused by the circumstances

● “I locked the cat in the cellar. I moved the phone.”

● The focus on moving the objects conveys Mrs Midas’s fear as she locks the cat in the
cellar

● “The toilet I didn’t mind. I couldn’t believe my ears.”

● Duffy portrays an image of Mr Midas as being selfish, arrogant and thoughtless with
no real consideration of others
● An incongruous tone is created as the horror from his actions are masked by the
humour from the focus on mundane, domestic atoms such as the toilet and the
phone

Stanza Six

● “Of how he had a wish. Look, we all have wishes; granted.”

● The enjambment reflects Mrs Midas’ disbelief as she hears the confession from Mr
Midas
● The short sentence and emphasis of wishes conveys a sense of disgust from Mrs
Midas

● “But who has wishes granted? Him. Do you know about gold?”
● The further rhetorical question if ‘what do you know about gold’ emphasises how she
believes that Mr Midas’ gifts were outrageous

● “It feeds no one; aurum, soft, untarnishable; slakes”

● The listing conveys how Mrs Midas sees the foolishness of her husband and how it
has no real emotional worth as gold is ultimately worth nothing

● ”no thirst. He tried to light a cigarette; I gazed, entranced,”

● This listing foreshadows Mr Midas’ fate

● ”as the blue flame played on its luteous stem. At least,”

● Luteous is a moderate greenish yellow colour, suggesting disapproval and disgust

● ”I said, you’ll be able to give up smoking now.”

● A humorous tone is created as Mrs Midas tries to make light of the situation
Stanza Seven

● “Separate beds. In fact, I put a chair up against my door,”

● The single statement of separate beds summaries the full extent of the relationship at
this point in times
● Mrs Midas’ terror is established through the minimisation if her actions

● “near petrified. He was below, turing the spare room”

● Near petrified suggests frozen stiff which is an appropriate word choice in this
situation
● He was below - separation of the two

● “Into the tomb of Tutankhamun. You see, we were passionate then,”

● Humour is established in order to mask the horror of the situation
● Tutankhamun was an important rich man who was buried with gold in Ancient Egypt
and this mirrors Mr Midas’s actions
● The word choice of ‘tomb’ implies death which means that the relationship between
Mr and Mrs Midas is effectively dead
● The separateness of the clause is contrasting it with the fulfilling and passionate love
that they once had, symbolising the big change in their relationship together

● ‘In those halcyon days; unwrapping each other, rapidly’

● ‘Unwrapping like presents, fast food suggest joy and undressing each other implying
that they shared a close physical relationship together
● Word choice of ‘halcyon’ suggests that their days were calm and peaceful seeking up
a contrast to be made between the calmness and the fear
● like presents, fast food. But now I feared his honeyed embrace,
● ‘Honeyed embrace’ is a metaphor because just as his hugs were sweet and kind now
they had the potential to turn her into gold, implying and justifying her fear
● The kiss that would turn my lips into a work of art.
● Fear is established as she no longer wants to touch him— she doesn't want to turn
into gold

Stanza Eight

● “And who, when it comes to the crunch, can live”

● The separation of the word ‘who’ suggests to the reader that no one can truly live
with a heart of gold
● The word choice of crunch suggests the golden leaves of autumn as established in
the first stanza

● “with a heart of gold? That night, I dreamt I bore”

● Gold implies positive connotations of kindness and empathy but instead it is
attributed to the vain and selfish Mr Midas, Highlighting the impossibility of this,
reminiscent of the fact that ‘all that glitters is not gold’
● Meaning is ironically implied
 ● “his child, its perfect ore limbs, its little tongue”
● An ore is a rock that contains precious metals

● “like a precious latch, its amber eyes”

● Latch implies a metal fastener- metaphor for the mouth, suggesting how it can keep
Mrs Midas together
● Amber has connotations of gold
● This superficial description of the child that she dreams about suggests that she is
focusing in the things that she can see: the senses that will be lost if the child turns
into gold

● “holding their pupils like flies. My dream milk”

● ‘Like flies’ creates a disturbing image, demonstrating how Mrs Midas is becoming
hysterical and how her dream for a baby is intensified
● Word Choice of ‘dream’ implies longing, something insubstantial and nothing real

● “burned in my breasts. I woke to the streaming sun.”

● Burned suggests pain, suggests suffering, implying that this realisation is causing her
emotional pain
● ‘Streaming sun’ is sibilance and also poignantly reminds us that she will awake to a
world that gold dominates every moment

Stanza Nine

● “So he had to move out. We’d a caravan”

● Mrs Midas bluntly informs the reader of the consequences of Mr Midas actions and
there is a lack of emotion suggesting that she thinks that this is for the best

● “in the wilds, in a glade of its own, I drive him up”

● This highlights Mrs Midas’s fear of her husband as she moves him far away,
demonstrating her fear of his potential. She wants him away from her as possible
● This is emphasised by the maximisation of a caravan, wilds, then a glade, creating
an almost cinematic feel to the situation

● “under the cover of dark. He sat in the back.”

● This emphasises the contrast between light and dark earlier in the poem— she is
trying to hide her husbands power in the dark
● ‘He sat in the back’ is caesura to highlight the separation between the husband and
wife

● “And then I came home, the woman who married the fool”
● The focus on her actions and no reference to their emotions when they separated
highlights how she clearly blames Mr Midas for everything that has transpired, and
this is emphasised by the word choice of ‘fool’ suggesting that Mrs Midas suggests
that Mr Midas is idiotic
 ● “Who wished for gold. At first, I visited, odd times,”
● Wished for gold is separated out to fully highlight what Mr Midas has done
● Parking the car a good way off, then walking.
● She is keeping a safe distance between him and her since she is still traumatised by
what his gift can do to her

Stanza Ten

● “You knew you were getting close. Golden trout”

● She describes him in a sorrowful state, as he turned his first animate objects into
gold, describing how he is losing life as well

● “On the grass. One day, a hare hung from a larch,”

● The previous point is reemphasized and presents an image of a solitary, distant
husband who is detached, separate and lonely as she describes each golden item

● “A beautiful lemon mistake. And then his footprints,”

● A beautiful lemon mistake— sweet and sour. The mistake is beautiful, but is also
deathly, hence sour

● “glistening next to the river’s path. He was thin,”

● ‘Glistening’ suggests glittering and shiny, adding emphasis to

● “Delirious; hearing, he said, the music of Pan”

● By describing him in a sorrowful state, he is associated to the Greek God, an isolated
figure of Pan who was the god of shepherds and flocks
● Emphasises how lavish gifts can result in emotional poverty and nothingness

● “from the woods. Listen. That was the last straw.”

● Caesura emphasises that she is no longer listening to what her husband has to say
and that she is past her limit, creating a realistic female character

Stanza Eleven

● “What gets me now is not the idiocy or greed,”

● In the end, the poet is reminding is that the myth of midas, normally only viewed in
connection to how it affected him and his life also affected his poor wife
● The final stanza stresses Mrs Midas’s anger at her husband’s pure selfishness and
his wish, as he has wished for something that will affect everyone, including her, and
this has destroyed their physical relationship and their chance to have a child

● “but lack of thought for me. Pure selfishness. I sold”

● Mrs Midas becomes a rich women, but is jot happy or satisfied– ultimately a mirror
image of Mr Midas as money doesn't buy happiness
● This contributes to sympathy for Mrs Midas as the reader understands how devasting
these actions have been for Mrs Midas

● “the contents of the house and came down here.”

● She decided to come back and see her husband, see what has become of him

● “I think of him in certain lights, dawn, late afternoon,”

● Reminiscent of how time has passed
● She thinks if him at times when the golden sun sets or ruses

● “and once a bowl of apples stopped me dead. I miss most,”

● Stopped me dead– highlights how the thought of him shocks her

● “even now, his hands, his warm hands on my skin, his touch.”
● The repetition of the word hands emphasises how she misses his touch, once a clear
symbol of their intimacy, but is now lost forever
● The line is poignant as she mourns their once physical relationship because even
with her anger, solitude, etc. she now feels wistful and regretful fir the loss of the nan
that she married.
War Photographer

Poetic Structure

● The poem is laid out on a regular form (four stance) six line structure along with
rhyming couplets on the second and third lines and in the last two lines.
● The structure mimics the photographer’s actions as he gets photos ready.
○ The structure of the poem is significant since its rigid order contrasts with the
chaotic, disturbing images described in the poem.
● There is a cyclical structure where the poem begins with the photographer returning
from a job and ends with the photographer going on a new assignment which mirrors
the relentless, vicious cycle of conflict.

Overview

● War Photographer comes from Duffy’s friendship with two well respected stills
photographers, who specialised in war photography. The Photographer in the poem
is anonymous, so he could be anyone who records scenes of war
● He is an outsider who moves between two worlds and is comforted in neither
● The poem mimics the photographer’s actions as he lays out the photos in ordered
rows, trying to reinstate order into his chaotic world.
● The surface subject of the poem is the war photographer of the same name, but at a
deeper level the poem explains the differences between ‘rural England” and the
places where wars are fought (e.g N.I, Lebanon and Cambodia). It reveals the
suffering of the people in the photographs.

Themes

● Horror of war
● Human suffering
● Conflict
● War photographer’s perspective

There are links to include loss, isolation, contrast, revealing persona, emotional conflict
STANZA ONE

● “In his dark room he is finally alone”

● the word choice of ‘dark’ reflects the war photographers mood
● The word choice of alone is a contrast to a war zone where suffering occurs.

● “With spools of suffering set out in ordered rows.”

● Sibilants lengthens the line and prolongs the suffering
● word choice of ordered rows implies rows of bodies or gravestones to highlight the
devastation of the war
● by putting the photographs in order, it implies ordering them by importance which
acts as foreshadowing for later on in the poem
● the sibilance makes a soft sound which highlights the serious nature of the poem
● The personification of the films of horror adds a sense of horror to the situation and
implies the suffering and devastation

● “The only red is light and softly glows”

● Like a coloured lamp, suggesting how short life is
● A red ig hot is used to develop photos, and red has connotations of blood, danger
and violence which likens the poem to be about war. It resembles a candle in the
church, and in a Catholic Church, the red has connotations of safety. It creates a
sense of irony
● In the dark room, it is a haven from what he has witnessed

● “As though this were a church and he,”

● A church is a place of peace and refuge and acts as a sanctuary

● “A priest preparing to intone a Mass.”

● A priest stands up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, highlighting how
the war photographer is taking on a position of care
● The comparison to a priest shows how seriously he takes his job, and priests are
exposed to a lot of death and suffering. It creates the sense of a ritual in how he is
treating the photos

● “Belfast. Beirut. Phnom. Penh. All flesh is grass.”

● These are places of warzones as well as civil war. Despite the vast distances and
cultural differences, they all suffer from similar atrocities. The alliteration of these
different locations across the world ultimately emphasises how conflict happens all
across the world. These are the capital cities of Northern Ireland, Lebanon and
Cambodia
● “All flesh is grass” is an extract from the Old Testament (Isaiah) and continues the
religious theme. Suggesting that ‘all flesh is grass’ highlights the brevity and fragility
of life. The Book of Isaiah contrasts the shortness of life to the world of the Lord,
emphasising this.
STANZA TWO

The second stanza contrasts the photographer's calmness when taking pictures, and his
anxiety and how his attitude changes when he develops them. The cyclical structure begins
with the photographer returning

● “He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays”

● The matter of fact sentence conveys a sense of duty, while the brevity emphasises
determination and a sense of purpose
● The sibilance of ‘solutions slop in tray’ creates a messy ‘s’ sound to refer to the hiss
of the photo fluid or war gas
● The ambiguity is created as the solution is used to develop photos but there is no
solution to war
● The onomatopoeic ‘slop’ highlights the messiness of war

● “Beneath his hands, which did not tremble then”

● Now that he has time to think about his work, he is disturbed by what he has seen,
suggesting that this has caused his hands to tremble
● When he is working, he has to be able to distance himself from what he is witnessing
and taking photographs of. However, when he is in his darkroom and is all alone, he
allows himself to react and begin to process and relate what he has witnessed, and
this contrasts with his calmness when taking the pictures.

● “Though seems to now. Rural England. Home again”

● ”though seem to now” emphasises the previous analysis in the last line
● ‘Rural England’ has connotations of tranquillity and safety

● “To ordinary pain which simple weather can dispel,”

● There is a contrast with war and how easily problems can be solved . This is
expressed as insignificant as we forget our anxieties, while enjoying simple weather
on a sunny day
● an oxymoron is established when he says this as he suggests that our problems, first
world problems, trivial compared to people suffering abroad

● “To fields which don’t explode beneath the feet,”

● Enjambment mirrors the urgency for such chaos comparing England’s fields to the
ones that he has photographed , untouched in comparison to where he has been

● “of children running in a nightmare heat,”

● This is a reference to the famous Nick Little photo of the ‘Napalm Girl,”
● Also contrasts between the safety of home and the danger faced in a war zone

● “Something is happening. A stranger’s features”

● The short, abrupt sentence injects drama and creates suspense. This dramatic
opening reflects the drama emerging in the poem, and suggests that the poet is not
in complete control of the situation and what he has taken photos of
● Suggests that a photo is developing
● the word choice of ‘stranger’ suggests that it is impersonal, indicating the sheer
amount of all the deaths

● “faintly twist before his eyes,”

● connotations of distortion and painfully contorted features due to indescribable grief

● “a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries”

● the word choice of ‘ghost’ suggests a faintly emerging image, while also indicating
that the man is dead
● it suggests that the photo is still developing but also reflects how recently the man
has been murdered
● the emphasis of the ‘cries’ suggests that the photographer is haunted by what he has
seen
○ This is an emotive statement that highlights the heartbreak o war

● “of this man’s wife, how he sought approval,”

● The photographer recalls the reaction of the wife of seeing her husband, while also
asking to take a photo as he dies in front of her
● This is based on a true event witnessed by Don McCullin during the Cypriot Civil War.

● “without words to do what someone must,”

● a sense of purpose is developed as it suggests that someone must record, with
photographic evidence, the horrors faced by people caught up in wars in order to
bring in sympathy into the public domain
● he is unable to speak the language, and not able to ask for permission,
demonstrating the pain of war

● “and how the blood stained into foreign dust.”

● Seems how the wife needs to approve of recording the event while he dies
● ‘Foreign’ - the sheer distance of the conflict is emphasises , highlighting the western
world’s isolation from this degree of suffering
● The analogy to a priest here is effective as they take care of people in their final
moments. So just like a priests the photographer feels as though he is answering a
calling
Stanza Four

● “A hundred agonies in black and white,”

● The word choice of ‘hundred’ describes the nature of his work
● black and white,” is ambiguous and suggests the monochrome nature of the hoots,
taking away the realism, as the blood will not be seen and the photos highlight the
truth in black and white

● “from which his editor will pick out five or six,”

● This is superfluous as it suggests the paper will sell, highlighting how they profit off of
other people suffering.
● it has connotations of non-chance and indifference. Out of hundreds of photos, the
editor will only choose a few to show.
● The photographer has recorded some hundred images which shows only a small
fraction of what has happened , yet only a handful appear in print.
● this raises questions the morality of the press and politics

● “for Sunday’s supplement. The reader’s eyeballs prick,”

● The photos chose to be published on a Sunday
● The reader's reaction is reminiscent when going on to church, but as Sunday is the
day of rest, most people Mathy have forgotten about it.
● The word choice of prick’ suggest that even though the reader is moved, their
sympathy is short lived. It further suggests that it s a short sharp pain, yet has lasting
emotion , demonstrating the disrespect for the topic
● suggests that we have become desensitised to suffering, as the press only seems to
react when something serious happens

● “With the tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers.”

● The internal rhyme of ‘tears,’ and ‘beers’ highlights a smalls pace of time between
finding out the news, demonstrating how prone western countries are to forget.

● “From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where,”

● Word choice of impassively suggest that he stares with no emotion,

● “He earns his living and they do not care.”

● The simplicity of these fina words powerfully encapsulates the indifferent attitude of
privilege. This photographer is unsure they will make a difference
Comparisons

“The Way My Mother Speaks”

● Originally
● Both poems explore the transition between childhood and adulthood as a journey/migration which
emphasises with the theme of identity
● In Mrs Tilsher’s Class
● Connects well due to the idea of moving from a brightly coloured protective environment sand a
nursing female figure, to a more greyer, and threatening future
● The War Photographer
● Contrast
● Mrs Midas
● Conflicting emotions
● Valentine
● Contrast

In Mrs Tilscher’s Class

● Originally
● explores childhood and growing up
● In Mrs Tilscher's Class focuses on the joy of primary school that is closely followed by adolescence
● Originally looks at the impact of physically moving to a country as a child and having to fit in as well as
moving from childhood into adulthood
● both deal with powerful memories
● In terms of language to conjure place, the use of senses and the portrayal of character, you could also
pair it with almost all of the other poems.

Originally
● In Mrs Tilchers Class
● Theme of change and growing up - learning about sex and loss of childhood innocence, growing up
and assimilating, New beginnings, Contrast — contrast between the moors murders and the safety of
the classroom, contrast between not assimilating and assimilating, Love for her classroom, love for her
old home — nostalgia
● Valentine
● Theme of love and longing for her home country, theme of love and longing for a positive relationship
● The Way My Mother Speaks
● Longing, ancestry

Valentine
● The Way My Mother Speaks
● Theme of love for her mother, theme of love for her significant other, theme of lost communication,
Important memories, has a significant impact on our own beings - the memories of her mother, the
memories of a strong romantic love
● Originally
● Theme of belonging, loss of home, loss of love and safety
● In Mrs Tilscher's Class
● Loss of love and innocence, loss of a stable relationship
SOURCES

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zbgrd2p