Synopsis duffy uses this poem to explore the themes of mental health and isolation amongst young people and could be perhaps expressing the daily pressures that young people face and the detrimental effects attached to them, shown through the speaker of the poem who is clearly in a deviated mental health state. The poems were written in different centuries, a red, red, rose was written in the eighteenth century, valentine was written in the twentyfirst. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the poetry of carol ann duffy. Valentine is from a collection of poems entitled mean time of 1993, and. Valentine may offer us a rather sour view of the realities of relationships. More generally it is also critical of a form of love which lacks honesty, meaning, and use of the imagination. But today i want to celebrate a love poem i have had by heart for more than. She has since reflected on her win and this will give you some idea of her personality. Carol ann duffy uses an extended metaphor effectively throughout the poem. Nostalgia by carol ann duffy explores the moment in which the term nostalgia was coined, following the crusades of 17th century swiss mercenaries. Throughout the poem the poetess compares love to an onion and she does that by using a variety of techniques such as imagery, symbolism, word choice and structure. One of her most famous love poems is valentine, often misremembered as onion.
Valentine analysis by carol ann duffy ba english notes. The poem is very personal and autobiographical to duffy s life as are most of her poems. Explore the use of a conceit where the symbol of love and affection being offered by the persona is an onion, for higher english. I think its really clever how she used an onion to describe what love is. In this poem, carol ann duffy uses role reversal and queen kong falls in love with a human man, as opposed to king kong falling in love with a. Essay about carol ann duffys mean time 852 words bartleby. Valentine by carol ann duffy essay sample new york essays. Poet, playwright and freelance writer carol ann duffy was born on 23 december 1955 in glasgow and read philosophy at liverpool university.
The poem is a feminist twist on the wellknown story of king kong. These poems are exclusive extracts from the worlds wife, by carol ann duffy, published by picador on october 8, priced. Valentine is a poem by carol ann duffy which presents ideas about love in a way. Carol ann duffys mean time carol ann duffys poem mean time is about loss of love and the different ways in which time brings about change or loss of life itself. It follows the path of the mercenaries, hired to kill for money, as they begin to miss their homes. She does this by using different techniques such as language features such as metaphors, simlies, imagery and word structure. Valentine by carol ann duffy scottish poetry library. But actually, this is a poem that explores the reality of relationships rather than conventional ideas about. Instead, shes imagining the poem as spoken by a fictionalized version of a real historical figure that means anne hathaway was a real lady, but duffy is. Throughout the poem she shows the positive and negative sides about love by comparing love to an onion. Carol ann duffy, the first woman poet laureate, explores many different themes in this. It is particularly suited as a possible starter poem for looking at poetry regarding love through the ages.
Nostalgia exploration mean time by carol ann duffy a. In valentine, duffy ends on a warning note that love can be lethal and so lifethreatening. The word valentine might make you think of quite traditional love poem. Many of her poems are part of the british school and. Her poems are accessible and entertaining and yet she is touching, sensitive and witty. The speaker of the poem forgoes traditional valentines day gifts. In fact, carol ann duffy wrote valentine after a radio producer asked her to write an original poem for st.
Men, women, and representation in duffy s the worlds wife. Mar 09, 2018 nostalgia exploration mean time by carol ann duffy poem. The two poems, a red, red, rose by robert burns, and valentine by carol ann duffy differ greatly, although the theme of love remains invariable throughout. Carol ann duffy, poet to valentine, is one of britains most famous poets. Valentine is a free verse dramatic monologue written by scottish poet, author, and playwright carol ann duffy. She does this by using different techniques such as imagery, word structure and of course by using poetic devices. To this end, some of the emergency poems ive included are valentine by carol ann duffy. Carol ann duffy poetry challenge young poets network. On may 1st 2009, carol ann duffy became the uks twentieth poet laureate. The poem anne hathaway is spoken by, thats right, anne hathaway. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are. She implies that love is not always sweet, but can be sharp, cutting and can result in tears, just like the scent and taste of an. Valentine by carol ann duffy is one of the poems included in the anthology for. Themes of valentine valentine deals with those involved in damaged or irreconcilable relationships.
See more ideas about carol ann duffy, carol ann and duffy. Instead, she provides what she considers to be a far more representation of love and relationships. Carol ann duffy s mean time carol ann duffy s poem mean time is about loss of love and the different ways in which time brings about change or loss of life itself. Nostalgia exploration mean time by carol ann duffy poem. Valentine by carol ann duffy analysis guide teaching. Memories play a significant role in the poetry of carol ann duffy. This is a poem that does not meet our expectations after weve read the title. In carol ann duffys poem valentine she challenges conventional representations of romantic love and traditional valentines gifts. Right from the beginning duffy rejects the traditional presents given for valentines day straight away to show she does not approve of the usual gifts and believes love means more than the superficial presents normally given. Create marketing content that resonates with prezi video.
Analysis of poem valentine by carol ann duffy owlcation. This poem is a dramatic monologue written in the voice of a taxidermist, the poem starts with the persona talking about animals in an overly controlling manner and slowly builds up to show the personas disturbing view of male domination on woman, the taxidermist talks about nonliving animals, who. Carol ann duffy is an awardwinning british poet and childrens book writer. One of the key themes in duffys work is love, in all its forms. The poem uses traditional images of valentine as a starting point, before showing how an onion is much more true to the nature of love. Scottish born poet, carol ann duffy, wrote valentine in 1993 and william shakespeare, a wellknown english poet of the time, wrote sonnet 18. Carol ann duffy biography childhood, life achievements. Carol ann duffy was born in the gorbals glasgow on 23 december 1955, the first child of may nee black and frank duffy. Using the speakers name as the title lets us know right away that carol ann duffy, the poet, is not the one speaking.
Valentine by carol ann duffy analysis guide share my lesson. First love carol ann duffy waking, with a dream of first love forming real words, as close to my lips as lipstick, i speak your name, after a silence of years, into the pillow, and the power of your name brings me here to the window, naked, to say it again to a garden shaking with light. Valentine is a poem that offers an unconventional approach to the traditional, romantic. Men, women, and representation in duffys the worlds wife. This poem is a dramatic monologue written in the voice of a taxidermist, the poem starts with the persona talking about animals in an overly controlling manner and slowly builds up to show the personas disturbing view of male domination on woman, the taxidermist talks about nonliving animals, who are moulded and shaped to the taxidermists liking. Love in carol ann duffys valentine english literature essay. A comparison of the two poems, valentine by carol ann duffy. Valentine was published in 1993, in the collection mean time. Carol ann was the eldest child, and had four brothers. Poetry carol ann duffy annan academy english department blog. A comparison of the two poems, valentine by carol ann. A ladies maid considers the voluptuous life of her mistress upstairs as.
The poem is essentially a critique of the cliched commercial form that the modern valentines day has become. Carol ann duffy was the eldest sister to four brothers who were born into a working. Since 1 may 2009, carol ann duffy has been the united kingdoms poet laureate. It is particularly suited as a possible starter poem for looking at poetry regarding love through the ages for aqa english literature alevel, but is certainly accessible. A poem which deals with the subject of love through strong human emotion is valentine written by carolann duffy. Her poems appeal to those who wouldnt usually read poetry and they appear on the national curriculum. Hello katy, carol ann duffys valentine ultimately depicts a highly cynical attitude towards love and conventional gestures of affection. In a special valentines day book club, carol ann duffy reads from a collection featuring the best of her love poetry. The poem has an unusual structure to match its unusual subject matter, and uses a variety of literary techniques. Carol ann duffy rejects the usual valentine gifts, suggesting that they are too. Little red cap lrc is a poem written by carol ann duffy, and is the first poem in the anthology the worlds wife, published in 1999.
The final stanza of the poem, answer by carol ann duffy is the gist of what the poet said in above stanza. Carol ann duffy, the first woman poet laureate, explores many different themes in this selection of poems from childhood memories to relationships. By interpreting the fairytale of little red riding hood in her poem, duffy recounts her ten years of marriage to adrian henri, who was twentythree years old her senior. Having wiped the steam from the kitchen window and putting it down to poor. Valentine carol ann duffy analysis flashcards quizlet. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your.
The poets attitude to love is unusual as she provides a different perspective on how we can look at it by describing the unconventional and pessimstic side of life. The poem is split into three stanzas, the first two stanzas measuring 9 lines and the last 10. The theme of freedom is continued throughout the extract, jane exclaiming her. Duffy is able to articulate with such frequency and depth the minds of often quite disturbed individuals.
The first woman poet laureate of the united kingdom, carol ann duff is a muchadmired, awardwinning female poet. Essay, valentine carol ann duffy free essay example. It is in fact an emphatic reiteration of what she says from the very first stanza of the poem. Analysis of nostalgia by carol ann duffy poem analysis. Gcse poetry lesson pack valentine by carol ann duffy. Valentine is a controversial love poem written by carol ann duffy. Read this biography to learn more about her childhood, life, works, achievements and timeline. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. She was born in glasgow and raised in england from the age of seven, where, even from a young age, she showed a great command of poetic skills. They subsequently had four sons, and moved when carol ann was six to stafford, where her father worked for english electric and managed stafford rangers football club in his. Originally is a poem about a child fearful of losing her. A notated copy of carol ann duffy s poem valentine. Themes valentine higher english revision bbc bitesize. She is one of britains best known and most admired poets.
The speaker presents their lover with a valentine in the form of an onion, then explains the reasoning behind this unusual gift. Like most of the poems in duffy s mean time collection, valentine deals with those involved in damaged or irreconcilable relationships. Valentine by carol ann duffy is a humorous poem, which explores the concept of love, likening it to an onion. This resource is specifically tailored to the new wjeceduqas anthology for teaching from september 2015, although it would be suitable for analysis for other exam boards. In this article, we are going to analyzing the poem valentine by carol ann duffy.
It promises light like the careful undressing of love. In valentine, duffy ends on a warning note that love can be lethal and so lifethreatening, forcing the reader to confront the notion that a real love based on honesty and truthfulness can be painful and destructive as well as fulfilling and. Carol ann duffy was born on december 23 1955, in glasgow, scotlands largest city. Her poetry tends to deal with difficult subject matters and is often written in first person in the form of a dramatic. Students think about the traditions of valentines day and how this is overturned by carol ann duffy and her onion. Chances are, of course, that many of them will have love as their chosen theme. Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring, if you like.
These themes are revealed not only through duffys word choice and imagery, but. Valentine by carol ann duffy analysis guide share my. Queen kong is poem by carol ann duffy from her anthology entitled the worlds wife. She was brought up in stafford, in the north midlands, where her father was a local councillor, a parliamentary candidate for the labour party in 1983 and manager of stafford fc, an amateur football team. Introduce valentine by carol ann duffy with this complete lesson pack which explores the themes, the message, the language and the tone of valentine in a way thats accessible and easy to understand. Feb 14, 20 in a special valentine s day book club, carol ann duffy reads from a collection featuring the best of her love poetry. Dramatic monologues carolann duffy is a very influential poet, through the use of dramatic monologues she explores a variety of different themes, she gives voices to historical figures and individuals that are ostracised from society. Throughout the 1990s, duffy continued to have poetry published and to win awards. The poem is very personal and autobiographical to duffys life as are most of her poems. The notations are certainly not exhaustive, but rather provide a starting point for further class discussion and analysis. Nostalgia used to be referred to as an illness, when swiss soldiers from the 17th century fought abroad and missed home and began to feel home sick and mentally ill. She grew up in a working class family that believed in social change and the politics of protest one of her schoolteachers encouraged her to write poetry. A literary analysis of valentine by carolann duffy kibin.
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