Little Red Cap:
Acts as an introduction to the collection and expresses the journey of a young girl, distorting the fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood, with a very possible autobiographical account of Duffy's own introduction into the world of love, sex and literature. Introduces many of the pinacle themes;
- Fairytale
- A Journey
- Growing Up
- Sexuality
- Independence
- Power Struggle
- Entrapment
- Rebellion/Obedience
- Literature
Thetis:
Continues this journey for female independence as Duffy modernises the myth Thetis, the sea goddess, whom shape shifted and rejected the advances of Zeus. However, she was then forced into marriage and bore a child. In this poem her shape shifting seems to act as both a defence mechanism and a way of expressing her true feelings and escape the entrapment of male influence. Key themes include;
- Mythology
- Power Struggle
- Independence
- Rebellion/Obedience
- Entrapment
Queen Herod:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Midas:
Another example of Duffy modernising mythology, in this case giving a female perspectibve to the story of King Midas whom had the ability to turn anything he touched into gold. This poem shares the implications of such an ability in a middle class environment with much emphasis on the change of state from ordinary to extraordinary and also from alive to cold, metal, a trophy. This poem therefore shows a wife's anguish in the following themes;
- Male Greed
- Loss (of Sexuality, Love and Human Warmth)
- Obedience/Domestication of Women
Mrs Tiresias:
TO BE STUDIED
Pilate's Wife:
The first Biblical allusion to Pilate, describes an account of the night before Jesus' crucifiction (whereby Pilate was the judge) where she Claudia Procula recieved a visit from the devil saying that Jesus was innocent. She seems bitter as she talks of entrapment within a marriage that was founded upon status:
- The Bible
- Entrapment
- Obedience/Domestication
- Power Struggle
- Male Ignorance
Mrs Aesop:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Darwin:
The first historical figure, Duffy uses clear irony and a light conversational tone to suggest that it was indeed Mrs Darwin who first rooted the idea of evolution. Turning point in the collection as is the first to not describe power struggle or male dominance, rather a more positive poem about female strength:
- Historical
- Independence/Female Strength
- Domestication? (if this poem is believed then she did not recieve the credit)
Mrs Sisyphus:
Another example of mythology, Sisyphus was punished by the Gods and forced to roll a boulder up a hill and watch it roll down for eternity. This poem uses language, modern and old, and repetition to represent the everlastingness of the task and also the annoyance the "k" being a particularly harsh sound. Portrays a wife's anguish and frustration - similar to Mrs Midas;
- Myth
- Entrapment (a cycle)
- Loss of Sexuality and Love etc.
- Domestication
- Male Ignorance & Incompetence
Mrs Faust:
Legend/Mythology about a man who sold his soul ot the devil in return for a life of fast paced success and luxury. Speed of his life reiterated by pace of poem and the way things appear listed "Fast cars. A boat with sails" also shows his consumeristic nature and greed. Mrs Faust expresses her own greed and as such shows Duffy is not just a feminist however one may argue such obsession with materialism is a consolation for loss of love etc:
- Legend/Myth
- Entrapment (via Devil)
- Male Greed (and female in this case)
- Loss of Sexuality, Love and Human Warmth
Delilah:
TO BE STUDIED
Anne Hathaway:
Example of a historical figure, Shakespeare's wife, which revolves arounf the idea of upon his death he leaves her the "second best bed" which would easily open discussion for the demotion of women, particularly as Duffy is a feminist. However, this poem differs from ever other poem as it speaks of true love that occurred upon the second best bed, a symbol of their marriage and which only speaks of the loss of such a love. This poem seems to mark a series of poems within the collection that speak of loss of love but never as intensely as this. Indeed this seems an homage to Shakespeare and displays Duffy's true poetic finesse:
- Historical
- Loss of Love
Queen Kong:
This poem is the first to create a female equivalent from media/film as it creates a female version of the infamous King Kong. There is a deep undertone of humour and farce throughout as Queen Kong describes how she falls in love and travels to New York to be with him only for him to die and her to create a trophy of him portraying childlike curiosity and possession:
- Media/Film
- Loss of Love
- Childishness
- Sexuality
- Power Struggle
Mrs Quasimodo:
TO BE STUDIED
Medusa:
Another display of mythology however like Thetis is a myth in her own right. Medusa was once the most beautiful woman in the world but was punished by a jealous God for falling in love with Poseidon. Her hair turned to snakes and this decay of beauty is a prominent theme throughout also used in her ability to turn people to stone. In this way Duffy uses imagery as the foundation for the poem's expression of loss;
- Mythology
- Entrapment
- Loss of Love, Beauty & Sexuality
The Devil's Wife:
A less obvious display of media the devil's wife refers to Myra Hindley whom was an infamous child killer in the 60's and whom was labelled the title of the poem. Duffy splits the poem into 5 with different subtitles as she enter the mind of Hindley and portrays her as being possessed by the devil, her lover Ian Bradey, and the power love and Bradey had over her. Duffy also shows what women are capable of and not just in a positive light;
- Media
- Entrapment
- Power Struggle
- Personal Struggle
- Loss of Love & Sexuality
- Obedience
Circe:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Lazarus:
Another biblical reference to Lazarus whom Jesus resurrected after 4 days. Duffy again modernises to show the pain his wife went through, changing days to months, and then the further pain when he is alive once again after she had come to peace with his death;
- The Bible
- Loss of Love, Sexuality
- Independence
- Power Struggle (Jesus brings him back without her will)
Pygmalion's Bride:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Rip Van Winkle:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Icarus:
Mythology once again about a man whom tried to fly his way out of Crete and ignored people's advice not to fly close to the Sun. This is a short poem expressing in simple modern language how idiotic she finds her husband;
- Loss of Love
- Male Ignorance
Frau Freud:
A historical inspiritaion in the shape of psychoanalysist Sigmend Freud who's obsession with the phallocentric theory is explored and undermined in this poem with the female Mrs Freud mocking the hype that comes with the exaggeration of the penis. Conversational and rhythmic its light hearted and shows synonyms of penis in the 5 stages of Freud's psychosexual theory;
- Male Arrogance
- Independence
- Sexuality
Salome:
TO BE STUDIED
Eurydice:
Another mythological story of a woman whom died and whose love, Orpeheus, strikes a deal with Hades to bring her back to life against her will using his gift of song and lyrics. This is the first time Duffy talks about the literary world and how it has been dominated by males. "Gods are like publishers". She shows entrapment within verse as it is forced upon her;
- Mythology
- Entrapment
- Power Struggle
- Literature
The Kray Sisters:
Like Queen Kong is the female equivalent of historical figures the Kray Twins who were famous mobsters that to some extent ran the East End of London. Duffy uses rhyming slang and alludes to Emmline Pankhurst - a famous suffragette which indicates the poem presents females who have been liberaterd, are talented and dominant in the 20th century, i,e Germaine Bardot Twiggy and lulu";
- Media/Historical
- Independence
- Power Struggle (in favour of women)
Elvis's Twin Sister:
Another example of a 20th century icon and a female equivalent. Duffy uses the imagery of a convent to show the contrast between this routine life and the life of Elvis which was consumeristic and led to his death ultimately a man-made corruption/work of the devil:
- Media
- Religion
- Entrapment
- Independence
- Personal Struggle
Pope Joan:
Legend/Historical figure whom was claimed to be the only female pope in the catholic church. She disguised herself as a monk but was dsicovered when she gave birth (9 stanzas then conclusion). Duffy explores corruption of the Church and suggests that one should not be taught power "learned to transubstantiate". Furthermore thought to be a man's job - the closest Joan felt to God was when she gave birth, a role only women can undertake;
- Power Struggle
- Religion
- Independence
- Entrapment
- Gain of knowledge?
Penelope:
TO BE STUDIED
Mrs Beast:
Another poem based around fairytale about a woman who married a beast and tamed him - contradictory to most fairytales such as "The little Mermaid" whom change dherself to suit a man. This poem is harsh and blunt showing strength of female character throughout - almost a declaration of female independence using such figures as "Juliet" "Marilyn Munroe" as martyres for the cause - women lost at the hands of men. A vulnerability is shown at the end in almost a plea to not become one of such women. Similar to Little Red Cap but differing in how the voice speaks with experience rather than youth - shows growth throughout the collection;
- Entrapment
- Obedience/Rebellion
- Independence
- Power Struggle
- Sexuality
- Loss
- Growing Up
Demeter:
The final poem shows instead the love between a mother and her daughter and again may be autobiographical just as the first poem was, expressing Duffy's love for her daughter using the myth of the Goddess of Nature. Her daughter was taken by Hades but Demeter struck a deal for her return - if she hadn't eaten she could return but Persephone had taken seeds from the underworld and thus had to stay for 6 months of the year. Seasonal transitions and changes in state are used by Duffy in an impressie display of imagery portraying Demeter's emotions in a sonnet;
- Loss of Love
- Entrapment
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