1
Q
Metamorphosis of woman.
A
- “bigger.”
- “taller.”
- “grew.”
- Contrasts “The Diet” –> “slimmer”/ “svelter.”
2
Q
Narrative nature of poem.
A
- “Then.”
- “Day one.”
- “Out.”
- “On.”
- “Day two.”
3
Q
Sig of “like a christening gift or a wish.”
A
- Simile.
- Initially a blessing but becomes a curse later on
- Links to metaphysical fairy-tales –> ie. being cursed.
4
Q
Asyndetic listing
A
- “eiderdowns, towels and rugs.”
5
Q
Image of woman in shower. Sig?
A
- “knelt in shower as if she was praying for rain.”
- Religious imagery –> links to “christening gift.”
- “Knelt” –> reducing herself to adhere to societal expectations/ showers and society not made for “tal” people.
6
Q
Sig of woman “stooped hands on both knees.”
A
- Parenting image/ getting down to his level.
- Demeaning him.
7
Q
“Somebody whooped.”
A
- Cat-calling critique?
- Link to Beautiful –> “US whooped.”
8
Q
Sig of “fled like a boy.”
A
- Patriarchy afraid of powerful women.
9
Q
Cross rhyme.
A
- “bit it.”
- “lit it.”
10
Q
Sig of apple/ traffic lights.
A
- Link to “apple” in Diet –> women being viewed as greedy for simply eating?
- Garden of Eden–> fulfilling her OWN temptations for once like men do all the time!
- “She lit it “ –> Women use power for good unlike men.
11
Q
Motif
Alcohol
A
- “bar”/ “stiff drink.”/ “hungover.”
12
Q
Sig of tall woman in “turret.”
A
- Isolation.
- Metaphysical/ fairy-tale air.
- Society has rejected her –> isolated like Helen of Troy in “Beaut”
13
Q
Metaphysical shift in poem?
A
- “Pilgrims came.”
- “small women” –> ultimate guide for all women: link to “The Long Queen.”
- “men on stilts” –> men have got to get to her level/ higher WHEREAS…
- Women are HUMBLED by her!
14
Q
Sig of “showeing in rain.”
A
- No longer needs to “stoop in shower.”
- Nature accepts her but society does not.
15
Q
Sig: “she cured no one.”
A
- Teaching men a lesson? They never use their power for good so why should she?
- Duffy critiquing idolisation/ giving power to a single person.
- When women given power, it’s never COMPLETE power!
16
Q
Motif of fear in poem
A
- “stars trembled.”
- “fled like a boy.”
- “stared at his scared face”
17
Q
Woman’s isolation.
A
- “turret.”
- “colder, aloner, no wiser.”
18
Q
Sig of woman predicting “storms over pyramids, hurricanes over USA, floods in the UK”?
A
- Prophesise–> mythological allusion.
- Link to Cleopatra, UK, US in “Beautiful.”
19
Q
What could poem be metaphor for?
A
- Duffy’s writing career.
- When you get more and more succesful, isolated from society.
20
Q
Sig of last image “caught their souls”/ “as they fell from burning towers.”
A
- Ref. to 9/11?
- Now actively helping people within community.
- Image of helplessness –> trying to catch people but all she manages is their dead souls.
21
Q
Ref. to woman being God-like figure.
A
- Predicting weather.
- Pilgrims coming to her.
- Cataching souls.
22
Q
What religious message could this poem have?
A
- Critiquing idea of God through metaphysical conceit –> mocking God/ if he exists, why doesn’t he help anyone?
Feminine Gospels
flashcards
Decks in class (19)
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