Study guide
Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy analysis (Grade 9)
- Institution
- WJEC EDUQAS
Indepth notes for the WJEC English Literature (9-1) specification.
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By: marielouiselilac • 4 year ago
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Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy (P.12)Narrative The writer describes a gift for a lover, an onion and why it is more powerful than clichéd gifts such as
roses or boxed chocolates. She also depicts a sense of danger of love and the hurt it can bring.
Contexts Carol Ann Duffy published Valentine in 1993. She is the UK’s first female Poet Laureate as well as
the first one to be openly LGBT. Her poems often address themes of oppression and violence.
Themes Clichéd vs Realistic Compassion – Valentine takes Anti-Romance – Duffy describes the
Love – Carol Ann Duffy a spin on romanticism but is breakdown of their relationship from
juxtaposes her ‘truthful’ still depicts a ‘faithful’ being ‘promising’ to something
gift with descriptions of relationship between the writer ‘lethal’ and finite, presenting an
clichéd love. and the addressee. overall cynical view.
Literary Imperatives – imperatives are used Similes – The “moon wrapped in brown paper” is
Devices throughout the poem such as ‘here’ and ‘take likened to a relationship, promising light at first but
it’ – these are blunt and quite harsh unlike as the poem progresses we see this hope diminished.
language often used in romantic poetry.
Extended metaphor – the poem clearly Personification – the onion is described to have a
compares love to an onion throughout but the “fierce kiss”, reflecting a notion of romanticism
final stanza explores the end of a relationship with a touch of hostility. It is also described to be
through the cutting of an onion. It “clings to “possessive and faithful” which again throws the
your fingers” being something that effects relationship into a “lethal”, obsessive and unhealthy
either person long after the relationship ends. light.
Key “Undressing” is intimate, reflecting a “As we are, for as long as we are” is ambiguous as
Language significantly more romantic beginning to a it is unclear whether Duffy is referring to an
relationship which is juxtaposed with further inevitable breakup or death. Either way it does not
negative descriptions. extend beyond that into the afterlife, which depicts
how this poem is grounded in realism.
The hostility towards the end of the poem is used to reflect the breaking apart of a relationship. Duffy
uses hostile adjectives such as “fierce” as well as describing a knife, an object that embodies violence
to create an unsettling mood as the two lovers fall apart. “Cling” is a possessive verb, which also
depicts the ugliness of the relationship. “Shrinks” is quite confining in its nature and links to a theme
of oppression in a relationship, supporting imagery of violence with the knife.
Form and Irregular line lengths, blank verse and the lack of rhymes, reflects an imperfect and gritty realism –
Meter not clichéd. Various lines are singled out as well.
Structure Duffy adopts short sentences that are blunt and often monosyllabic (e.g. “Its fierce kiss will stay on
your lips”) which is a contrast to most romantic poetry that adopts dwindling sentence structures,
delving into highly descriptive language. She also negates the use of adjectives – it is blunt, to the
point and “truthful”.
All stanzas are end-stopped, Throughout the poem we see a degrading relationship, progressing
contributing to the blunt tone. from optimism to something that is lethal and ends up hurting both
parties.
Compare Cozy Apologia by Rita Dove The Manhunt by Simon Armitage
s with…
Quotations to Remember
Not a red rose or a satin heart. It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
I give you an onion. like the careful undressing of love.
Here. I am trying to be truthful.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover. Not a cute card of a kissogram.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, Take it.
possessive and faithful, … shrink to a wedding ring.
as we are,
for as long as we are.
Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.
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