Summary Comprehensive study resource: ALL 21 POEMS in ‘Feminine Gospels’ (UPDATED)
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Course
Feminine Gospels (7712B)
Institution
AQA
Detailed, sophisticated A/A* quality notes and analysis for each poem in Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry collection, ‘Feminine Gospels’ - covering every assessment objective required for A Level English Literature, including key themes and methods, context and critics!
Includes comparative links ...
‘The Long Queen’ (begins the collection) contemporary social realism - like Duffy’s - is concerned with class, gender, nationality, sexuality and race
Key aspect Key techniques/ features(AO2) Comparison with other poems (AO4) Comparison with ‘A Comparison with Context(AO3)
of Modern Streetcar Named ‘The Handmaid’s
times(AO1) Desire’’ (AO4) Tale’ (AO4)
Unifying Focus of poem is a patron saint of women, whose unspoken Strong sense of identity by being Reliance on men United experience Queen Elizabeth I -
figure for influence is in all parts of life ‘Her word of law was in their female vs ‘TMW’ struggle for identity of oppressed The Virgin Queen -
women; bones’ Blanche desires Handmaids known for never
everyone Everyone supports her ‘All hail to the Queen’ - uplifting tone at the story of Helen; Mr Mackay in romance marrying, focusing
is beginning ‘TLOSGH’ and the list of suitors her life in ruling
encompas Alliteration in asyndetic list - Identifying women by marital rejected/ discounted by ‘The Long successfully
sed within status ‘wet nurses, witches, widows, wives’ - Strong,
Queen’ present men as peripheral/
her reign; powerful,
rule Not seen yet has authority of power + pervasive influence felt relatively weak - independence/ able well-respecte
providing across society + passed on through generations + extends to rule alone d woman in
support to onwards throughout time ‘Unseen, she ruled’ & ‘Long live the history
all women; Queen’ - Reign
Consistent structure (7 sestains) & latter part of poem considered
Inspiring structured according to stages of motherhood + women’s most
loyalty development = stability of Queen’s reign - italicised successful
subheadings
‘sent her explorers
away’ reminder of
Eternal God-like figure/ protective deity - representative of what all ‘Work’ burden of responsibility (‘cold Aunt Lydia does Age of Discovery
qualities; women can be; ‘some to be godmother, aunt, teacher, teller of weight of the crown’) not have major (time of great
legacy; tall tales’ = potential of what women can be presence in novel exploration)
ongoing/ Immortality stated explicitly at the start ‘The Long Queen ‘Sub’ women as strong, active and yet her
enduring couldn’t die’ effective indoctrination has
work/ personification of ‘Time for a husband’ powerful effect on
support Mythic fairytale semantics ‘castle’+’tower’ & repetition of ‘Some ‘Cord’ matriarchal focus + fairytale Offred
said’ = legendary figure imagery
Constructiv ‘sorting the bad from the good’ - associated with responsibility; Freedom in ‘LQ’ vs
e power; strong-willed restriction
Empathetic figure & does not set herself up to be aloft/distant
to her subjects - dispels shame of menstruation - presented as
natural ‘linked to the moon’
Celebrate/ Colloquial ‘apple of the Long Queen’s eye’ - familial love - Suffering that creates legacy in Stella prioritises her Handmaids’
, ‘Feminine Gospels’ by Duffy (2002)
provide maternal figure ‘Beautiful’ new-born baby over reproductive
shared Sensuous language ‘room screamed scarlet and children Legacy of mothers: instill moral Blanche capabilities +
experience bawled’ - moments of childbirth not disguised - child-bearing teachings in their children, which have children highly
of separates men from women; agony of bringing new life into a lasting impact on how individuals valued
suffering, world navigate the world; pass down cultural
struggles + ‘sore flowers’ = stereotypical symbol of fertility traditions and stories that connect
difficulties ‘pain was worth it’ generations and preserve heritage
In tune with her subjects’ experiences - takes interest in ‘TLG’ love for her subjects;
hearing the ‘stories’, ‘gossip’ of her fellow women motherhood’s importance + value;
connection/ bonds (suffering not
acknowledged)
‘DatM’ paints raw picture of grief +
supports widow’s suffering
‘The Map-Woman’
Key aspect of Modern Key techniques/ features(AO2) Comparison with other poems Comparison with ‘A Streetcar Comparison with ‘The
times(AO1) (AO4) Named Desire’’ (AO4) Handmaid’s Tale’ (AO4)
Memories contribute to ongoing Extended metaphor of map introduced right at start ‘The Diet’ ‘trapped in the Blanche’s attempts to create Identity not fixed but is a
construction of identity + ‘A woman’s skin was a map of the town’ window’s bottle-thick glass like persona that aligns with process of constant
inextricably bound with our Memories of places have become tied to her a fly’ feeling stagnant; societal expectations - self-discovery + redefinition
identities innermost being ‘alleys and streets and walk’ emptiness; not yet living challenges of maintaining one's vs identity can be controlled
merge with woman’s ‘veins’ yourself; boredom, frustration/ identity in the face of external + shaped by external forces
Oppressive effect of memories anticipation with what life might pressures
which exploration of new places Failed aspiration of individual to escape oppressive bring ‘streets with new names’
cannot shield her from environment which has permanently shaped her
identity/ woman attempts, in vain, to free herself ‘NW’ reminiscing/ rediscover Blanche’s efforts to escape Manipulation + rewriting of
Places+ layers of our past from past’s suffocating hold by removing imprint of past, which has changed, with shadows of her history + history by Gilead -
inescapable part of identity; in map: listing of clothing ‘a dress, with a shawl, with hope that past will bring her recreate herself in new importance of controlling
the core of her a hat[…]’ = endeavours to cover up map on skin/ ease/comfort - precise named environment - past = a narrative of past for political
trying to separate herself from what map location gives air of reality persistent force that shapes purposes
Past= burden which limits our represents/ hide memories of a life she wishes to despite extended metaphor present lives
ability to reinvent ourselves/ leave behind & sibilance+triplet ‘sponged, soaped, ‘what was familiar was only
claim new identities scrubbed’ facade’ - physical past different
, ‘Feminine Gospels’ by Duffy (2002)
Lack of identity in ‘TWWS’ vs Traces of lived experiences that Map-woman's body serves
Process of reinvention + In memories of past, she is continually described struggling to find; extended are carried forward vs tension as repository of memories +
transformation in tabula rasa as passive - ‘sit’, ‘waiting’, ‘wonder’ = feels metaphor more faster vs between memory and reality experiences & act of
frightening/ overwhelming; not alienated/ outsider without legitimate place in world slower build up + not fully remapping suggests
easy to forge new identity - disconnection from community as she prepares to consumed because dynamic nature of memory
separate herself from them map-woman is resisting + unable to move on from
Struggle/search for identity past vs memory becomes a
Visceral intensity with which she still feels attached means of preserving
Self-preservation requires you to to ‘her father’s house pressing into the bone’ - individual identity +
leave past behind childhood not always comfortable/ pleasant? resisting Gilead’s attempts
Ominous tone continues to darken - ‘motorway to erase personal histories
groaned’ + simile ‘tossed by a lorry into the air like + using past as anchor of
a doll’ = dangers of outside world; fear of unknown; hope
frightened to leave place of familiarity+safety;
escape
Past self described as ‘ghost’ - final renunciation of
her former identity ( archetypal image of renewal ‘
sloughed like a snake’s’) but fails to embrace
new-found freedom - separated from mark of past,
she feels unbalanced, diseased, as her ‘skin itched
like a rash’ - sensuous language
End with ‘old streets tunnelled and burrowed,
hunting for home’ - pull of past still shapes part of
who she is; permanent? Separation from past
successful? No finality
AO4 LINK: Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go’ - characters confront their existential dilemma of whether their predetermined fates define their humanity
‘Beautiful’
Key aspect of Modern Key techniques/ features(AO2) Comparison with other Comparison with Comparison with Context(AO3)
times(AO1) poems (AO4) ‘A Streetcar ‘The Handmaid’s
, ‘Feminine Gospels’ by Duffy (2002)
Named Desire’’ Tale’ (AO4)
(AO4)
Questions whether Caesura in ‘Who looked there, loved’ = inevitable to fall in love Gap between who she Blache’s search Restrictions on Helen of Troy - beauty
love is genuine or Simile of wedding ring ‘like a tip’ demeans symbolism of love that really is and for love love said to be
influenced by external came with marriage presentation Loss/ suppression unparalleled+
factors such as ‘her name tattooed’ - permanency of devotion Loyalty of Offred’s former abduction by Paris, a
appearance; Antony sacrifices duty over love tested+strained identity prince of Troy, which
superficiality of objectification /suffering of historical women across time as largely set off the Trojan War
physical appearance; caused by male gaze Gilead exerting
beauty inspires loyalty Arthur Miller became her third husband hyperbole= extent of her control over Monroe's image
appeal ‘The whole world swooned’ - public buying into image of women became symbolic of
celebrity couple - perceived perfection certain ideals
‘painted the beauty on’ - difference between projection of glorified Media tool of associated with beauty,
image and reality propaganda to femininity, and
‘wooden prince’ stiffness implies unhappiness in marriage control public Hollywood glamour
‘how they loved her’ - sarcastic; not pure adoration perception
Celebrity industry+
Identity based on ‘enchanted’ - men under her spell; many wanted to emulate Diana’s Fetishisation of Blanche’s Dehumanisation capitalist system played
societal expectations + appearance ‘what she wore they’d wear’ Monroe's image may struggle to of individuals role in production +
media representations have had maintain a within capitalist exploitation of her
of beauty Beauty seen as a trap despite all that it inspires ‘little bird inside a consequences on facade of system image (‘filmed her
cage’ societal perceptions of gentility+youth beautiful’) - industry
Exploitation of beauty beauty, femininity + ‘Dumb beauty’ & profits from her
Cleopatra flawed but very much in position of power+ full of success - precedes Characters vie ‘empty head’ - +control over her/
Power of beauty; confidence + renders others unable to do anything because they ‘The Diet’ & eating for control mute; starts verse generator of wealth for
beauty overtakes are so in awe ‘she had him gibbering in bed by twelve’; intense disorder ‘her bones with scathing them
identity sexuality - depicted as irresistible + always in control; sexuality used danced’ tone; no one
to enhance military+political power cares about her Press’s involvement in
Role of media in voice; passive; Diana’s accident
promoting + destroying consumption of Monroe's image through films +photographs implied criticism
the person they are exemplifies commodity fetishism that she has Diana suffered from
publicising accepted outcome bulimia
How inevitable? Third person rather than her view so limited
sympathy? Regulated +
ritualised
Begins last section in sarcastic+brutal tone ‘elegant bone’ expression of
‘Act like’ image/expectations of the press she has to live up to sexuality +
, ‘Feminine Gospels’ by Duffy (2002)
suppression of
sexual agency
Physical beauty Modern colloquial ‘drop-dead gorgeous’ Asyndetic listing
associated with sexual ‘stylish shroud’ & ‘dark roots of her pubic hair’ still focus on ‘filmed more, quiet
desirability; transcends physicality even in death please, action, cut,
time; a burden? Commodity fetishism can create false illusions of fulfilment quiet please’ no
satisfaction; valuable + of worth (‘gem’, ‘sapphires’, ‘gold’) but respite ‘Work’
mistreated - celebrity life problematic+difficult ‘she couldn’t die when
she died’ - can’t escape long tiring cycle of being filmed+watched
‘puffy face’ - suffering; unhappiness starting to emerge; exhausting
expectations
AO4 LINK: Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go’ depict the clones as fully developed characters with emotions, challenging the treatment of individuals as
commodities
‘The Diet’
Key aspect of Key techniques/ features(AO2) Comparison with other Comparison with ‘A Comparison with Context(AO3)
Modern poems (AO4) Streetcar Named ‘The Handmaid’s
times(AO1) Desire’’ (AO4) Tale’ (AO4)
Women defined Begins with ironic cliche ‘The diet worked like a dream.’ glorifies diet as ‘TWWS’ extended ‘untouched’ Manipulation of Societal pressure
by their beauty; healthy; optimistic yet unrealistic expectations metaphor to criticise apple=biblical beauty + fertility as leads to women
unattainable society; habits become connotations of tools of control - criticising themselves
beauty ‘mirror, svelter, slimmer’ constantly looking in mirror uncontrollable; more desire, mirroring her dehumanising
standards; insight into emotions + desperation to nature of beauty Suffering caused by
unhealthy Sensuous language ‘She loved flesh and blood’ - irony given that her isolation+vulnerable in eat+how she is standards unrealistic
weight loss objection is to lose fat ‘Diet’ - more sympathy proud of resisting the expectations of
idealised encouraged fruit, romanticising women to look
+rewarded Personification emphasises how closely connected she is to the Desire for idealised her unhealthy weight perfect
disorder+whole identity is her illness ‘Anorexia’s true daughter’ - body linked to loss
romantic imagery portrays it as something to aspire to consumption of Pervasive influence
products, diets, and Blanche’s obsession of media on shaping
beauty treatments - with ideals
consumerism youth/physicality -
contributes to shaping fading beauty
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