Duffys poetry Essay

A critic has writ7ten that Duffys poetry is primarily concerned with human impuissances. To what issue do you feel this is true of The Worlds wife? Refer to two or three verse forms in position or range more widely through the whole collection. Carol Ann Duffys collection of The Worlds wife revolves a lot around the subject of human failings. Duffys use of everyday language onlyows her metrical compositions to be interpreted by everyone. In the collection of The Worlds Wife she tackles serious issues such as gender, contemporary culture, insanity and social inequality.These themes allow her to writing to appeal to a contemporary audience and delivers key messages. The theme of dignity is seen in several poems, in Mrs Icarus we see that she finds his arrogance unappealing and that she feels as if men feel they back defy the acts of God hes a total, utter absolute, Grade A pillock. This is similar to Faust, who interchange his sole to the devil in return for twenty-four ye ars of unlimited pleasure, knowledge and power he boasts I spent the night being pleasured by a virtual Helen of Troy. Dr Faustus lack of self control, ignorance and airfield arrogance could be assumed to be a failing, although he lived a happy life his inhibitions to be successful he needed the aid of the devil therefore he was doomed from the beginning. present we goat see the obvious links between the two poems and how the two characters egotistical ways led to their failure. oneness interesting failure Duffy uses is seen in the poem The Devils Wife, Duffy interestingly splits this poem into six sections which all rival back to different themes, we see the value of a relationships, motherhood and repentance.The poem is written based on the background history of the Moors Murders, with the protagonist Myra Hindley and how she became besotted with sociopath Ian Brady. In the first ramify of the poem we as the readers see how Duffy, displays Hindley as being the ordinary offic e worker with a crush I scowled and poured and sneered. I gave as good as good as I got till he asked me break through we scum bag see that she was the one who initiated the whole relationship. The story changes He entered me. From this moment she was now his, this could be some other failing that men have more control than women and she was just his puppet he made me bury a birdie. Duffy uses an interesting metaphor here, she say doll instead of a child as a doll is thought to be a childs toy and just a possession which they lastly no longer require. It ends with I felt like this Tongue of stone. Two black slates for eyes. Thumped wound of a mouth. Nobodys Mam. We can see that she has become so obsessed with him, her life has changed forever.Also we be able to identify a nonher theme of motherhood, people were unable to understand how Hindley was able to commit the close to abhorrent, sadistic and unforgivable crimes against children as women are associated with protective mother make do. We then see that in the deuce-ace part of the poem, Duffy uses a sonnet in an untraditional form instead of it being the ordinary love poem, the lack of punctuation shows Hindleys state of mind and shes finally repenting and blaming Brady for all of the murders. The final part of the poem gives different forms of execution and she finally admits she was in fact the Devil wife.Although this poem is lengthy, the key themes all relate to the main subject of human failings, love is a key importance in this poem He held my heart in his fist and squeezed it dry. Here we can see that men are paramount in relationships and Brady was in control of Hindley, which could be deemed a failing. Also motherhood is a joyous lay out in life and could be one of the most important things in life plainly Hindley displays stolidity towards children and lets Brady control her life I flew in my chainswhere wed buried the doll. Finally we see another theme of repentance Get me a Bible honestly promise you swear but by the time she finally realised her mistakes it was too late. Another them used is Power, this could also be assumed as a failing. In Mrs Midas, in which she finds that everything her husband touches turns to gold soon after she realises the marriage will not work because of her husbands selfishness. I thought of the Field of the Cloth of Gold and of Miss Macready. Here we can see that her husband valued wealth above everything else, but it wasnt until he accidently stirred his daughter he realised the mistake of his greed that was his failing. In The Kray Sisters, Duffy subverts the original story by utilise female portrayals instead of men the poem uses cockney slang which allows us as readers to interact more with the poem and makes it more believable. The Kray Twins ran a protective racket, and were well known West End gangsters. The poem actually displays the success of the twins and how they were feared among the streets.However interestingly this so-called look upon may have precondition the Krays the authority they wanted We wanted respect for the way we entered a bar, or handled a car, or shrivelled a hard-on with simply a menacing look However ultimately this respect led to the demise of the twins and they may have ruled the west end during their time but landed themselves a life-sentence in prison. Was it really worth it? Respect and honour are meant to be gain with dignity not by threatening and violating people therefore I think that although this poem contains lordly connotations it ultimately displays a failing.Duffys collection of the Worlds Wife is an interesting selection of poems and it is clear that one of the major themes associated with the collection is Human Failings, although these are not seen clearly and not every persona fails the actions they carry out could be assumed as a failing. The ironical and satirical way Duffy writes displays the dark humour of The Worlds Wife we can see that Duffy tr ies to impersonate the wives of famous characters both factious and fictions.