feminine gospels

• Carol Ann Duffy's 'Feminine Gospels'

  
• Carol Ann Duffy: ''Feminine Gospels''

  
• 'The Long Queen'


  Refers to Queen Elizabeth I, who enjoyed a 'long reign' from 1558 to 1603
• Seven key quotations from 'The Long Queen'

  • 'The Long Queen couldn't die... Long live the Queen.'
  • 'she'd looked at the foreign prince, / the heir to the duke, the lord, the baronet, the count, / then taken Time for a husband.'
  • 'What was she queen of? Women, girls, / spinsters and hags, matrons, wet nurses, / witches, widows, wives, mothers of all these.'
  • 'No girl born who wasn't the Long Queen's always child.'
  • 'Unseen, she ruled and reigned'
  • 'What were her laws? Childhood... Blood... Tears... Childbirth...'
  • 'her ear tuned / to the light music of girls, the / drums of women, the faint strings / of the old.'
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of 'The Long Queen'


  • Duffy presents Queen Elizabeth I as a maternal figure to an entire nation, specifically to females
  • Duffy highlights society's expectation that women should embrace motherhood, even in a position of power
  • The 'Long Queen' is presented as a figurehead and symbol of feminist independence
• Language features in 'The Long Queen'

  • Deliberate anonymity of 'the Long Queen'
  • Asyndetic listing
  • Double meaning of 'unseen, she ruled and reigned'
  • Metaphorical 'laws' - 'Childhood', 'Blood', 'Tears', 'Childbirth'
  • Rhetorical questions
• Form/structure of 'The Long Queen'


  • Constant enjambment
  • Rhetorical questions to structure the poem
  • Italicised 'laws' - Childhood, Blood, Tears, Childbirth
• 'The Map-Woman'


  Metaphorical description of 'a woman's skin' as 'a map of the town' - i.e. we are shaped by our past experiences, where we have been, what we have done, who we have met, etc.
• Six key quotations from 'The Map-Woman'


  • 'A woman's skin was a map of the town'
  • 'covered it up with a dress, with a shawl, with a hat, with mitts or a muff, with leggings, trousers...'
  • 'Over her breast was the heart of the town'
  • 'veins like shadows... the river an artery'
  • 'She didn't live there anymore.'
  • 'edge of a fingernail pressed on her flesh'
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of 'The Map-Woman'

  • Inescapability of identity: metaphorical description of 'a woman's skin' as 'a map of the town'
  • Hyphen in title forms compound noun - 'Map-Woman' - emphasising inextricable link between place (and past experience) and our identity
• Language features in 'The Map-Woman'

  • Metaphor 'skin' = 'map'
  • Simile 'like shadows'
  • Asyndeton
  • Metaphorical 'fingernail pressed on her flesh'
  • Semantic field of luxury/decadence towards end
  • Sexual imagery
  • Semantic field of travel
• Form/structure of 'The Map-Woman'

  • Nostalgic tone
  • Tonal shift
  • Darkness of tone towards end of poem
  • Length of poem; length of stanzas; enjambment
• Twelve key quotations from 'Beautiful'

  • 'a daughter of the gods... drop-dead gorgeous, beautiful... a stunner...immortal eyes. / Who looked there, loved.'
  • 'So when she took a lover, fled, was nowhere to be seen... it was War... Beauty is fame.'
  • 'But lived alone / and kept a little bird inside a cage.'
  • 'She knew her man... reached and pulled him down... slipped her gambling hand / into his pouch and took his gold, bit it, / Caesar's head between her teeth.'
  • 'She played with him / at dice, rolled sixes in the dust... She matched him glass for glass in drinking games... He killed a stag. / She hacked the heart out...'
  • 'He had no choice, upped sticks, / downed tools... armies changing sides, / ...cities lost forever in the sea, of snakes.'
  • 'The camera loved her... They filmed her / famous, filmed her beautiful.'
  • 'Guys fell / in love, dames copied her. An athlete licked the raindrops from her fingertips / to quench his thirst.'
  • 'She married him. The US whooped... The audience drooled. / Dumb beauty... / They filmed on, deep, dumped what they couldn't use...'
  • 'Plain women turned in the streets / where her shadow fell, under / her spell... Beauty is fate...'
  • 'Act like a fucking princess - / how they loved her, / the men from the press - / Give us a smile, cunt.'
  • 'flashbulbs, / the half-mast flags, the acres of flowers, / History's stinking breath in her face.'
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of 'Beautiful'


  • Duffy criticises patriarchal society for suggesting that women's status/power can come only from physical 'beauty'
  • Duffy criticises patriarchal society for the fact that men lead to the tragic demise of each of the women
  • Duffy uses the 'beautiful' women to challenge patriarchal dominance
• Language features in 'Beautiful'

  • Vulgar, misogynistic language used in reference to Princess Diana
  • Metaphor of 'a little bird inside a cage'
  • Pronouns 'She' and 'her' used throughout
  • Clever repetition of 'Beauty is...'
  • Imagery in reference to Cleopatra
  • Imagery in reference to Marilyn Monroe and Helen of Troy
• Form/structure of 'Beautiful'

  • Poem separated into 4 sections (Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana), but always pronoun 'She'
  • Constant enjambment
• 'The Diet'


  Duffy criticising society's obsession with physical 'perfection', obsession with body image, etc. - i.e. patriarchal society's superficial expectations of female appearance
• Seven key quotations from 'The Diet'

  • 'The diet worked like a dream.'
  • '...week one, she was half a stone / shy of ten and shrinking, skipping breakfast, / lunch, dinner, thinner...'
  • 'by the end of the month, she was skin / and bone... starved on, stayed in... svelter, slimmer...'
  • 'Her skeleton preened / under its tight flesh dress.'
  • 'What passed her lips? Air, / water. She was Anorexia's true daughter...'
  • 'An empty beer bottle rolled / in the gutter. She crawled in, got drunk...Tiny others joined in... They raved...'
  • '...stilton, / roquefort, weisslacker-käse, gex... inside the Fat Woman now, / trying to get out.'
• Duffy criticising society's obsession with physical 'perfection', obsession with body image, etc. – i.e. patriarchal society's superficial expectations of female appearance. To achieve this, she uses an extreme and surrealist example of a woman who embarks upon a 'Diet'.
• The point Duffy makes is that 'The Diet' becomes impossible for the woman to control – 'skipping breakfast, lunch, dinner, thinner…' etc. – and highlighting the dangers of unhealthy body image.
• Thinly-veiled criticism of patriarchy: 'male gaze' determines female beauty standards, and creates society in which women's worth is defined by their 'beauty' in the eyes ('gaze') of men; Duffy uses surrealism to highlight lengths to which women will go to appear thin and 'beautiful'.
• Language features


  • Excessively long, listing sentences with constant enjambment and asyndetic listing (e.g. 'shrinking, skipping breakfast, lunch, dinner, thinner…' etc.) – highlighting how quickly this 'diet' can spiral out of a person's control
  • Personification of 'Anorexia' and suggestion that the woman is 'Anorexia's true daughter' – emphasises how the disease now has control of her, like a mother over her child. It also suggests that this has now become her identity: she is known as 'Anorexia's true daughter', because, in society's eyes, this is how she is now judged
  • Shocking, graphic imagery – e.g. 'Her skeleton preened under its tight flesh dress' – personification of the 'skeleton', because she now appears to be more of a 'skeleton' than a living, healthy human. Juxtaposition between 'skeleton', connotations of death, and 'preened'/'dress', associated with pride in appearance and elegance/fashion, highlights what is wrong with society's obsession with being 'thinner'. It is dangerous
  • Surrealist imagery: 'An empty beer bottle rolled in the gutter. She crawled in…' – emphasises how unrealistic, almost ridiculous, society's expectations of female physical 'beauty' are
  • Simile 'worked like a dream' further emphasises this idea: 'like a dream' alludes to the fact that society's expectations of body image are delusional and unrealistic
• Form/structure


  • Poem begins with a short sentence: 'The diet worked like a dream.' Misleading, since the vast majority of the poem is long, winding, listing sentences that reflect the woman's inability to control her 'diet'. Duffy opens with this short sentence to emphasise just how wrong this idea – that a 'diet' can simply 'work' – is. It oversimplifies something much more complex, as the rest of the poem reveals
  • Constant enjambment throughout emphasises the female persona's lack of control over her diet, and the fact that her physical health is now spiralling out of control. The long sentences and constant listing further reiterate this idea
  • Ending is ambiguous: 'inside the Fat Woman now, trying to get out' – has 'Anorexia' been defeated, and the woman is now just enjoying her food without fear of society's judgement? Or is 'trying to get out' an ominous tone, reflecting the inevitability of anorexia infecting yet another victim?
• Surrealist criticism of commercialisation/capitalism, objectification/exploitation of women: capitalism/commercialisation can ruin anyone, but women are targeted and more vulnerable to pressures of it – often objectified and exploited, either literally (prostitution) or by companies who target women to buy their goods/services (pressure on women to look a certain way, maintain a certain lifestyle – again, subtle hint at 'male gaze' theory')
• Poem follows nameless shopaholic, exaggerating her traits/behaviour until every moment of her life is consumed by shopping – and, ultimately, she becomes the shop (like 'The Diet' – idea of a woman's life spiralling out of control, consumed by a condition that is a direct result of patriarchal society)
• Surrealist nature of poem, and aggressive language at end, could perhaps be Duffy criticising social stereotype that all women love shopping/wasting money – perhaps she is attacking this generalisation/stereotype.
• Language features


  • Fairy-tale/biblical imagery and metaphor of 'apple' in first stanza: hints at the temptation of capitalism, shops teasing and appealing to women to come and buy products – alludes to Eve's temptation (Original Sin, the 'Fall' in the Garden of Eden) – hints at capitalism being cause of woman's downfall
  • Long sentences, full of long, asyndetic lists – 'wanted a wedding, a wedding dress, groom, married him, wanted a honeymoon, went on one, looked at the gold of her ring…' – breathlessness, emphasising woman's gradual loss of control and extent to which capitalism/commercialisation has overwhelmed her
  • Nonchalant verbs such as 'shrugged', 'fixed', 'tapping' – as if careless, casual spending without thought
  • Imagery becomes more desperate towards middle of poem – 'fled', 'pressed her face to the pane' – juxtaposition between this image of desperation and 'the happy shoppers' in the shop
  • Surrealist imagery: 'Stone cold when she woke, she was stone… concrete and glass.' – woman has become homeless, sleeping on street, and in typically surrealist Duffy fashion, she becomes the shop itself. Duffy highlighting dangers of capitalism/commercialisation
  • Apocalyptic imagery to end poem – 'sky… ripping itself into shreds', 'Birds shrieked and voided themselves in her stone hair.' – destruction/devastation caused by woman's addiction to shopping
• Form/structure

  • Juxtaposition between imagery of wealth/decadence at start of poem – frivolous spending and excitement of the asyndetic lists, luxury items, etc. – and apocalyptic imagery at end of poem: 'sky… into shreds' – highlights extent to which something pleasurable (buying nice things) can become destructive
  • Seven stanzas, break, seven stanzas – could reflect seven days of the week, as if woman spending money 24/7, excessively, etc. – woman's addiction to shopping is all-consuming, every day, etc.
  • Tonal shift in 'fled, took to the streets' – allusion to people running from their financial problems. After this, mood becomes one of sombre misery and poignant suffering, not of carefree excitement
• Duffy both celebrating women's contributions to society – their 'Work' – and criticising patriarchal society for its lack of recognition of the 'Work' that women do, not only in raising a family ('To feed one… twins… feed four… brood doubled… Her offspring…') but in active, physical, labour.
• Empowerment of women – 'no stopping her' – and highlighting the fact that, without women, there would be no world/society as we know it: 'built streets… Cities grew…' etc.
• Like poems such as 'The Diet', 'Tall' and 'The Woman Who Shopped', this poem begins with realism – 'To feed one, she worked from home…' – but becomes increasingly surrealist, emphasising a) ridiculousness of society's lack of recognition of women's 'Work'/contributions, and b) the fact that women juggle so many jobs – so much 'Work' – and it is never fully appreciated.
• Language features

  • Juxtaposition between stereotypically feminine imagery at start – 'To feed… washing, ironing…' – and increasingly stereotypically masculine imagery: e.g. verbs such as 'grafted', 'toiled', 'sweated', 'lifted' – active, dynamic verbs, connotations of strength – Duffy reclaiming this 'Work': women can also be strong, perform physical labour, etc.
  • Realism becoming surrealism: 'To feed one…' eventually becomes surrealist imagery ('feed the world', 'a billion named', etc.) – women providing for others: role of mother combining with 'work' (jobs) to unmanageable, unsustainable proportions (hence the surrealism, and the sombre ending – 'died… to the bone, her fingers…')
  • As usual, long, asyndetic lists, and enjambment between stanzas – emphasises extent to which woman is struggling to cope, and never-ending pressure – in society – on women to provide for family
  • Everyday imagery – 'washing, ironing, sewing' – becomes magnified, monumental tasks: 'built streets… cities grew… laid down track…' – Duffy suggesting that women built civilisation/society as we know it
  • Metaphor of 'life was a dream' in first stanza – alludes to unrealistic/ridiculous nature of suggestion that women's role is purely domestic (mothers, housewives, etc.) – but also implies that life would be much easier if that WERE all that women had to contend with (instead of juggling family, jobs, etc.)
• Form/structure


  • Stanzas fit/can be pieced together – as if all pieces of puzzle (and that puzzle is women's 'work' – what they have to do) – but also so that it looks as if the stanzas are piled on top of each other, to symbolise the jobs/roles/responsibilities that women must constantly juggle, carry, etc.
  • Poem begins with realism – 'feed one… washing, ironing… feed two, worked outside… Twins were born…' – but, very quickly, Duffy's affinity for the surreal takes over: increasingly surrealist, hyperbolic imagery throughout poem ('Mother to millions… A billion named…') – possible reference to Mother Nature? – but mainly to emphasise the enormous expectations/burden placed on women in society (expected to raise family but, increasingly in 21st c., rise/progress professionally)
  • Tone at end = sombre, tragic – 'died, lay in a grave, worked, to the bone, her fingers twenty-four seven.' – allusion to woman finally succumbing to pressure of the burden/expectations; can no longer cope – word order is unnatural: should read 'worked her fingers to the bone', but commas interrupt the sentence and order of words is confused – emphasises woman's exhaustion
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of the poem?: 'With increasing surrealism, Duffy charts the literal and metaphorical growth of an unnamed 'woman', although the speaker's repetition of 'man' alludes to male hindrance of female progress. The fact that the poem ends with a pessimistic tone ('She cured no one... colder, aloner...') suggests that powerful, influential women ultimately become isolated and vilified due to their success and the fact that it challenges patriarchal conventions: the woman shatters the glass ceiling, but cannot pull the 'small women' through with her. Duffy challenging patriarchal dominance – 'bigger than any man' – and once again using her poetry to advocate gender equality and promote her feminist message of female empowerment, through the metaphorical journey of the growth of 'the woman' who is 'taller daily'.'
• Language features?: 'Duffy's use of the comparative 'bigger' seemingly represents a less-than-subtle swipe at a male audience, whilst images of 'an old man long dead in a chair' and 'men on stilts' metaphorically refer to both the supposed end of patriarchal dominance and dawn of female superiority. Imagery of 'a wish' and 'a tree dangled an apple' convey the idea that you should 'be careful what you wish for' – 'apple' is reference to Eden and Original Sin, this woman 'bit it', and ultimately regrets her growth and 'tall' stature because of her isolation. Surrealist imagery – like 'The Diet' – to perhaps emphasise how, in such a fiercely, rigidly patriarchal society, unrealistic/difficult it is to achieve gender equality and female empowerment: 'She needed a turret... men on stilts... She stooped low... and caught... from the burning towers.' Double meanings throughout poem – 'Taller' = comparative adjective to reflect the persona's growth, but it also becomes her name: 'Taller was colder, aloner...', suggesting that the woman becomes defined by her size, not identified by name. Personification of 'traffic light' that 'stuttered on red' and 'went out' – i.e. nothing can stop female empowerment.'
• Form/structure?: 'Poem begins 'in medias res' – 'Then, like a christening gift...' – suggesting an element of normality, as if this woman's growth simply happened. Duffy perhaps trying to normalise the idea of female success and empowerment: it should not be something extraordinary. Constant enjambment and asyndetic listing (typical Duffy poetic features) create relentless pace that mirrors the speed with which the woman has grown. Poem's ending is almost apocalyptic: if we do not push for gender equality, and if women do not work together towards female empowerment, it will be to society's detriment ('burning towers'). Time markers – 'Day one... Day two... Day three... Day six...' – Duffy almost re-telling story of creation, except it is the creation of a 'tall woman'. This links to the 'gospel' aspect of the collection's title: Duffy wants to re-tell society's 'truths' from a feminist perspective.'
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of the poem?: 'Duffy introduces problems created by patriarchal world: wars = man-made, majority of world leaders = men; conflict, aggression = stereotypically masculine – 'bullets... bomb... screams of the children...' – collectively, 'the News'. Persona becomes 'Loud' – finds her voice: Duffy highlighting and criticising the voicelessness of women throughout history and, by drawing attention to the conflict/suffering in the 'News', emphasising the consequences of men dominating society and ignoring women's voices. As in 'Tall', poem is about growth/progress, and moves from realism to surrealism: but, like 'Tall', 'Loud' shows the limitations to the woman finding her voice – she cannot change the suffering that she sees: 'She bawled at the moon... hollered into the dark where fighter planes buzzed at her face.''
• Language features?: 'Simile 'voice ripped out of her throat like a firework' and 'made her jump' – connotations of 'firework' (celebration, energetic, etc.) suggest woman finding voice = cause for celebration – phrase 'made her jump' = surprise – emphasising society's expectations: women expected to be quiet, submissive, acquiescent, etc. – even persona is surprised. Semantic field of noise – 'crack... roar... scream... shriek... wailing... rumbling... howled...' etc. – emphasises power of the female persona's voice. Imagery associated with woman's voice gradually transforms throughout poem – begins with 'firework' (simile), suggesting celebration of female voice, but later simile 'rumbling like an avalanche' and metaphor 'her voice stomped through the city', evoking images of King Kong/Godzilla, some destructive monster, implies growing anger – rage at the fact that, despite having found her voice, nothing is changing.'
• Form/structure?: 'Typical Duffy structure: no consistent rhyme, but moments of internal rhyme ('hear... spear... swelling... felling...') which quicken pace and build momentum, as if reader can feel growing rage of the 'Loud' persona's voice. Tone of optimism in first two stanzas – 'Now she was loud... Now she could roar.' – but imagery becomes increasingly dark, pessimistic, hopeless: 'scream was a huge bird that flew her away into the dark... bawled at the moon... hollered into the dark...' – reflecting idea that women have been voiceless for so long that this one 'loud' woman cannot make a serious, substantive change (similar to concept in 'Tall'). Final line of each stanza = shorter – as if symbolic of the persona's failure to bring about change.'
• Duffy's message/ideas/meaning of the poem?: 'Poem explores 'history' from female perspective – Duffy criticising how 'history' has been written almost exclusively by men (i.e. 'history' = patriarchal) and voices of women ignored – conveys this criticism through personification of a single woman, left alone and ignored in her old age. Duffy recounts significant historical moments – crucifixion of Christ, 'crusades', World War Two ('dictator strutting...'), 'Vietnam', etc. – and unnamed woman was present for it all (all conflict/issues caused by men, male leaders, etc.), yet ignored and (as ending of poem suggests) ultimately forgotten.'