the long queen

• The Long Queen is a poem about the symbol of female success, and her reign being illustrated by supporting other women.
• The poem explores the reign of Elizabeth i (1558 - 1603) who never married and had no children.
• The poem has seven stanzas and six lines. This consistency reflects her stable reign.
• The first stanza:

  • "couldn't die" - the extent of women's influence and power extending through time
  • "cold weight of the crown" - sacrifice, burden that she is submissive to
  • Typical Duffy asyndetic list - endless suitors for her, but she chooses to focus on her reign and power.
  • Personification of time
  • Syntax of the last word "Queen" - symbol of power
• The second stanza:

  • Asyndetic list - she is power and hope to all women and provides support and visibility even to rejected women
  • Consonance "w" - unity of women under the queen
  • Unconditional maternal love
• The third stanza:

  • Although not visible, her influence is felt. She is like a legend or a fairytale
  • She is idolised by Duffy's mythic semantics
  • Women are safe under her rule - she is loved by all
• The fourth stanza:

  • She created a society where girls would be protected
  • "girl growing" - ageing, extended sound being emblematic of growing and changing
• The fifth stanza:

  • She dispels the shame of periods
  • Natural cycle of the moon
  • "Tears: salt pearls, bright jewels" - pain is valuable and cared for, tears not be ignored
  • Fertility and periods portrayed as beautiful - reverses the demonisation of women
• The sixth stanza:

  • "scarlet" - deep red to reflect pain and blood
  • "sore flowers" - delicacy v raw ache, oxymoron, natural and beautiful but painful
  • Women can still be maternal figures
• The seventh stanza:

  • She is separated from her subjects - power dynamic
  • "Long Queen" is placed in between two caesuras - isolated but powerful enough on her own.
  • Her devotion to women, she would give up all her materialistic possessions, putting her rule before her own happiness
• "All her possessions for a moment of time" - Elizabeth i's last words
• Themes of The Long Queen:

  • Isolation
  • Power
  • Maternity
  • Female solidarity
  • Enduring memory