Anne Hathaway Flashcards
the bed we loved in was a spinning world
Imagery - Suggests their love made her dizzy, was all encompassing and exciting. Interestingly, despite bearing him three children, the persona focuses only on their relationship as lovers, not parents.
of forests, castles, torchlight, cliff-tops, seas
Imagery - Reader is transported to a magical landscape filled with metaphor, romance and intrigue where Shakespeare’s writing and his love for Anne are intertwined. Mirrors Shakespeare’s own writing (Macbeth, etc.) Link between these iconic works of literature and the poetry –echoes the excitement that took place in this bed
he would dive for pearls
In their lovemaking, they found something precious and valuable - “pearls” - Intimate, sensual tone
My lover’s words were shooting stars which fell to earth as kisses on these lips
Enjambment - Throughout the poem to show how freely and without obstruction the love flowed between the couple.This intimate, sensual tone continues in the metaphor above. Hathaway was seduced by her lover’s language and poetry, which literally seems to fall from the heavens as though a gift from the gods before transforming into the physical touch of a kiss.
my body now a softer rhyme to his
Language/poetry metaphor is extended. Uses poetic terms to describe intimacy between both - her body is a “softer rhyme” to his harder, more masculine body, embracing a kind of stereotypical femininity.
now echo, assonance; his touch
Anne imagines she is a product of her husband’s imagination, written into existence through their passionate exchanges like a character from his plays. Suggests that it is only when she considers herself through his eyes and imagination that she feels most fully alive.
verb dancing in the centre of a noun.
Imagery - The erotic touch of his hand on her body is described as “a verb dancing in the centre of a noun.” This deliberate comparison elevates their lovemaking to something poetic and in doing so literary or linguistic terms become loaded with sensuality. Poetry and intimacy are interwoven
Some nights I dreamed he’d written me
Symbol - The reference again to the bed at the end of line 8 creates a link to the opening line of the poem and reinforces the symbolic significance of the bed as a representation of their love.
the bed a page beneath his writer’s hands.
Imagery - She is his ultimate muse, not just inspiring him to produce great works but actually becoming them. The writing/intimacy metaphor is extended (the bed is a page, and Anne is the writing on it).
Romance and drama
Word Choice - Persona implies the inspiration for his characters and plots came from their lovemaking (itself enacting a drama). The word “romance” is deliberately placed at the end of line 9 to emphasise that this is what she most associates with their relationship. Life is better than art.
played by touch, by scent, by taste.
Sensory Imagery is employed “touch”, “scent”,” taste” to reinforce just how vividly she can still recall their lovemaking as though through immersing herself in these memories she can experience this passion once more.
other bed, the best, our guests dozed on,
dribbling their prose
Contrast - compares the poetry and sensuality of their lovemaking with those who slept in the “other bed”. Uses withering, disparaging comment. The implication is clear: poetry symbolises the most skilful and creative use of language while prose (novels etc.)by comparison is unexceptional. Their intimacy is magical compared to others.
My living laughing love
Alliteration and Assonance – Used to emphasise again how clearly the speaker can recall their passion. Suggests that her lover continues in some ways to exist and survive in her memory. The dash creates a pause to allow us to reflect on this idea and prepare us for the resolution and the final couplet.
I hold him in the casket of my widow’s head as he held me upon that next best bed.
Rhyme - The final couplet ends with the masculine full rhyme (unlike the rest of poem) of “head” and “bed” to provide a defined conclusion to the poem. Just as the last two lines of a Shakespearian sonnet would end, gives a sense of unity.
Metaphor of holding her lover in the protective “casket” of her imagination reiterates the idea presented in the previous line suggesting that our memory of a deceased loved one in a way allows their continued existence. She treasures her memories of him.Duffy seems to suggest that keeping vivid memories of loved ones is much more fitting than the urn or coffin, which although may contain the physical remnants of a body, it can never capture the energy or vitality of their character. In doing so and by allowing her to replay her memories of their passion, she is really honouring his true legacy and repaying him for the way that he held her in “that next best bed.”
