Before You Were Mine Flashcards
Who wrote before you were mine
Carol Ann Duffy
What is the primary subject of the poem?
The speaker’s mother
What does the speaker look at that prompts her reflections?
A photograph of her mother
What two aspects of her mother’s life does the speaker blend in her reflections?
Childhood memories and imagined life before her birth
What tone does the poem shift to as the speaker reflects on her mother’s life?
Regret
What does the speaker contemplate regarding her mother’s sacrifices?
The sacrifices her mother must have made when she was born
Fill in the blank: The poem is addressed to the speaker’s _______.
[mother]
True or False: The speaker only focuses on her own childhood memories in the poem.
False
What is the effect of blending childhood memories with imagined life experiences?
It creates a deeper understanding of her mother’s sacrifices
What effect did the death of Duffy’s mother have on the poem?
It had an effect of ‘heartbreak’ on Duffy.
Duffy’s mother died a decade after the poem was written.
In what decade was Duffy raised?
1950s.
What religious background did Duffy have during her upbringing?
Roman Catholic.
What structural elements are present in the poem?
Separated pronouns, simple sentence & stanza structures, caesura, enaleptic frames housing flashbacks.
These elements contribute to the overall flow and impact of the poem.
What type of language does Duffy use in the poem?
Synesthesia, colloquial & possessive language, religious connotations.
What prompted Duffy to write the poem?
A response to a photo of Duffy’s mother when she was younger.
What societal expectations does the poem reflect?
The strict expectations placed on both mothers & children in the mid 1900s.
Fill in the blank: Duffy was raised in the _______.
[1950s].
True or False: The poem is structured with complex sentence structures.
False.
What does the speaker think back to regarding her mother’s life?
Ten years before she was born.
What clothing item is the mother described as wearing in the speaker’s memory?
A polka-dot dress.
To whom does the speaker compare her mother?
Marilyn Monroe.
What activity is the mother described as doing with friends?
Dancing and having a good night out.
What happens to the mother when she returns home after a night out?
She gets told off by her parents.
What event do the speaker and her mother attend together after the speaker is born?
Mass.
What do the speaker and her mother do while going to Mass?
Dance down the street together.
What tone does the speaker conclude with regarding her mother’s life?
A tone of regret.
How does the speaker feel about her mother’s life before she was born?
It seemed good before the speaker was born and disrupted it.
What does the separation between the address ‘you’ and ‘I’ highlight?
A tone of distance between the two individuals.
What does ‘corner’ symbolize in the context of the poem?
The mother is in a liminal state between childhood and adulthood.
Who does Duffy compare her mother to?
Marilyn Monroe.
What effect does Duffy achieve by using a single word sentence for ‘Marilyn’?
Emphasises the separation between her mother in the past and during Duffy’s childhood.
What significant event is associated with Marilyn Monroe that may reflect Duffy’s feelings?
Monroe committed suicide.
How is female sexuality described in relation to a woman’s individual freedom?
Intrinsically linked.
What phrase does Duffy repeat to emphasize the title’s importance?
‘Before you were mine.’
What themes does Duffy introduce regarding her mother’s life before her birth?
Freedom
Independence
What does the relaxed tone of ‘pals’ suggest about Duffy’s view of her mother?
Duffy is comfortable and has an intimate bond with her mother.
What does the word ‘shriek’ convey about Duffy’s mother’s past?
A jovial and playful image.
What societal pressures does Duffy comment on in relation to motherhood?
Unfair discrepancies in expectations between mothers and fathers.
What tone does Duffy express regarding her mother’s carefree life before her birth?
Regret.
What does the mention of ‘movies’ contrast with in Duffy’s poem?
The harsh realities of life and responsibilities of being a mother.
What does the use of ‘eh’ create in the tone of the poem?
A conversational tone.
How is the term ‘sweetheart’ used to describe Duffy’s mother?
Patronising, demonstrating a reversal in roles.
Fill in the blank: Duffy employs _______ by blending smell and sight.
synaesthesia
What does the phrase ‘the decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell’ imply?
A tone of bitterness and jealousy.
What does the title ‘Before You Were Mine’ suggest?
The title suggests a reflection on life before the arrival of a child
It implies a sense of nostalgia and consideration of identity prior to motherhood.
What contrasting elements are present in the poem regarding the mother’s actions?
The contrasts are between the religious suggestions of mass and the mother’s earlier behavior
This contrast may indicate hypocrisy in her actions.
What theme is highlighted through the poet’s recollection of childhood?
The theme of admiration is highlighted
This is demonstrated by the positive light in which Duffy recalls her experiences.
What literary device is used in the phrase ‘stamping stars from the wrong pavement’?
Imagery
This imagery evokes a sense of innocence and the joy of childhood.
What does the phrase ‘right path’ imply about the mother’s choices?
It suggests that the mother may have made the wrong choice in having a child
This indicates a possible regret or reflection on life decisions.
What types of verbs are used to describe the mother’s past life?
Very positive and jovial verbs
These verbs are written in present tense to emphasize the change in behavior and lifestyle.
What effect does the use of exclamatory punctuation have in the poem?
It emphasizes the joy and admiration in the poet’s recollections
This enhances the emotional impact of the memories shared.
Fill in the blank: The preposition ‘_______’ in the title indicates a time before the child’s existence.
[before]
What does the direct address of ‘you’ in the poem create?
A very intimate connection
This direct address engages the reader and personalizes the experience.
What is suggested by the line about wanting ‘the bold girl winking in Portobello’?
A longing for a glamorous and carefree life before motherhood
This reflects the speaker’s desire for an identity that was lost with motherhood.
What does the preposition ‘before’ imply in the poem ‘Before You Were Mine’?
It creates a sense of time and place and implies this may be a reflective poem.
How does the direct address of ‘you’ affect the tone of ‘Before You Were Mine’?
It creates a very intimate and personal tone.
To whom is the poem ‘Before You Were Mine’ directed?
The poem is directed towards the speaker’s mother.
What initial feeling does the word ‘Mine’ evoke in the context of the poem?
It creates an initial sense of possessiveness.
What does the possessiveness implied by ‘Mine’ suggest about the relationship described in the poem?
It suggests that the relationship may be unbalanced and perhaps detrimental.
What do both poets present regarding their speakers’ feelings towards their parents?
Fond memories that suggest love transcends the death of a loved one.
How can both poems be viewed in terms of their nature?
As semi-autobiographical poems based on the authorial context and content.
What concept related to the afterlife is connoted in ‘Before You Were Mine’?
The mention of the mother’s ‘ghost’ reflecting her pre-motherhood self.
What metaphor is used in ‘Eden Rock’ to suggest the afterlife?
The ‘drifted stream’ as a metaphor for the river Styx.
What does the phrase ‘crossing is not as hard as you might think’ imply in ‘Eden Rock’?
It implies passing through to the afterlife.
How does the speaker in ‘Eden Rock’ discuss memories?
In the present tense, from the perspective of still being in childhood.
How does the narrative structure of ‘Before You Were Mine’ differ from ‘Eden Rock’?
‘BYWM’ flits between different frames of memory beyond childhood, while ‘ER’ stays in childhood memories.
What pronouns does Duffy’s speaker use to address her mother in ‘Before You Were Mine’?
‘You’ and ‘your’.
What does the use of the pronoun ‘they’ by Causley’s speaker indicate in ‘Eden Rock’?
It implies more distance between the speaker and his parents.
What is a similarity between ‘Before You Were Mine’ and ‘Mother, Any Distance’?
Both written directed towards the speaker’s mother
In which time period are both poems set?
Mid 1900s
What type of language is employed in both poems?
Colloquial language
What is a key structural difference between ‘Mother, Any Distance’ and ‘Before You Were Mine’?
‘MAD’ is situated in one main timeframe, whereas ‘BYWM’ flits between flashbacks
How does ‘Mother, Any Distance’ depict the relationship between mother and child?
Focuses on the changing relationship
How is the mother/child relationship presented in ‘Before You Were Mine’?
Introduces the relationship at one point in one time
What change is depicted in ‘Before You Were Mine’ regarding the mother?
How the mother adapts from before being a mother after giving birth
What does the structure of ‘Mother, Any Distance’ reflect?
The changing familial relationship
Does ‘Mother, Any Distance’ include religious references?
No
Does ‘Before You Were Mine’ include religious references?
Yes
What type of imagery does Duffy use in her poem?
Vivid imagery appealing to the reader’s sense of sight
Examples include high-heeled red shoes and a polka-dot dress.
What do the high-heeled red shoes symbolize?
Passion and beauty
The color ‘red’ connotes strong emotions.
What does the phrase ‘ballroom with the thousand eyes’ suggest?
Pride for her mother and fascination from others
The hyperbolic description indicates admiration.
Which verbs are used to describe sounds in the poem?
Shriek and laugh
These verbs indicate a strong bond between Duffy and her mother.
What literary technique is indicated by the use of the verbs ‘shriek’ and ‘laugh’?
Mild synesthesia
This technique allows the poet to imagine auditory accompaniments to the visual imagery.
Define synesthesia in the context of poetry.
Technique where the poet uses two or more senses to create a vivid tone or setting
This enhances the reader’s experience of the poem.
What colloquial term does Duffy use to demonstrate the close mother-daughter bond?
‘pals’
This term reflects an informal relationship contrasted with more formal language.
What formality contrasts with the colloquial language in Duffy’s writing?
‘mother’
The use of ‘mother’ implies distance or a traditional upbringing.
What upbringing could Duffy’s language choices reflect?
Catholic upbringing
This upbringing may influence her portrayal of familial relationships.
What societal expectations might Duffy’s language reflect?
Tight social expectations surrounding mothers and children in the 1950s
These expectations could affect the dynamics depicted in her writing.
What is the definition of JUXTAPOSITION?
Comparing two concepts, characters, or clauses, in close proximity in a passage for the effect of contrast.
This literary device can enhance the understanding of themes or character relationships.
What literary device is used extensively by Duffy in the poem?
Caesura
Caesura refers to a pause or break in a line of poetry, often enhancing the rhythm and conversational tone.
What effect does the use of caesura have on the tone of the poem?
Creates a conversational tone
This tone suggests familiarity and comfort in the relationship between the speaker and her mother.
What does the use of caesura suggest about the speaker’s bond with her mother?
Suggests familiarity and comfort
This is particularly poignant as the speaker’s mother was still alive when the poem was published.
True or False: The mother of the speaker was deceased at the time the poem was published.
False
The mother was still alive, which adds depth to the emotional connection expressed in the poem.
