Carol Ann Duffy - Before You Were Mine

Question 1

What is the poem about?

Answer 1

• The poem begins with the narrator looking at a photo of her mother having fun with friends.
• She then imagines her mother when she was younger, how she used to stay out late dancing and wasn’t put off by being told off by her mother.
• The narrator then says her mother was happiest during the ten years before her birth, and she remembers glimpses from her childhood of her mum’s fun-loving past.
• She remembers her mum teaching her to dance, and how she wanted her to be like this more often but realises that her mum was only truly fun-loving and glamorous before she was born.

Question 2

Give a brief synopsis of the poem

Answer 2

• The speaker is thinking back ten years before she was born to her mother’s life, and she imagines her on a street corner with two friends in a polka-dot dress.
• The speaker compares her mother to Marliyn Monroe.
• Describes her mother dancing and having a good night out, before getting told off by her parents when she returns home. * Then, when the speaker is born, she is taken to Mass by her mother and they would dance down the street together.
• Concludes with a tone of regret, comparing how good her mother’s life seemed to be before the speaker was born and disrupted it.

Question 3

When was the poet born?

Answer 3

• 1955

Question 4

When was the poem published?

Answer 4

• 1993

Question 5

When did the poet become poet laureate?

Answer 5

• 2009

Question 6

Context regarding Carol Ann Duffy

Answer 6

• Duffy’s mother died in 2005, about a decade after this poem was written.
• The impact her mother had on her life is evident as she told the Guardian about the “bereavement following close behind the heartbreak she chronicles with such searing brilliance in Rapture”. ‘Rapture’ is another poetry collection by Duffy.
• She was raised in the 1950s by her parents as a Roman Catholic, which helps to explain the religious references within her work.
• The poem explores the strong conventions of society women were expected to adhere to during the 1950s, such as to remain at home, not work, and raise their children.
• Generationally, she would have been separated from her mother by the Second World War, which may contribute to this perceived distance between them in the mother // daughter relationship.

Question 7

Context regarding the collection “Mean Time”

Answer 7

• About ‘Mean Time’ Pan MacMillan (the publisher) wrote: “Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy dramatises scenes from childhood, adolescence and adulthood, finding moments of grace or consolation in memory, love and language amid the complexities of life.
• These are powerful poems of loss, betrayal and desire.”

Question 8

“I’m ten years away from the corner you laugh on”

Answer 8

• Separation between the address “you” and “I” highlights a tone of distance between the two individuals
• This situates the poem in fiction, as Duffy cannot be sure of what is actually happening in the photo, but it is taken ten years before Duffy is born
• “Corner” may symbolise that the mother is in a liminal state between childhood and adulthood, but isn’t ready to get older yet
• “You laugh” - present tense is used to talk about a past event, which creates a vivid image, it is possibly an imagined scene or one from a photograph.
• Starting the first three stanzas with “ten years away”, “not here yet”, the decade ahead” acts a reminder to the reader of the distance in time between the narrator’s birth and the mother’s youth.

Question 9

“with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.”

Answer 9

• Relaxed, informal tone of “pals” suggest she is comfortable about her mother and they have an intimate bond

Question 10

“The three of you bend from the waist, holding”
“each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.”

Answer 10

• “Shriek” suggests a very jovial and playful image, and Duffy may be mulling over the carefree life her mother was able to live before her birth
• She has no need at this point to consider the future, she is sampling living in the moment, and introduces the theme of freedom and independence which comes before women give birth and have the societal pressures of being a mother
• Duffy may be commenting on the unfair discrepancies in expectations between mothers and fathers when they have a child

Question 11

“Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.”

Answer 11

• Comparing image of mother to famous actress, Marilyn Monroe, which is enclosed in a single word sentence to emphasise a separation between her mother in the past and then during Duffy’s childhood
• Monroe committed suicide, so potentially this reference could reflect the unhappiness which was associated with Duffy’s birth 10 years later.
• Monroe was iconic and a symbol of glamour - female sexuality is intrinsically linked to a woman’s individual freedom

Question 12

“I’m not here yet. The thought of me doesn’t occur”

Answer 12

• Sounds slightly bitter and jealous
• The speaker seems to possibly be jealous of the people who got to experience her mother’s fun nature before her birth.

Question 13

“in the ballroom with the thousand eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows”
“the right walk home could bring. I knew you would dance”

Answer 13

• Refers back to her earlier comparison of her mother to Marilyn, and the mention of “movies” connotes fiction and stories which contrast with the harsh realities of life she was subjected to when Duffy was born, and responsibilities of being a mother
• “fizzy movie” - figurative language reflects the energy and exciting possibilities of the mother’s partying youth, its possible she hoped to be a movie star.

Question 14

“like that. Before you were mine, your Ma stands at the close”

Answer 14

• Repeats the phrase “before you were mine” to emphasise the importance of this title and the separation she feels from this earlier version of her mother compared to the version that she knew as a child and then an adult - also sets a slightly ominous tone
• The narrator sees her mother as being free before she was born, but she was also restrained by her mother.

Question 15

“with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it’s worth it.”

Answer 15

• ‘you reckon it’s worth it’ - shows that, before the speaker’s birth, the mother wasn’t afraid of the consequences of enjoying herself.

Question 16

“The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?”

Answer 16

• Tone of regret that Duffy may have caused her mother to lose the carefree nature of her earlier life before her daughter was born
• “Eh” creates a rather conversational tone
• ‘loud possessive yell’ - narrator was a demanding baby, which shows that, from the moment of her birth, the mother lost her freedom.

Question 17

“I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics,”
“and now your ghost clatters toward me over George Square”

Answer 17

• ‘Relics’ are sacred objects of the past, it shows how the mother’s glamour is precious to the speaker, but “ghost” shows that it has gone now and won’t return.

Question 18

“till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree,”

Answer 18

• “clear as scent” - employs synaesthesia by blending smell and sight - may be Duffy reflecting on her first memories of her mother, though it is vague and clear as to whether this is a fictional or concrete memory
• The simile appeals to the senses, it shows how her imagination is so vivid that she can smell her mother.

Question 19

“with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?”

Answer 19

• Referring to her mother as “sweetheart” is rather patronising, perhaps demonstrates a reversal in roles
• It sounds like a parent chastising their child, but here the roles are reversed.

Question 20

“Cha cha cha! You’d teach me the steps on the way home from Mass,”

Answer 20

• Religious suggestions of “mass” contrast with the behaviour described of her mother in earlier stanzas, which may be Duffy suggesting a level of hypocrisy in her mother’s actions
• On the other hand, Duffy’s theme of admiration is clear as she attentively recalls her childhood in a positive light, demonstrated by the use of exclamatory punctuation

Question 21

“stamping stars from the wrong pavement. Even then”

Answer 21

• “wrong pavement” - contrast with the “right path home” from the second stanza, which suggests Duffy thinks her mother made the wrong choice in having a child
• ‘stamping stars’ -alliteration stresses the mother’s defiance and energy.

Question 22

“I wanted the bold girl winking in Portobello, somewhere”

Answer 22

• As a child, the speaker wanted what she couldn’t have, her birth meant her mum couldn’t be “the bold girl” anymore.

Question 23

“in Scotland, before I was born. That glamorous love lasts”

Answer 23

• The caesura emphasises how the speaker’s birth was a turning point in the mother’s life.

Question 24

“where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.”

Answer 24

• Very positive and jovial verbs written in present tense to highlight the change in behaviour and lifestyle her mother experience after having Carol as a child
• The repetition of “and” emphasises the sheer number of energetic qualities the narrator thinks her mother had.
• “before you were mine” - repeating this to finish the poem reemphasises the difference between then and now. It also develops the possessive tone by repeating the word “mine”.

Question 25

Explain the importance of the title of the poem

Answer 25

• Preposition “before creates a sense of time and place and implies this may be a reflective poem
• “Mine creates an initial sense of possessiveness which could suggest the relationship described is unbalanced and perhaps detrimental
• Direct address pf “you” creates a very intimate and personal tone, as a poem directed towards her mother, how this is initially ambiguous

Question 26

Describe the perspective the poem uses

Answer 26

• The speaker is a child who is reflecting on the changes her mother had to make in her life before she was born.
• There is also an element of the mother’s voice throughout the poem.
• The poem is semi-autobiographical, so the speaker in this case could be seen as Duffy addressing to her mother.
• A mix of first and second person narrative is used in the poem, which has the effect of creating a personal and intimate tone to reflect the relationship.
• It also ensures the reader is engaged.

Question 27

Describe the opening of the poem

Answer 27

• The poem opens on a focus on time - “ten years away” - which immediately suggests to the reader that the poem will be centered around reflection.
• This use of specific temporal deixis - which refers to events moving away - emphasises the importance that Carol Ann Duffy feels the connection between herself and her mother has on her life.
• The time reference shows how the speaker didn’t exist when the picture was taken.
• The separation between the address “you” and “I” highlights the distance between the two individuals. The noun “Corner” may symbolise that the mother is in a liminal state between childhood and adulthood, but isn’t ready to get older yet.
• On the other hand, the relaxed, informal tone of “pals” suggests she is comfortable about her mother and they have an intimate bond.
• The verb “shriek” suggests a very jovial and playful image, and Duffy may be mulling over the carefree life her mother was able to live before her birth.
• This is in contrast to the pressures placed on mothers in the socially strict 1950s.
• Her mother has no need at this point to consider the future, she is simply living in the moment.
• This introduces the theme of freedom and independence which comes before women give birth and have the societal pressures of being a mother.
• Duffy may be commenting on the unfair discrepancies in expectations between mothers and fathers when they have a child.
• Including this in the opening sets up the theme of social commentary initially as a theme for the poem.
• Duffy goes on to compare the image of her mother to the famous actress Marilyn Monroe, and this is enclosed in a single word sentence to really emphasise a separation between her mother in the past and then during Duffy’s childhood.
• Monroe commited suicide, so potentially this reference could reflect the unhappiness which was associated with Duffy’s birth ten years later.
• Monroe was iconic and a symbol of glamour, and female sexuality is intrinsically linked to a woman’s individual freedom.
• By including this vast quantity of imagery and information right in the first stanza, Duffy is creating a vivid setting to mirror the visual image of the photo the poem is inspired by, as well as working to engage the reader.

Question 28

Describe the structure of the poem regarding separated pronouns

Answer 28

• The first three stanzas describe the mother and the poet as separate entities.
• The separated pronouns “I” and “you” are still utilised to highlight the distance between them generationally but also emotionally.
• However, they come together in the final stanza as Duffy describes the activities and behaviour they’d have together, such as “you’d teach me the steps

Question 29

Describe the structure of the poem regarding simple sentence structure

Answer 29

*As this is a poem from the perspective of a child, Duffy uses very short, simple, sentence formats.
* This contrasts with the often polysyllabic language, which reflects that she is talking about her childhood but through an adult lens.

Question 30

Describe the form of the poem.

Answer 30

• The poem is made of four equal stanzas, each five lines long.
• The consistency reflects the constant passage of time and the inevitable changes it brings with it.

Question 31

Describe the structure of the poem regarding stable stanza structure

Answer 31

*The structure is very uniform and has four stanzas of five equal lines.
* This may reflect the initial structure of her mother’s life before coming a mother, contrasting it with the flexibility and sacrifice she had to make after giving birth.
* It could also represent the intensely strong social conventions in place for women during the 1950s.
* An alternative interpretation is that the stable structure mirrors a photo album.

Question 32

Describe the structure of the poem regarding caesura

Answer 32

• By using a lot of caesura, Duffy is creating a conversational tone to the poem, which suggests familiarity and a level of comfort in her bond with her mother, especially considering her mother was still alive when the poem was published.

Question 33

Describe the structure of the poem regarding enaleptic frames

Answer 33

• The narrative uses enaleptic frames where the reader is provided with a range of flashbacks to both Duffy’s childhood and her mother’s early adulthood.

Question 34

Describe the structure of the poem.

Answer 34

• The poem begins and ends with the mother on the pavement, in the beginning, the mother is laughing with her friends but at the end she is walking with her daughter.
• This emphasises the changes that time has brought, there is a clear division between the mother before the narrators birth and the mother afterwards.

Question 35

How is religious lanagueg used in the poem?

Answer 35

• The religious connotations of “Mass” and her mother as a Roman Catholic creates conflict with the carefree and sexualised images of her earlier in the poem. * This reference may be to emphasise the environment of responsibility and lack of freedom her mother is trying to break free from, but is eventually forced to return to after becoming a mother.

Question 36

How has exciting language used in the poem?

Answer 36

• A lot of words and phrases used describe how fun the mother’s life was before the narrator was born.

Question 37

How is possessive language used in the poem?

Answer 37

• The speaker believes that, following her birth, she took control of her mum’s life and took away her freedom.
• This reverses the typical idea of children wanting to break free from their parents, since, in this poem, its the child stopping the parent having fun.
• The possessive language used in the title - such as “mine” - instantly sets up an assertive tone for the poem.
• It juxtaposes with the vague premise of a title, and the fictionalised series of events which Duffy imagines from the photo she sees of her mother.

Question 38

How is colloquial language used in the poem?

Answer 38

• The speaker uses colloquialisms to create an imaginary conversation with her mother, which suggests the two have a close relationship.
• Duffy uses a lot of colloquial language, such as “pals” to demonstrate the close mother-daughter bond she experienced with her mother.
• However, this juxtaposes with the formality of “mother”, which still implies there is an air of distance or perhaps a more traditional upbringing.
• This could reflect both Duffy’s Catholic upbringing and the tight social expectations surrounding mothers and children in the 1950s.

Question 39

Describe the use of language about vivid imagery

Answer 39

• Duffy uses a range of visual imagery, much of which will appeal to the reader’s sense of sight, including the lines:
• By referencing the patterns and colours of “red” and “polka-dot”, Duffy is providing layers of description behind the photo she is basing the poem off of.
• The colour “red” connotes passion and beauty.
• The hyperbolic description “thousand eyes” suggests she has a lot of pride for her mother and thinks that other people are fascinated by her as well.
• The verbs “shriek” and “laugh” which describe noises suggest that Duffy’s bond with her mother is so strong she can imagine the auditory accompaniments to the photo.
• This creates a more vivid setting for the poem with this mild synesthesia.

Question 40

How are feelings/attitudes of admiration displayed in the poem?

Answer 40

• The narrator admires her mum’s glamour and her headstrong, rebellious approach to life

Question 41

How are feelings/attitudes of nostalgia displayed in the poem?

Answer 41

• She wishes her mum was still fun-loving and carefree.
• This is ironic - the child wants the version of the mother before the child was born, impossible because then the child wouldn’t exist

Question 42

How are feelings/attitudes of self-criticism displayed in the poem?

Answer 42

• The narrator seems to criticise herself for taking away her mother’s freedom

Question 43

How are feelings/attitudes of self-criticism displayed in the poem?

Answer 43

• The narrator seems to criticise herself for taking away her mother’s freedom

Question 44

Compare with:

Answer 44

• Mother Any Distance
• Eden Rock