Carol Ann Duffy - Mrs Midas

Question 1

“It was late September”

Answer 1

• The time of year symbolises that the romance of summer has ended
• The nights will slowly become colder and darker, as will Mrs Midas’ relationship with her husband

Question 2

“It feeds no one”

Answer 2

• Gold is greatly desired and very valuable but in everyday life it serves no real purpose, so his wish is actually meaningless/useless
• Shows how her husband’s greedhas ruined the relationship between these characters

Question 3

“Him.”

Answer 3

• The simple one word sentence highlights Mrs Midas’ disbelief at her husbands actions, she cannot utter more than a couple words
• Possibly symbolises his own greed, he is literally the only word/thing in the sentence, and he was the only one he was thinking of when he made the wish

Question 4

“Near petrified”

Answer 4

• ‘petrified’ can mean scared, this word choice shows how Mrs Midas is terrified of her husband now
• ‘petrified’ can also mean to become solidified, so saying she is ‘near petrified’ shows how dangerous her husband has become, she is at risk of being turned to gold at any moment with him around

Question 5

“I feared his honeyed embrace”

Answer 5

• Mrs Midas is scared of her husband now and literally cannot touch him anymore, but the positive word choice of ‘honeyed’ could show that part of her still views him in a loving light

Question 6

“Can live with a heart of gold?”

Answer 6

• Saying someone has ‘heart of gold’ is used as a positive phrase, however if someone literally had a heart made of gold, it means they couldn’t be alive, showing how her dreams for the future have been tarnished because of her husband (they will never grow old together, have kids)
• When she asks ‘who’ can live with a heart of gold she is also referring to herself, showing how she can no longer bear to coexist with the man who ruined everything for her

Question 7

“The woman who married the fool”

Answer 7

• This line shows how, because of her husbands careless behaviour, Mrs Midas will now have to live under the label of his stupid decisions, that becomes her identity when it is not her fault
• Symbolises her as collateral damage in her husbands reckless scandal

Question 8

“Pure selfishness”

Answer 8

• Word choice of ‘selfishness’, has connotations of bitterness and anger
• The angry tone reflects Mrs Midas’ frustration, as she realises she was an afterthought in her husbands action - she feels upset because he completely disregarded her feelings

Question 9

“I think of him”

Answer 9

• Despite the fury and resentment displayed throughout the poem, this line shows how deep down, Mrs Midas can still miss her husband even after what he did, she can never forget about him
• This even adds to the sad narrative of their story, she is doomed to always long for what she lost