Context Flashcards
Dame Carol Ann Duffy (1955-)
Scottish poet and playwright
Professor of contemporary poetry
Poet laureate (2009-2019) - first female, Scot and openly lesbian poet in this position
Born to Roman Catholic family
Eldest of 5 - 4 younger brothers
Moved to Stafford, England at age 6
Father - electrical fitter, trade unionist, failed parliamentary candidate for Labour Party in ‘83, managed Stafford F.C
Became atheist at 15
Religious upbringing influenced poetry
Has daughter born in 1995, Ella
Style
Everyday experience
Rich fantasy life
Of herself and others
Hyperbolic extended metaphors
Lists
Internal rhymes
Time-traveller
Shape-shifter
Important events for UK
1945 - WWII ends
1952 - Queen Elizabeth II crowned
1955 - first ITV broadcast
1956 - Britain switches first nuclear power station on
1957 - Ghana gains independence from Britain, first African colony to do so
1965 - Death penalty abolished
1967 - abortion and homosexuality legalised
1971 - Decimalised currency replaces pounds, shillings and pence
1976 - Margaret Thatcher become Britain’s first female prime minister
1981 - Prince Charles and Diana marry
1984 - 12 month Miners Strike
- World Wide Wed invented
1994 - first female priests ordained by Church of England
1994 - Britain’s 150 year rule over China ends
1997 - death of Princess Diana
2005 - same sex couples given legal rights by civil partnerships
Post-modern poetry
From about 1960s onwards
Structure - Often free form, line breaks, chaotic
Reflects chaotic shapelessness of world
Stream of consciousness
Reflect process of thought or organic speaking
Usually intentional- reminds reader that they are outside poem and only sees what poet wishes they see
Sometimes mock readers attempts to create meaning from work
Themes - meaninglessness, lack of reality, restlessness
Existentialism - you give meaning to your life
Nihilism- nothing matters because we come from nothing
Pushes readers to view world differently
Paradox
Unreliable narrators
Unrealistic narratives
Parody
Dark humour
