Context

Question 1

In what year was Duffy born?

Answer 1

1955

Question 2

What is Duffy’s date of birth?

Answer 2

23rd December 1955

Question 3

Where was Duffy born?

Answer 3

Glasgow, Scotland

Question 4

How old was Duffy when she moved from Glasgow to Stafford?

Answer 4

6 years old

Question 5

At the age of 6 years old, where did Duffy leave Glasgow for?

Answer 5

Stafford

Question 6

What was Duffy’s father’s job?

Answer 6

Duffy’s father was originally a fitter for an electric company, who later went on to become a Labour Councillor following a change in career. Unfortunately he ran into an unsuccessful bid for Parliament in 1983, however, this would have almost certainly given Duffy an early insight into the world of politics, as well as the principles the Labour party stood for and believed in.

Question 7

What did Duffy study at Liverpool University?

Answer 7

Philosophy

Question 8

What University did Duffy go to to study Philosophy?

Answer 8

Liverpool University (1974-1977).

Question 9

Between what years was Duffy at University for?

Answer 9

1974-1977

Question 10

In what year did Duffy become a full time writer?

Answer 10

1985 - she wrote poetry and plays

Question 11

What religion did Duffy reject?

Answer 11

Catholicism

Question 12

What religion did Duffy’s family follow?

Answer 12

They were Roman Catholics

Question 13

At what University is Duffy Professor of Creative Writing at?

Answer 13

Manchester Metropolitan University

Question 14

What is Duffy a professor in at Manchester Metropolitan University?

Answer 14

Creative Writing

Question 15

How many collections of poems has Duffy released and can you name them all?

Answer 15

Duffy has released 6 collections of poems.

• Standing Female Nude (1985)
• Selling Manhattan (1987)
• The Other Country (1990)
• Mean Time (1993)
• The World’s Wife (1999)
• Rapture (2005)

Question 16

In what year did Duffy release her collection “Mean Time”?

Answer 16

1993

Question 17

What sexuality is Duffy?

Answer 17

She’s a lesbian

Question 18

Who was Duffy’s first boyfriend and what was his job?

Answer 18

Adrian Henri - like Duffy, he was also a poet. This may well have been the first person to spark Duffy’s interest in writing poetry, inspiring her to write her own collection. (Whilst in a relationship, Duffy was 16 and Adrian Henri was in his late 30s).

Question 19

Mean Time was most likely written at the end of Duffy’s relationship with…….

Answer 19

Adrian Henri

Question 20

What is the name of Duffy’s wife?

Answer 20

Jackie Kay

Question 21

What is Duffy’s daughter called?

Answer 21

Ella - Duffy had Ella during her 15 year relationship with Jackie Kay

Question 22

How many years was Duffy in a relationship with Jackie Kay for?

Answer 22

15 years

Question 23

Who was the father of Duffy’s daughter (Ella), and what was his job?

Answer 23

Peter Benson - he was also a poet.

Question 24

Duffy’s poems are rooted in…….

Answer 24

common experience.

Question 25

What the common themes that run throughout Duffy’s poetry?

Answer 25

• Relationships
• Sexuality
• Politics
• Religion
• Memory
• Loss
• The effects of time
• The marginalising of women

Question 26

Duffy raises many important concerns throughout her poetry, as well as giving sympathetic responses to isolated and…….

Answer 26

oppressed members of society. Duffy often creates a persona in her poetry, giving a voice to members of society that without her, would not have had the chance to have had their voices heard in a modern day society.

Question 27

Duffy was the first female poet to win the award titled…….

Answer 27

Poet Laurette

Question 28

In what year did Duffy receive an OBE?

Answer 28

1995

Question 29

How old is Duffy in 2019?

Answer 29

She is around the age 63 in the present

Question 30

Why does Duffy frequently use dramatic monologue?

Answer 30

It allows her to generate a voice for the characters she creates in her poetry