Honour Killing

Question 1

Recall the first stanza:

At last I’m taking off this coat,

Answer 1

At last I'm taking off this coat, 
this black coat of a country
that I swore for years was mine, 
that I wore more out of habit
than design. 
Born wearing it, 
I believed I had no choice.

Question 2

Recall the second stanza:

I’m taking off this veil

Answer 2

I'm taking off this veil, 
this black veil of a faith
that made me faithless
to myself, 
that tied my mouth, 
gave my god a devil's face, 
and muffled my own voice.

Question 3

Recall the third stanza:

I’m taking off these silks,

Answer 3

I'm taking off these silks, 
these lacy things
that feed dictator dreams, 
the mangalsutra and the rings 
rattling in a tin cup of needs
that beggared me.

Question 4

Recall the fourth stanza:

I’m taking off this skin

Answer 4

I’m taking off this skin,
and then the face, the flesh,
the womb.

Question 5

Recall the fifth stanza:

(Let’s see
what I am in here)

Answer 5

Let’s see
what I am in here
when I squeeze past
the easy cage of bone.

Question 6

Recall the sixth stanza:

(Let’s see
what I am out here, )

Answer 6

Let's see
what I am out here, 
making, crafting, 
plotting
at my new geography.

Question 7

What is the title?

Answer 7

The title is an oxymoron- is there honour in killing.

Question 8

What does ‘At last’ in the first stanza mean?

Answer 8

She has been deceived for years.

Question 9

What is the ‘coat’ in the first stanza?

Answer 9

• Extended metaphor of undressing (metaphorically personality) undressing of who she really is.
• The coat could also represent her country and how instead of the country protecting her, she doesn’t feel safe anymore and has to show the true reality of her country,

Question 10

What does ‘black coat’ in the first stanza mean?

Answer 10

Colour symbolism – black – death. Alliteration of C – aggressive.

Question 11

What does ‘I wore more out of habit than design.’ mean int he first stanza?

Answer 11

Almost not a choice – BORN into the culture.

Question 12

What does ‘I believed I had no choice’ in the first stanza?

Answer 12

She was brainwashed.

Question 13

What does the ‘veil’ in the second stanza represent?

Answer 13

Death imagery – marriage (divorce)

Question 14

What does ‘me faithless

to myself’ in the second stanza mean?

Answer 14

Paradox – ironic statement – her faith has made her faithless. Tone of sarcasm and irony.

Question 15

What does ‘my god a devil’s face’ in the second stanza mean?

Answer 15

Paradox – she is demonstrating that she isn’t condemning God or faith. She is condemning man’s interpretation and manipulation (religion)

Question 16

What does ‘muffled my own voice.’ in the second stanza mean?

Answer 16

Onomatopoeia – relatable – soundscape. CONTEXT – lack of voice for women .

Question 17

What does ‘Dictators Dreams’ in the third stanza mean?

Answer 17

Clothing that binds her to her culture – told what to wear. Plosive ‘Dictators Dreams’ – aggressive. Lack of freedom for women.

Question 18

What does the ‘womb’ is the fourth stanza?

Answer 18

Womb represents women’s role in culture as a vessel to carry new life. Insignificance.

Question 19

When does the tone change?

Answer 19

The tone changes in the fifth stanza ‘Let’s see’.

Tone changes with a change of anaphora. Air of positivity of self-discovery

Question 20

What does ‘easy cage of bone’ in the fifth stanza mean?

Answer 20

Cage = prison-like. Squeeze – hard to bypass your culture and see who YOU are.

Question 21

What does ‘out here’ in the sixth stanza mean?

Answer 21

She is finally away from her culture/nation.

Question 22

What does ‘making, crafting, plotting’ suggest?

Answer 22

Verbs – her productivity – trying new things

Question 23

What does ‘ new geography’ in the sixth stanza suggest?

Answer 23

Her new self (through discovery and exploration)

Question 24

What is the poem about?

Answer 24

Dramatic monologue of a particular event – 1999 in Lahore woman was shot dead by her family in a lawyer’s office – her crime? Wanting a divorce. Pakistan as a nation stood by the killing. Not condemned.

Question 25

What is the structure of the poem?

Answer 25

Very short lines – impactful. Enjambment – where the line ends abruptly on the next line. Builds tension and is abrupt – statement. Erratic rhyme – not really prevalent. Stanzas get shorter the more she deconstructs herself. Gets to the core of her being. Back to basics.