Oranges and Duffy Death and the Moon Flashcards

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1
Q

conceit and tone of the poem

A
  • somewhat metaphysical.
  • D sets up the impossible action of touching the moon to discuss if her desire for the end of patriarchal dominance is actually achievable
  • uses the completely feminine symbol of the moon to represent has realised that we still haven’t fully achieved a feminist and completely equal society.
  • Overall tone = melancholic, regretful
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2
Q

main themes explored

A
  1. regret
    - poem = elegy of regret of not achieving her goal as a female writer
  2. female suffering
    - “red cave” = widow mourning
  3. death
    - represents the desire for the abolishment of patriarchal dominance.
  4. isolation (duffy, setting)
  5. silenced female voice/female struggles
  6. futility of female progression
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3
Q

how is this structurally significant within the anthology?

A
  • last poem, suggests she has done all she can do, and the regret of not totally destroying the patriarchy haunts her
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4
Q

analyse the quotes ‘Fish in my frozen pond’ ‘hard old face’ and ‘cold as cash’

A

method:
- consonance of the F sound, lexical field of nature as harsh
effect:
- mirrors the hostility faced by non-conformists to society’s norms/D’s own experiences
- stagnation of life = society’s unprogressive views

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5
Q

what other poems does it link to? how?

A

TLSGH and Tall
- futility of female progression
The Virgin’s Memo
- struggle of female writers, silenced female voice

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6
Q

analyse the quote ‘I could touch the edges of the moon’

A

method:
- Hyperbole, confident tone (enjambment throughout stanza)
effect:
- realises her global scope of influence, confidence to influence society?
- promise of change through more progressive laws ie gay marriage legalised but changing people’s mindsets through poetry is the ultimate challenge for her

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7
Q

analyse the quote “The ground gulped you”

A

method: personification of nature as hostile, image of ultimate consumption/greed.
- ground (represents society) unjustly destroys the privilege of equality
- Duffy as one woman cannot compete with the powerful force of nature

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8
Q

analyse the quote “soundless ears”

A

method: oxymoron?
effects: creates a sinister atmosphere
- emphasises Duffy’s isolation as a female writer
- alludes to the ever-silenced female voice

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9
Q

analyse the quote “red cave”

open mouth of the widow

A

method: visceral imagery (internal organs)
effects:
- only colour and sound in the poem, female suffering highlighted

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10
Q

analyse the quote “stuttered like Morse”

A

method: simile of Morse code
effects: indicates a further barrier which prevents any form of societal change
- emphasises D’s difficult task breaking them down

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11
Q

analyse the quote “unreachable by prayer, even if poems are prayers”

A
  • anthology = gospel so poems = prayers.

- The Virgin’s Memo, struggle of female writers, silenced female voice

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12
Q

analyse the quote “its windows tender with light”

how does this link to oranges?

A
  • D’s as an outsider in society (sexuality/gender),
  • house represents conventionality.
  • physical barrier of the house represents metaphorical barriers blocking her from societal acceptance
  • Oranges: when J looks into the house with the happy, conventional family inside
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13
Q

analyse the quote “the black night is huge, mute, and you are further forever than that”

A

method: lexical field of distance
- vastness of distance = huge amount of progression to be made,
- links to TLSGH ending (death of Mrs Mackay). futility of female progression

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