the difficulty of marriage Paul Durcan Flashcards
theme
love and challenge due to The words ‘difficulty’ and ‘marriage’ in the title of the poem
‘We agree to disagree’
The couple cannot even do that: there is friction and tension but also an acceptance of this as the way their marriage works
They ‘divide’ and ‘differ’,
all words which are more usually associated with separation than with unity. The alliteration here is interesting in that the repeated ‘d’ sounds are rather harsh and jarring, perfectly reflecting the idea of a couple often at odds with one another
the use of the word ‘we
unites them as does the poet’s directly addressing his wife. This creates a sense of intimacy and makes the poem a conversation between husband and wife which we, the readers, observe from without.
How was I so lucky to have ever met you?’
He thinks this while they lie together at night, close yet far apart in that she is in the world of sleep while he is awake. The beauty of their love is captured in the poet’s creating a mental mosaic of question marks on the ceiling.
‘shall always have them’
he would be willing to tolerate this imperfect existence forever if it were possible to remain with her eternally.
