The laughter of the Stratford girls high

Question 1

What is the poem written in?

Answer 1

Mock epic form

Question 2

Why is it mock epic form?

Answer 2

Because typically epic poems had an element of seriousness to it.

Question 3

What wave of feminism is this poem linked to?

Answer 3

Second wave

Question 4

What is used to represent how tedious the school system is?

Answer 4

Italics when the teachers are talking.

Question 5

What happens to the italics as the poem progresses?

Answer 5

The italics are stopped to represent their personal liberation.

Question 6

What does the title suggest?

Answer 6

Deep sense of community within the title especially ‘Stratford girls’

Question 7

How does this poem link to Carol Ann Duffy?

Answer 7

Autobiographical as she went to the school, dedication to her teacher is given.

Question 8

‘Brathay, coquet, crake…’ What technique?

Answer 8

Asyndetic listing

Question 9

‘Brathay, coquet, crake…’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 9

Mundane tone Emphasises failure of education to spark curiosity.

Question 10

‘Brothy mirth’ What technique?

Answer 10

Allusion

Question 11

‘Brothy mirth’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 11

Allusion to witchcraft, stereotypical notions to socially destructive feminity.

Question 12

‘Torn from the back of the King James Bible’ What technique?

Answer 12

Religious imagery

Question 13

‘Torn from the back of the King James Bible’ What’s the meaning?

Answer 13

Form of rebellion and rejection of patriarchal control.

Question 14

‘John Dryden, Thomas Shadwell, Nahum Tate…’ Whats the technique?

Answer 14

Listing

Question 15

‘John Dryden, Thomas Shadwell, Nahum Tate…’ What’s the meaning?

Answer 15

Listing of poet Laurette’s, anonymity as Carol Ann Duffy was the first female.

Question 16

‘John Dryden, Thomas Shadwell, Nahum Tate…’ What other feminine gospel poems link to this?

Answer 16

Anon
History

Question 17

‘Twenty five grinding, childless years’ What does grinding suggest?

Answer 17

laborious , an obligation rather than love.

Question 18

‘Twenty five grinding, childless years’ What does childless suggest?

Answer 18

Childless plays on the stereotypes of women that that their purpouse is to bear children.

Question 19

‘Like distant thunder’ What technique?

Answer 19

Simile

Question 20

Like distant thunder’ Whats the Meaning?

Answer 20

nature presents booming power of female unity.

Question 21

‘Kissing her, Kissing her, Kissing her’ What technique?

Answer 21

Triple repetition

Question 22

‘Kissing her, Kissing her, Kissing her’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 22

moment of climax and total liberation as a lesbian couple.

Question 23

‘She spied him, she clenched herself for his voice’ Whats the technique?

Answer 23

Syntactical placement

Question 24

‘She spied him, she clenched herself for his voice’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 24

Syntactical placement of she before him regains power.

Question 25

‘Empty school creaked and sighed’ Whats the technique?

Answer 25

Personification

Question 26

‘Empty school creaked and sighed’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 26

School is barren and tragic without laughter.

Question 27

‘small coffins’ and ‘tombstones of learning’ Whats the technique?

Answer 27

Semantic field of death

Question 28

‘small coffins’ and ‘tombstones of learning’ What’s the meaning?

Answer 28

death of prior education system.

Question 29

‘Maiden name with a stick in the sand’ Whats the meaning?

Answer 29

Acceptance of own identity but transience of female identity as her names forgotten and wiped out.

Question 30

‘Maiden name with a stick in the sand’ What does this quote link too?

Answer 30

In line with other women in Duffy’s collection.