Valentine Flashcards
What is it about
This poem challenges conventional and clichéd symbols of romance and relationships, and offers a onion
What is the context
A modern poem- lots of references to modern things
What is the structure
Extended metaphor- the onion. Irregular structure, jerky and uneven. Perhaps like a realistic relationship. Enjambment, short sentences and short lines. Represent a relationship from beginning to end.
What are the themes
Love Passion Obsession Nature Conflict Commitment
Who is the poet
Carol Ann Duffy
“Not a red rose or a satin heart”
Rejecting conventional symbols of love
“It will blind you with tears like a lover”
Metaphor- love can be harsh and hurtful.
Simile- could suggest she’s been hurt in the past
“Is fierce kiss will stay on your lips”
Passionate, but also angry. Can’t get rid of it
“Platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring”
Your world shrinks.
Smallest part of an onion. Ring like- romantic but also possessive.
Does she expect love to be everlasting?
“Cling to your knife”
Inescapable/ claustrophobic.
Love is dangerous- unsettling ending
