Valentine - Carol Ann Duffy Flashcards
Structure
No regular structure of rhyme scheme to perhaps represent the contents of the poem
Themes
Love
Convention
Individualism
Context
The poet was famously lesbian
Not a red rose or a satin heart
The 1st line of the poem is abrupt and not sugarcoated as the speaker is realistic but sincere. Red roses and satin hearts are often traditional gifts of love so by rejecting them, she is subverting the traditional romantic expectations. Throughout the poem, she also rejects the use of traditional poetic devices as to make her poem easy to understand
I give you an onion
This line shows the how untraditional the speaker is due to her strange gift - ‘an onion’. The onion could perhaps be an extended metaphor for the good and bad that surrounds love.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper
She suggests that love is cloudy and unclear as she deliberately blurs the lines between different kinds of relationships (homosexual and heterosexual)
It promises light
She suggests that the gift is like the light in the dark and represents the rewards of their love. The gift is meant to be tempting and positive.
like the careful undressing of love
The simile draw outs the idea of discovery and emotional exposure as it suggests it is bringing something raw and beautiful. It also may have some erotic meanings
Here.
This one word paints a physical image of the speaker literally handing their lover an onion, helped by the blunt tone of the line
It will blind you with tears
like a lover
This strong simile compares the lover to an onion, suggesting that love can make you cry like an onion which holds a powerful resonance for the reader especially those in relationships
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief
The speaker suggests that the difficult aspects of relationships can lead to self reflection but it’s an oxymoron in itself as photos obviously don’t move
I am trying to be truthful
The speaker is trying to be true not only for their lover but also for themselves. It can be considered a pivotal transformative line within the poem. The alliteration of ‘trying’ and ‘truthful’ suggests that the poet is trying to maintain an open, communicative relationship with their partner as they know if they don’t the relationship will crumble
Not a cute card or a kissogram
I give you an onion
The 2nd line is repeated in the poem for emphasis
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips
The poet suggests that the kiss will remain like the smell and taste of an onion. The adjective ‘fierce’ itself is significant as it implies a sort of desperation within their love. However, it also suggests that like an onion’s pungency, sometimes too much of something can destroy a relationship
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are
She is hinting at the complexity of love as ‘faithful’ has positive connotations but ‘possessive’ has a more negative meaning, perhaps telling us that even the most mature relationships can experience problems. The repetition of ‘as we are’ is most likely done again for emphasis as well as adding a sense of time and impermanence to life and love
Take it.
The speaker is urging her lover to take the gift, with the poet again using simple, plain language in order to make her meaning clear. The imperative verb of ‘take’ contrasts the gentleness and tentative tone of the next lines
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring
She continues the extended metaphor of the onion and likely picks platinum due to it being one of the most expensive metals, showing how highly she values their relationship. However, the verb ‘shrink’ suggests that she thinks marriage may confine or even diminish your love
if you like
The speaker shows that she respects her partner’s wishes and understands that marriage is not for everybody. All these lines in the final stanza hint at the complexity and subtlety of a seemingly simple poem
Lethal
She suggests that any proposal will change a relationship, portraying it as pivotal and potentially deadly no matter the answer. Whilst refusal may end the relationship, acceptance could irrevocably alter the power balance within the relationship
It’s scent will cling to your fingers
This line shows that love is permanent and it suggests that you are forever changed by love and a relationship. She purposely uses assonant vowels to make the penultimate line a crucial and memorable one
cling to your knife
The repetition of ‘cling’ highlights its importance and the use of the noun ‘knife’ suggests that love is ultimately dangerous. The last line is short and emphatic in order to make the meaning of the poem even more complex, highlighting how a loving relationship is far from easy
Whys
Through the unconventional gift of an onion, Duffy rejects the consumerism, materialism and performative gestures increasingly associated with Valentine’s day.
Duffy questions the viability of life-long commitment and fidelity, and instead alludes to the evanescent, temporary nature of love.
Duffy is critical of romanticised, idealistic portrayals of love and relationships and instead presents love as a possessive and dangerous force, which often leads to insecurity and obsession.
