'valentine' - carol ann duffy

Question 1

describe the context of ‘valentine’:

Answer 1

• her writing explores ideas such as gender, sexuality, and oppression.
• she is openly part of the LGBTQ+ community.
• the poem was originally written in 1993 when Duffy was asked to write an original poem for Valentine’s Day.

Question 2

describe the overall structure of the poem:

Answer 2

despite being a love poem, it doesn’t follow any of the conventions of traditional love poetry, e.g. it isn’t a sonnet, and doesn’t use rhyming couplets. shows the poet’s rejection of traditional love. might relate to her lesbianism, as at the time, it wasn’t widely accepted or understood.

it uses free verse (no set rhyme scheme, very loose), a form that mimics the the rhythm of natural speech. could suggest freedom about their love - not bound by convention, or forced to be a certain way. message seems more authentic, by stripping it of formal pretences.

Question 3

analyse the title, ‘valentine’:

Answer 3

• title establishes the theme of love.
• Valentine’s Day has connotations of roses and flowers, hearts, chocolates, so on. very cliched image of love. materialistic romance.
• by naming the poem ‘Valentine’, it might make us expect to be about traditional aspects of love.

Question 4

analyse the first two stanzas:

Answer 4

imagery:
- traditional romantic images introduced on first line, ‘red rose’, ‘satin heart’. rejected by adverb ‘not’.
- ‘onion’ is the poem’s central conceit (type of metaphor that’s unusual/unexpected). onion is an extended metaphor for love - atypical, multi-layered, natural.
- by comparing the onion, and therefore love, to a ‘moon’, she’s suggesting that their love is special and otherworldly. less common than using the sun - suggestion of Duffy’s rejection of traditional symbols of love.

language:
- ‘i’ and ‘you’ first person perspective. clear intended audience for the poem. the poem has an intimate feel to it.
- ‘careful undressing of love’ - suggests that both sexual and emotional intimacy (lovers bring down their barriers and boundaries) are both important aspects of love.

Question 5

analyse the lines 6-12:

Answer 5

imagery:
- ‘like a lover’ image suggests that love can be painful and sad, as they cause ‘blind’ness and ‘tears’. shows negative side of love, break from traditional love poetry.

structure:
- ‘here’. poem’s persona is suggesting the poem’s persona is handing the addressee the onion. creates a silence afterwards, as the recipient accepts the gift, and tries to come to terms with it.
- similar in ‘not a cute card or kissogram’. also emphasises rejection of traditional ideas of love.

Question 6

analyse the lines 13-17:

Answer 6

structure:
- repetition of ‘i give you an onion’ seems forceful. love isn’t always positive/straightforward?
- repetition of ‘as we are’ shows insecurity and doubt in the relationship.

language:
- ‘possessive’ adjective. shows love can be controlling and insecure.

imagery:
- ‘fierce kiss’ lover is aggressive/domineering. negative aspect of love.

HONEST PRESENTATION OF LOVE.

Question 7

analyse the remainder of the poem:

Answer 7

imagery:
- ‘cling to your knife’ image hints at love’s potential for violence - it can leave people wounded, both physically and emotionally.

structure:
- ‘lethal’. one word sentence has its own end-stopped line, mimicking the severity of lethal. love can be deadly. it can also die easily, too.
- repetition of ‘cling’ reinforces idea that love can be possessive and suffocating. talking about a scent, so definitely suffering.

language:
- imperative ‘take it’. love has become forceful and uncooperative. commanding.

Question 8

describe the mood of the poem:

Answer 8

• initially, mood seems loving and sincere, ‘I give you an onion’ can be seen as an offer of a gift.
• later, the mood seems almost deranged and insistent, as in ‘lethal’, showing a dark side to love.

Question 9

what are the themes in the poem?

Answer 9

• power (power of love)
• love
• man (human feelings and relationships)