Post by thethoughtpolice on Feb 26, 2011 12:33:05 GMT
‘Choose a poem whose form helps to make the poem’s message clear.
Explain what the form of the poem is and how it aids your understanding of the poem’s theme.’
‘Valentine’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem in which the form helps to make the poem’s message clear. ‘Valentine’ is a love poem which rejects the stereotypical and commercial view of love that comes with the giving of traditional valentine’s gift. In the poem an onion is used as an extended metaphor and is given as a valentine’s gift. The poem also takes the form of a dramatic monologue which helps connect the reader to the poem. Both of these techniques used by Duffy help us to understand the strange view of love depicted. In order to show exactly how the form helps us understand this theme of love it is necessary to look at how the form is used and also how, in each stanza the use of the onion as an extended metaphor reveals a different view and layer to love.
Form and structure are used effectively by Duffy and give us a good understanding of the theme. Duffy opens the poem with the line
‘Not a red rose or a satin Heart’
This first line sets up the basis for the entire poem. It shows that Duffy is rejecting the commercial gifts given on Valentines Day and shows them to be cheap and worthless. The tone revealed to the reader here is that Duffy is serious and sets up the idea that the view of love to be portrayed is of an honest and truthful love. Duffy also uses the line;
‘I am trying to be truthful’
This reveals again the honest view of love that the writer is telling the reader about. The writer at this point is making clear that they aren’t talking about the commercial love that is sold in the shops but that by being truthful she rejects this view and gives the impression of a deeper love that can be very emotive, passionate and faithful. The dramatic monologue is shown again in the line;
‘Not a cute card or kissogram’
Duffy’s use of the word cute her e is making the false gift seem nice but phoney and she is explaining that in giving a commercial valentines gift you are cheapening the value of love.
An extended metaphor is also used by Duffy to help us understand the strange view of love the poet discusses. In stanza 1, Duffy talks about a love that is gentle and a positive impression of love is portrayed.
‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper’
This has the connotations of romance; the physical image created is of the outside layer of the onion, but in the poem Duffy uses it as a gift and as you peel back the outer layer a beautiful moon appears from behind the rugged wrapping. She is suggesting that as an onion has layers so does love and relationships and that you have to look much deeper to find the true beauty that love can reveal itself to be.
In stanza 2 Duffy moves on and uses the extended metaphor to move from the possibilities of love to the more realistic depiction of love that can cause hurt. Duffy uses the line;
‘It will blind you with tears like a lover’
This creates the physical idea that when you cut up an onion it makes your eyes water. Duffy is using it to show that as an onion does this so can love and that with an honest love will come hard times which will bring you tears.
‘It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief ‘
Duffy creates the image of what it is like to see through eyes filled with tears. This line creates the idea that love leaves its mark, like a photo reminds you of a memory; a painful relationship will also leave you with a memory of love. It is something that will stay with you forever, again like a memory.
In stanza 3 the depiction of love moves again to a more powerful and passionate love. The onion is used again to help us create an image of what Duffy is trying to say about her unusual view of love.
‘Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.’
Literally this is referring to the spicy flavour of an onion that leaves a long lasting taste in your mouth. IN regards to love Duffy is showing us that love to can be strong, powerful and overpowering like the taste of the onion. This also sets up a rather forceful and controlling view of love and the word ‘possessive’ gives the idea that love is something to hold on to and keep. The writer also seems to be a bit ambiguous when she says
‘as we are for as long as we are’
its seems to imply that the relationship might to last forever, but while it does, it will be passionate and powerful. Love while it lasts is strong but even those who set out to be faithful can fail.
In the last Stanza, Duffy moves to the most honest view of love yet to be depicted. She reveals the seriousness and importance of love.
‘Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring if you like’
Again Duffy is making reference to the appearance of the onion and the white rings that make up each layer. The idea of love revealed here is that it can become something that is made forever, just as marriage is a lifetime commitment love is also a huge commitment. The idea of platinum loops expresses the huge value and cost of love. However there is also an image of a restriction that comes with word in Duffy’s choice of the word ‘Shrinks’ which implies getting smaller and becoming trapped. This again helps us understand Duffy’s view that love is a lifetime commitment. Finally the strongest opinion comes across at the very end when Duffy compares Love as being a matter of Life or Death.
‘Lethal, its sent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife’
The final image created is that love is deadly and it is truly a matter of life or death. Duffy reveals that the consequences of a failed relationship are a pain that and hurt that will stay with you just as the flavour of the onion will remain on the knife as it is cut into pieces. The tone returns to serious at the end of this poem and with the onion being destroyed, love is also destroyed.
Overall Duffy has been very effective with the use of a dramatic monologue to make the reader become a part of the poem as the receiver of the gift if they wish to take it. Also through the use of the extended metaphor it has been revealed to the reader what a true and honest relationship evolves and that it isn’t simple like the stereotypical and commercial view of love that puts everyone in the same single layered package. The theme of love is revealed to be complicated, deep and ultimately life changing. A failed relationship can leave a permanent scar and if we are not careful to look after love and be committed in faithfulness then I will fall a part.
Explain what the form of the poem is and how it aids your understanding of the poem’s theme.’
‘Valentine’ by Carol Ann Duffy is a poem in which the form helps to make the poem’s message clear. ‘Valentine’ is a love poem which rejects the stereotypical and commercial view of love that comes with the giving of traditional valentine’s gift. In the poem an onion is used as an extended metaphor and is given as a valentine’s gift. The poem also takes the form of a dramatic monologue which helps connect the reader to the poem. Both of these techniques used by Duffy help us to understand the strange view of love depicted. In order to show exactly how the form helps us understand this theme of love it is necessary to look at how the form is used and also how, in each stanza the use of the onion as an extended metaphor reveals a different view and layer to love.
Form and structure are used effectively by Duffy and give us a good understanding of the theme. Duffy opens the poem with the line
‘Not a red rose or a satin Heart’
This first line sets up the basis for the entire poem. It shows that Duffy is rejecting the commercial gifts given on Valentines Day and shows them to be cheap and worthless. The tone revealed to the reader here is that Duffy is serious and sets up the idea that the view of love to be portrayed is of an honest and truthful love. Duffy also uses the line;
‘I am trying to be truthful’
This reveals again the honest view of love that the writer is telling the reader about. The writer at this point is making clear that they aren’t talking about the commercial love that is sold in the shops but that by being truthful she rejects this view and gives the impression of a deeper love that can be very emotive, passionate and faithful. The dramatic monologue is shown again in the line;
‘Not a cute card or kissogram’
Duffy’s use of the word cute her e is making the false gift seem nice but phoney and she is explaining that in giving a commercial valentines gift you are cheapening the value of love.
An extended metaphor is also used by Duffy to help us understand the strange view of love the poet discusses. In stanza 1, Duffy talks about a love that is gentle and a positive impression of love is portrayed.
‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper’
This has the connotations of romance; the physical image created is of the outside layer of the onion, but in the poem Duffy uses it as a gift and as you peel back the outer layer a beautiful moon appears from behind the rugged wrapping. She is suggesting that as an onion has layers so does love and relationships and that you have to look much deeper to find the true beauty that love can reveal itself to be.
In stanza 2 Duffy moves on and uses the extended metaphor to move from the possibilities of love to the more realistic depiction of love that can cause hurt. Duffy uses the line;
‘It will blind you with tears like a lover’
This creates the physical idea that when you cut up an onion it makes your eyes water. Duffy is using it to show that as an onion does this so can love and that with an honest love will come hard times which will bring you tears.
‘It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief ‘
Duffy creates the image of what it is like to see through eyes filled with tears. This line creates the idea that love leaves its mark, like a photo reminds you of a memory; a painful relationship will also leave you with a memory of love. It is something that will stay with you forever, again like a memory.
In stanza 3 the depiction of love moves again to a more powerful and passionate love. The onion is used again to help us create an image of what Duffy is trying to say about her unusual view of love.
‘Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.’
Literally this is referring to the spicy flavour of an onion that leaves a long lasting taste in your mouth. IN regards to love Duffy is showing us that love to can be strong, powerful and overpowering like the taste of the onion. This also sets up a rather forceful and controlling view of love and the word ‘possessive’ gives the idea that love is something to hold on to and keep. The writer also seems to be a bit ambiguous when she says
‘as we are for as long as we are’
its seems to imply that the relationship might to last forever, but while it does, it will be passionate and powerful. Love while it lasts is strong but even those who set out to be faithful can fail.
In the last Stanza, Duffy moves to the most honest view of love yet to be depicted. She reveals the seriousness and importance of love.
‘Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring if you like’
Again Duffy is making reference to the appearance of the onion and the white rings that make up each layer. The idea of love revealed here is that it can become something that is made forever, just as marriage is a lifetime commitment love is also a huge commitment. The idea of platinum loops expresses the huge value and cost of love. However there is also an image of a restriction that comes with word in Duffy’s choice of the word ‘Shrinks’ which implies getting smaller and becoming trapped. This again helps us understand Duffy’s view that love is a lifetime commitment. Finally the strongest opinion comes across at the very end when Duffy compares Love as being a matter of Life or Death.
‘Lethal, its sent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife’
The final image created is that love is deadly and it is truly a matter of life or death. Duffy reveals that the consequences of a failed relationship are a pain that and hurt that will stay with you just as the flavour of the onion will remain on the knife as it is cut into pieces. The tone returns to serious at the end of this poem and with the onion being destroyed, love is also destroyed.
Overall Duffy has been very effective with the use of a dramatic monologue to make the reader become a part of the poem as the receiver of the gift if they wish to take it. Also through the use of the extended metaphor it has been revealed to the reader what a true and honest relationship evolves and that it isn’t simple like the stereotypical and commercial view of love that puts everyone in the same single layered package. The theme of love is revealed to be complicated, deep and ultimately life changing. A failed relationship can leave a permanent scar and if we are not careful to look after love and be committed in faithfulness then I will fall a part.