History has always been a space of male deeds, male achievements, male gain or loss. Or so one is made to believe in retrospection. Of course women were not absent from history but they certainly are to a great extent from historical representations. Patriarchy dominated Western culture for more than two thousand years and supplied the framework for what is to be known and how, i.e. in which contexts, it is to be known. Historical material has always been scarce but in regard to women it is almost non-existent. So women rightfully started to ask where their part in history was or why they have been consequently written out of history instead of being included. A necessity arose to deconstruct certain historical "truths" and to make women visible in and show their relevance to our past to build up strength and to obtain a voice or rather voices in order to question the present and the past systems.
In this paper I examine Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife , whose poetry runs very much in above line. I will concentrate on the gender constructions established within The World's Wife. Even though Duffy questions traditional conceptions of men and women and their relationships with each other, she maintains a binary gender structure. The first chapter therefore deals with a general overview of gender conceptions constructed in and through the poems. The second and third chapter will take a closer look at certain poems. I think the poems weave their own web of femininity. In a circular movement they refer to past and future thus describing a female/feminist tradition. Accordingly the first and the last poem, Little Red Cap and Demeter, form the outline of the circle, not only in regard to their position but also by implicitly refering to each other. My third chapter will extend the question of wo/manhood. As extreme picture inspired by psychoanalytical gender definitions Queen Kong presents an excellent farce of cultural constructions of masculinity and femininity. Mrs. Teresisas likewise undermines biological essentialisms. Within the volume it is the most explicit voicing of gender constructions and differences. For my analysis I will rely mainly on psychoanalytical theories, and here especially on Jacques Lacan and Hélèn Cixous.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Laughing Medusa
- Mothers & Daughters
- Masquerades or How to be a Wo/man
- Résumé
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife, analyzing how the poems construct gender. The work challenges traditional gender roles and perspectives, offering a female counterpoint to established narratives. The analysis focuses on the ways Duffy uses irony, subversion, and female solidarity to reshape perceptions of femininity and masculinity.
- Deconstruction of traditional gender roles and stereotypes
- The creation of a female narrative and community within the poems
- Exploration of power dynamics between men and women
- The use of irony and satire to critique patriarchal structures
- Redefinition of femininity and its representation in literature and culture
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introduction establishes the context for the analysis of Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife. It highlights the historical underrepresentation of women in narratives and the consequent need to deconstruct traditional "truths." The paper focuses on examining the gender constructions within Duffy's work, particularly how the poems present a female perspective on well-known male figures from mythology, religion, science, history, and popular culture. The introduction outlines the structure of the paper, indicating the focus on a general overview of gender conceptions followed by a closer examination of specific poems, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the collection and the creation of a female tradition within the poems. The analysis uses psychoanalytic theories, particularly those of Jacques Lacan and Hélène Cixous.
The Laughing Medusa: This chapter analyzes Duffy's use of the concept of the "world's wife," drawing from George Eliot's Mill on the Floss. It contrasts Eliot's depiction of gossiping women as upholding patriarchal systems with Duffy's subversion of this stereotype. Duffy's poems, instead of promoting silence and obedience, create a space for female voices to express anger, desire, despair, and fear. The chapter examines the structure of Duffy's collection as a female gathering, highlighting the use of direct address ("you") to create a connection between the women in the poems and the female reader. It explores how the poems present a reversal of traditional gender hierarchies, with men portrayed as the "Other," while women occupy a position of relative superiority. The use of myth, literature, and legend to question traditional gender conceptions is also discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Carol Ann Duffy's *The World's Wife* Analysis
What is the focus of this analysis of Carol Ann Duffy's *The World's Wife*?
This analysis examines how Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife constructs gender, challenging traditional roles and perspectives by offering a female counterpoint to established narratives. It focuses on Duffy's use of irony, subversion, and female solidarity to reshape perceptions of femininity and masculinity.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
Key themes include the deconstruction of traditional gender roles and stereotypes; the creation of a female narrative and community within the poems; exploration of power dynamics between men and women; the use of irony and satire to critique patriarchal structures; and the redefinition of femininity and its representation in literature and culture.
What is the structure of the analysis?
The analysis begins with an introduction establishing the context and outlining the paper's structure. It then delves into specific poems, examining how they contribute to the overall themes. The analysis utilizes psychoanalytic theories, particularly those of Jacques Lacan and Hélène Cixous, to support its interpretations. A cyclical nature of the collection and the creation of a female tradition within the poems is emphasized.
How does the analysis approach the poem "The Laughing Medusa"?
The analysis of "The Laughing Medusa" draws connections to George Eliot's Mill on the Floss, contrasting Eliot's portrayal of gossiping women with Duffy's subversion of that stereotype. It highlights how Duffy's poems create a space for female voices to express a range of emotions and how the collection structures itself as a female gathering, using direct address to engage the female reader. The chapter explores the reversal of traditional gender hierarchies and the use of myth and legend to question traditional gender conceptions.
What specific aspects of *The World's Wife* are covered in the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide an overview of the introduction, which sets the stage for the analysis and introduces key theoretical frameworks. Subsequent summaries delve into specific poems and themes, focusing on how Duffy challenges traditional gender roles and creates a female perspective within a collection that revisits well-known male figures from various fields.
What is included in this comprehensive language preview?
This preview includes the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords relevant to the analysis of Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife. It provides a structured overview of the academic paper's content and methodology.
- Quote paper
- Antje Peukert (Author), 2003, "What's a Man Without a Woman …?" - Gender Constructions in Carol Ann Duffy's "The World's Wife", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/158356
