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In today's lesson, we will explore the poetic techniques and themes in the poem "Havisham" by Carol Ann Duffy. The poem delves into the character of Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" and discusses themes of love, hate, and the lasting impact of personal trauma. Join us as we analyze the imagery, structure, and language used in the poem.
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In today’s lesson, we will... • Identify and explore poetic techniques. • Discuss theme.
‘Havisham’ • The speaker in the poem is the character of Miss Havisham, taken from the Dickens novel ‘Great Expectations’. • In the novel, she is deserted at the altar on her wedding day by her husband-to-be. • She is completely devastated and never recovers. • She continues to wear her decaying wedding dress, adopts a daughter and brings her up teaching her to hate all men. • The poem is a monologue.
Verse 1 • What does the oxymoron in line one reveal about her feelings? • Explain the image ‘dark green pebbles for eyes.’ • Explain the image ‘ropes on the back of my hands.’
Verse 2 • Comment on the use of the word ‘stink’. • Comment on the use of the word ‘cawing’. • Comment on the last line – can you explain the structure?
Verse 4 • What could the ‘red balloon’ symbolise and what is the significance of it bursting? • Comment on the use of onomatopoeia. • What is the tone of this verse? • Comment on the use of repetition in the final line.
Verse 1 Oxymoron – emphasises her contradictory feelings Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then I haven’t wished him dead. Prayed for it so hard I’ve dark green pebbles for eyes, ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with. Heavy emphasis here perhaps indicating her negative/aggressive feelings are now the dominant ones. Hardened emotions? Dark for her evil thoughts of revenge. Green link with jealousy? Accentuated veins - due to age, stress, murderous anger etc. Irony – we usually pray for something good.
Verse 1 • Beloved sweetheart bastard The poem begins as if addressed to the jilting bridegroom. It doesn't continue in this direct address - by the end of the poem the male figure will have become a male corpse - any male (generalised). Duffy is interested in the combination of desire and hatred.
Verse 2 Negative connotations Placed at start of stanza, one word sentence, bitter tone. Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe; the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this Doesn’t recognise herself; has been changed. Ambiguous – her or the dress? Perhaps she is frightened of looking in the mirror and seeing what she has become. Repetition emphasises intensity of anguish Word associated with crows. Negative connotations of these birds. Emphasises her isolation.
Verse 3 Enjambment – to convey the idea of a troubled mind. to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words. Some nights better, the lost body over me, my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love’s Deep red – connotations of blood, death Sexual fantasy – cannot rid herself of desire/affection. When she wakes the hatred and anger return
Verse 4 Shows how fragile love can be. Alliteration . Might symbolise her broken heart, her life destroyed abruptly. hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake. Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon. Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks. One word sentence/onomatopoeia emphasises power/suddenness. Command. Deeply disturbed and vengeful. Long + slow – combination of enjoyment and torture Repetition highlights her emotional and psychological fragility. As well as her heart, her mind is now broken.
Themes • The poet is effectively exploring a number of themes in this poem. • What might they be?
Themes • Relationships – the thin line between love and hate. • How one event can profoundly affect a life. • How some people never recover from personal trauma. • How social convention/prejudice can cause unhappiness.
Valentine. “It is a moon wrapped in brown paper” “It promises light” “careful undressing of love” “platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring” “cling to your knife” Havisham. “Beloved sweetheart bastard” “Not a day since then I haven’t wished him dead” “I could strangle with” “Some night better” “Love’s hate behind a white veil” “I stabbed at a wedding cake” “Long slow honeymoon”
Theme of love. Havisham. The tone is bitter and sad throughout. She talks about how she wishes him dead. She shows mixed emotions for him (dreaming about him). Violent imagery and word choice demonstrates her hatred. She doesn’t recognise herself and blames him. Stabbing a cake – hates weddings and happiness of others. Valentine. Starts off with honesty and love. Really wants to show their love. With the thought of marriage and commitment the tone changes and becomes bitter. It shows the negative/destructive nature of relationships. The violent word choice shows the state of their relationship. The words such as cling and linger show that even after the relationship is over, it can’t be forgotten.
