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VALENTINE (stanza 1 & 2 (The title itself, Valentine, initially…
VALENTINE
stanza 1 & 2
The title itself, Valentine, initially suggests that this poem will deal with the fairly conventional notions of love with its connotations of flowers, hearts and romance.
However, the traditional idea as suggested from the title is subverted from the very beginning in the opening line: Not a red rose or a satin heart. and in line 12: Not a cute card or a kissogram.
By inserting a negative at the opening of both these lines, the speaker is effectively dismissing traditional symbols of love and instead presents an object that is much more truthfully representative of love.
In the repetition of I give you an onion in lines 2 and 13, the speaker emphasises the importance of this gift being accepted by their lover.
The use of the imperative commands Here in line 6 and Take it in line 18, further establishes the forceful character of the speaker.
The gift, the metaphorical onion, is described as a moon wrapped in brown paper. Thus although initially puzzling and unconventional, the allusion to the moon does remind us of more traditional notions of romance.
The brown paper refers both to the texture and colour of the outer layer of the onion as well as reminding us that real romantic gifts do not need to be embellished or concealed within expensive wrapping.
The speaker is asserting then that the onion symbolises a positive aspect of love since it represents refreshing honesty and optimism, often experienced at the beginning of a relationship.
The line It promises light also indicates that this will be an enriching and fulfilling relationship for both parties. This too conveys the optimism and hopefulness of lovers embarking on a new relationship.
The simile like the careful undressing of love can be interpreted both as a reference to the sexual aspect of their relationship, and also the growth of their emotional bond which the peeling away of clothes and layers of personality may bring.
The word careful suggests tenderness, affection, warmth and sensitivity between the lovers as they gradually allow external barriers to come down and expose their true selves to each other.
stanza 7
In stanza seven, Duffy builds to a penultimate climax with the speaker becoming even more insistent by using the imperative command in the words Take it.
The speaker then reminds us that traditional romantic relationships usually culminate in marriage which here is considered to be similar to a constricting death.
She compares the creamy white rings of the onion with the precious metal platinum loops of a wedding ring which over time will, like the onion rings, shrink in size.
Here the poet is inferring that marriage requires an adjustment which may in fact restrict a person both physically as well as emotionally, warning others of the consequences of following conventions which can be destructive, diminutive and even unnecessary when compared to free romantic love.
The final stanza begins with the single minor sentence and powerful adjective Lethal which reinforces the notion of imminent death to individuality, where a long-term union is pursued.
The scent from this relationship has positive connotations of the pleasant smell of perfume, echoing back to the fierce kiss, and reiterating the fact that the memory of a deep relationship may last, even long after it has ended
However there is no doubt that even where powerful love is very difficult to forget, it may lead you into dangerous situations where the final outcome could be brutal and violent as suggested by the final word knife.
A knife can slice through an onion just as honest language can incisively reveal the truth concerning a loving relationship.
stanza 3
-
-
However, this gift also bears a warning
that It will blind you with tears conveying
the idea that this relationship may
occasionally cause pain and make you cry,
just as getting too close to a chopped up
onion can bring tears to your eyes.
-
In this way, the speaker reminds us that
the onion, just like a lover, can elicit pain
and distress as well as love and passion.
An additional warning in the form of an
extended metaphor follows with the words
It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.
This emphasises once more the vulnerability and danger
people expose themselves to when they submit wholly
and completely to a romantic relationship and reminds
us of its destructive potential.
overview
Valentine is from a collection of poems entitled Mean Time (1993), and expresses love and affection in the form of a conceit whereby the symbol of love being offered by the speaker is an unconventional onion.
The poem challenges the stereotypical view of a Valentine’s gift when the speaker presents their lover with the metaphorical onion as a moon wrapped in brown paper.
This is reminiscent of metaphysical poets such as John Donne, who approached ordinary objects in original and surprising ways. The multi-layered complexity of the onion represents a real relationship and is used as an extended metaphor throughout.
The strangeness of this unusual gift, which can make a lover cry, highlights the negative as well as the positive effects of a deep and loving relationship.
The forceful presentation of this gift, and the final word choice, also suggests this is a relationship which is cruel, domineering and menacing.
stanza 4
This harsh disclosure is further
supported by a single emphatic
statement: I am trying to be truthful.
In doing so, the speaker is perhaps
attempting to justify all that has been
said so far, and continues to stress
the desire for honesty within the relationship.
Through this openness and frankness, the
speaker is attempting to stress the
significance of truthfulness and honesty
in the relationship.
Before this line, the speaker had described
their love in mainly gentle terms to show
the sincerity of their feelings, yet what
follows is a change in tone to one which
appears to be more brutal and threatening.
Through the use of the first person, the poet
conveys the strength of feeling in the
speaker in their desire for a relationship which
is based on honesty.
stanza 5 & 6
Having echoed the opening with a single line rejecting more
stereotypical Valentine’s gifts of a cute card and a kissogram, stanza six then goes on to stress the speaker's insistence that the onion be accepted by their lover: I give you an onion.
The full stop signifies a pause as the speaker awaits their gift to be received. As the poem continues in the line Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, the lover is attempting to articulate not only the romantic, positive aspects of love but its more negative, darker associations.
There is also the continued allusion to the senses through the taste of the onion which, just like some romantic relationships, is strong, unpleasant and difficult to erase.
Similarly while the word choice of faithful has positive connotations of a trusting shared relationship, the word choice of possessive signals a change in the relationship as it suggests an element of jealousy, distrust, control and insecurity.
form & structure
The poem is written in free verse using irregular stanzas to support its content and purpose, which is to reject traditional restrictive conventions such as marriage and other notions of love and to warn lovers that being overly possessive can have undesirable consequences.
While ostensibly a poem on the theme of love, Duffy deliberately avoids the use of language or imagery that we associate with this type of poetry.
Instead, the words are often stark and monosyllabic to allow her to present her ideas clearly and unambiguously.