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Duffy Poetry (The Long Queen (Has a fairy-tale motif running throughout…
Duffy Poetry
The Long Queen
It is the first poem in the Feminine Gospels anthology, it sets the tone as a feminist piece of literature.
Duffy wants to challenge the readers view of women or themselves and recognise not only her troubles and fights though life which we are privy to through the context of some of the later poems, but also her use of intertextuality throughout the anthology compels us to scrutinise our own society and how women are treated both now and in the past.
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Has a fairy-tale motif running throughout the poem, perhaps
Reinforces the stereotype of women wanting to be 'princesses' instead of a 'queen' or having any power or say. Also reinforces characterises women as less than or fixed gender roles
'spinsters' 'hags' 'witches' very negative, evil connotations
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However 'The Long queen subverts these expectations by refusing a husband of great power and status and choosing 'time' instead signifying she will use her time a queen productively with no distractions
Emphasises that women having aspirations or any goals in life is only fictional, it undermines that women could have any serous role or power in life outside of their societally accepted gender roles.
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Stanza 1
Idea of choice, refusal of a husband, rebellion against the norm
She "couldn't die" as her values and her "laws" will upheld even after her physical death. Links to Liz the 1st as her ruling became a concept, unable to die and will forever be remembered.
"then taken Time for a husband" importance of time (capital letter) personifies it to highlight how she doesn't need men.
Ironic that she denies all the higher status men "lord", "prince", "earl", "count" etc and focuses on men in power when women are characterised to want to want that for themselves
"cold weight of the crown" removes warmth, or emotion from her role, subverts the expected 'overemotional' label that women are put under.
Could connote to he seeing the crown as a burden, or that this represents great importance and severity of the role. she is the protector of vulnerable girls and women so must take he role as Queen seriously.
Stanza 2
Long polysyndetic list of lower status/ rejects from society which not only contrasts from stanza 1 but emphasises she is the protector of all women. It reflects how they are devalued by the societies patriarchy.
"No girl born who wasn't the Long Queen's always child" Idea of protection forever and again unity bewteen women.
Emphasises women being united, and the work it takes to be a woman to get the same oppurtunities as men.
"word of law in their bones" "in the graft of their hands", emphasises that her values are grounded and permanent in these women. But it is her laws and legislature that are final and transcendent of time and gender roles
Stanza 3
"Unseen" "Disguised"
Either represents women as unnoticed and inferior or that they don't need fame or glory to protect and support people who need it.
Her power even reaches to the dead- only if they are women, perhaps giving the impression she is avenging those who have been undermined and treated cruelly by the system.
"queen of more, of all the dead when they lived if they did so female"
Stanza 4
First law, "Childhood"
"swoon" unconscious, idea of death or danger
"awoke from the bad dream of the worst" adds to the negative lexical field of fear. The Long Queen helps to aid and protect them from this frightening stage in there lives
"bereaved, bereft" alliteration, violent death connotations
Stanza 5
Second Law, "Blood" and "Tears"
Draws of the colloquial idiom, "blood, sweat and tears" again linking to the "graft" or hard work it takes to be a woman and the need for that protection
"royal red" Regal connotation, as though she has control over it.
Puberty is the sacrifice of childhood, they are now officially women and are exposed to the pain and tears expected of them.
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