Advanced Higher English Mrs Icarus Advanced Higher English

Context of the poem Published as part of The World’s Wife collect (giving voice to marginalised or exluced female voices etc). Feminist revision of Greek Mythology. The Myth of Deadalus and Icarus Icarus and his father were imprisoned on the Island of Crete. His father used wax and strings to tie the feathers together to form wings for them to fly away and escape. They both escaped the island, however Icarus forgot about his father’s warning and flew near the sun, which melted the wax on the wings. Icarus falls into the sea and died. 

Thinking about the original myth How is Icarus presented? What are his character flaws? How might feminist writer interpret this myth? Are there any stereotype about male attitudes/behaviours that could be targeted by Duffy? Are there any perspectives / points of view that are excluded from the original myth?

Mrs Icarus I’m not the first or the last to stand on a hillock, watching the man she married prove to the world he’s a total, utter, absolute Grade A pillock.

Form Dramatic Monologue: Speaker identified in the title as the imagined wife of Icarus. Stanza Form: 5 line single stanza (cinquain) Rhyme Scheme: ABCDB Line Length: Irregular

Mrs Icarus I’m not the first or the last What is Duffy suggesting about the men in general? The use of the negative ‘not the first of the last’ suggests the Icarus’s stupidity are not unique to him. Duffy presents the idea of the foolish husband as a shared experience wives. There is a suggestion that whilst a wife may have insight and more common sense, she may be powerless to affect his decision-making.

Mrs Icarus to stand on a hillock, What is the purpose of the rhyme? How does it establish a tone? A hillock is a small hill. Her vantage point, low down, may indicate her sense of powerlessness over the situation. She can only comment from the side-lines. The rhyme creates a comical tone, but also light-hearted. She is frustrated and weary, but there is no anger.

Mrs Icarus watching the man she married prove to the world Suggests that he seeks approval and recognition. Vain? Perhaps also that Mrs Icarus has already disputed the likelihood of him succeeding, and he is determined to prove her wrong.

Mrs Icarus he’s a total, utter, absolute Grade A pillock. List of adjectives, building to a climax. Shows her frustration. Emphasised by the stressed first syllable of each of the items in the list. Juxtaposition between the phrase ‘Grade A’ and the word ‘pillock’.

Mrs Icarus I’m not the first or the last to stand on a hillock, watching the man she married prove to the world he’s a total, utter, absolute Grade A pillock. The opposition of personal pronouns. Perhaps reflects the conflict between the spouses. He remains unnamed, as if she is ashamed of his foolishness.

Overall How would we describe Mrs Icarus’s attitude towards her husband? What techniques of humour are employed in the poem? How does this compare with Mrs Darwin, Mrs Aesop and Eurydice?