AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively, select and evaluate textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations. AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings. Learning objectives:

Medusa – Carol Ann Duffy

How much can you remember? What can you remember about the Greek mythological character Medusa? What can you remember about the character in Carol Ann Duffy’s poem ‘Medusa’? Can anyone remember the form (type) of poem?

Medusa A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy grew in my mind, which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes, as though my thoughts hissed and spat on my scalp. My bride’s breath soured, stank in the grey bags of my lungs. I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued, yellow fanged. There are bullet tears in my eyes. Are you terrified? Be terrified. It’s you I love, perfect man, Greek God, my own; but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray from home. So better by far for me if you were stone. I glanced at a buzzing bee, a dull grey pebble fell to the ground. I glanced at a singing bird, a handful of dusty gravel spattered down. I looked at a ginger cat, a housebrick shattered a bowl of milk. I looked at a snuffling pig, a boulder rolled in a heap of shit. I stared in the mirror. Love gone bad showed me a Gorgon. I stared at a dragon. Fire spewed from the mouth of a mountain. And here you come with a shield for a heart and a sword for a tongue and your girls, your girls. Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? Look at me now. CAROL ANN DUFFY

Recapping the Poem In Duffy’s poem, the character, our modern day Medusa, is scared that her husband will betray her. As a result of how she feels, Medusa develops the power to turn any living thing she looks at into stone.

The dramatic monologue offers an unusual perspective on the Gorgon Medusa, who is typified for the terror she causes through her ugliness and her foetid breath (sickening smell). Duffy’s poem allows her, Medusa, a chance to tell her story. Duffy wants us to consider a different view, to see her as a woman who fearing betrayal (lead astray, deceive a person’s trust) has developed the terrible physical characteristics of the mythological Greek character ‘Medusa’.

Poetic techniques and devices Examples alliteration metaphor verbs repetition questions imperative sentences pleasant images ugly images one line stanza narrative voice Poetic Techniques ‘hissed and spat on my scalp’

MEDUSA LONELY vulnerable man-hater EVIL jealous sensitive Look at the words below. Which words would you pick to describe Medusa? How have you come to these conclusions about Medusa?

Task In small groups work through the series of questions to help your understanding and interpretation of Duffy’s poem ‘Medusa’?

Medusa Jealous mind – a person who is suspicious about her husband’s fidelity (faithfulness)

A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy grew in my mind, which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes, as though my thoughts hissed and spat on my scalp. Mindset of the speaker – we, as the reader, are forced to make a connection with her and empathise with her Jealousy is very destructive for the speaker. Once the idea has set in, she is unable to get it out of her mind. The destructive power of her jealousy is likened to the Greek Myth Snakes are associated with jealousy Feeling of self loathing by the speaker. Alliteration: repetition of ‘s’ sound to reinforce jealous theme (snakes)

My bride’s breath soured, stank in the grey bags of my lungs. I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued, yellow fanged. There are bullet tears in my eyes. Are you terrified? Referring back in time: youthful, positive and optimistic Literal sense Like a snake – alliterative quality of the ‘s’ sound reinforces the idea of self-loathing Images of decay – her loathing is so powerful that she despises herself Metaphor reflects her stony and hard feelings Direct question to the mythological character Perseus (who beheaded her) Indirect warning to her husband’s infidelity

Be terrified. It’s you I love, perfect man, Greek God, my own; but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray from home. So better by far for me if you were stone. Direct address to her own ‘Perseus’. Reveals her possessiveness over her husband, idealised language contrasts to violent threats. Use of half-rhyme to reinforce the theme of jealousy which is turning her into a monster Prefers the man she loves to be stone rather than belonging to someone else. Once again the jealous self-loathing is obvious. This serves as a warning to her husband.

I glanced at a buzzing bee, a dull grey pebble fell to the ground. I glanced at a singing bird, a handful of dusty gravel spattered down. I looked at a ginger cat, a housebrick shattered a bowl of milk. I looked at a snuffling pig, a boulder rolled in a heap of shit. Verb phrases become stronger EVERYTHING SHE LOOKS AT TURNS TO STONE Powerful and destructive. Her feelings of jealousy and betrayal become more concentrated as she transforms larger creatures. Shocking, unpleasant – reinforcing waste and decay as Medusa contemplates his betrayal

I stared in the mirror. Love gone bad showed me a Gorgon. I stared at a dragon. Fire spewed from the mouth of a mountain. Completes her emotional state and completes the sequence of verbs beginning with ‘glanced’ and ‘looked’ She is the only one who can endure her gaze Jealousy has turned her into a monsterMetaphor for how she views herself now

And here you come with a shield for a heart and a sword for a tongue and your girls, your girls. Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? Reflecting his feelings The action of the sword decapitating her Metaphorical comparison between Perseus and her husband - her husband needs metaphorical protection against her violent love. Their marriage is like a battle. Perseus is replaced by a husband, but this could also a wider connotation for anyone who has suffered betrayal Repetition – reinforces Medusa’s fragile state of mind and regret of how her life has turned out Use of questions show her vulnerability and her need to cling to the man that she directs her thoughts to, her own ‘Greek God’ She seems suddenly human again.

Look at me now. Tragic, self-pitying tone – look at what she has become Violent and vengeful – anyone who looks at her turns to stone Ironic – final line is loaded with ambiguity (we can’t look at her because we will turn to stone) Line isolated for maximum effect A strong reminder to us all of her capabilities

Structure Form: The poem is a dramatic monologue from the point of view of the jealous wife. Structure: The narrator’s anger builds up throughout the poem as a result of the extended metaphor of Medusa’s violent killings. Free verse structure and use of enjambment to reinforce the dramatic monologue form of Medusa’s fragile state of mind, revealing the voice of a rambling unselfconscious Medusa. The tone changes in the final stanza as the narrator seems suddenly insecure, perhaps because she wants her husband to choose her over the other woman.

Language Violent Imagery: The narrator seems to take pleasure in imagining violence in the poem. This highlights her anger and seems shocking because it is expressed in such an extreme, destructive way. Language of Vision: The ambiguous language of a young romance and the concept of lovers staring into each other’s eyes is contrasted with the destructive power of jealousy presented as Medusa’s stare. Language is a colloquial(everyday) conversational tone.

What is your overall impression of the poem? Do you feel sympathy for Medusa? Why or why not? Do you think men go through the same feelings of rejection when they grow older? Why or why not? What do you think Duffy’s overall message is? The Final Word…

Explore how Carol Ann Duffy presents a character with strong emotional feelings.

Comparing poems AO3: Make comparisons and explain links between texts, evaluating writers’ different ways of expressing meaning and achieving effects

Compare the ways that jealousy is explored and presented through the central characters in ‘Medusa’ and ‘My Last Duchess’. Use the Venn diagram to find the differences and similarities between the two poems.

Compare the central characters in ‘Medusa’ and ‘Les Grand Seigneurs’. Use the Venn diagram to find the differences and similarities between the two poems.