'Mrs Midas' - Carol Ann Duffy Flashcards
How does Duffy create an effective opening to the poem?
“It was late September”
Which phrases suggest the domestic harmony before Mr Midas makes the wish?
“poured a glass of wine” “vegetables cooked” “relaxed” “gently”
“snapping a twig”
The onomatopoeia and word choice of “snapping” connote violence and destruction. This shows the beginning of Mr Midas destroying their relationship and contrasts with the happy, relaxed tone previously.
How does Duffy show that Mrs Midas cannot believe her eyes?
“now the garden was long and visibility poor”
“I thought to myself, is he putting fairy lights in the tree?”
“On.”
The minor sentence emphasises her shock at what she is seeing
“the dark of the ground seems to drink the light of the sky”
This is ominous imagery. “Dark” usually connotes darkness and danger, whereas “light” usually suggests truth and happiness. This foreshadows the fear and unhappiness to come to the couple.
