Valentine (Carol Ann Duffy)

Question 1

CONTEXT (AO3)

Answer 1

written by Carol Ann Duffy
- identifies as a lesbian
purpose
- to condemn the consumerist, commercialised, modern day view of Valentine’s day
- to condemn the traditional preconceptions of love and relationships
- to explicitly reject the shallow, glossy representations of love and takes care to reveal the shortcomings of societal expectations for romantic relationships
written in 1990s
- a time when anti-LGBT+ sentiment was on the rise

Question 2

STRUCTURE

Answer 2

• free verse (no rhythm or rhyme)
• irregular stanzas

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.

Question 3

FORM

Answer 3

written in the form of a free-verse poem.

Question 4

‘Not a red rose or a satin heart.’

Answer 4

‘Not… .’ - SHORT SENTENCE - creates an abrupt and declarative tone - immediately rejects convention.

‘red rose’ - ALLITERATION - allows Duffy to condemn the traditional conventions of love by creating a scornful tone.

Question 5

‘I give you an onion’

Answer 5

‘onion’ - NOUN - asserting that the onion symbolises a positive aspect of love since it represents refreshing honesty and optimism.

Question 6

‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.’

Answer 6

‘moon’ - METAPHOR - the moon controls emotions and therefore conveys the volatile nature of feelings within relationships
‘moon’ - METAPHOR - suggests light/innocence - could convey ides of hope

‘wrapped in brown paper.’ - represents the toughness and inaccessibility that people develop regarding love.

Question 7

‘Here.’

‘Take it.’

Answer 7

‘Here.’ + ‘Take it.’ - SHORT SENTENCES - creates a commanding and desperate tone.

Question 8

‘I am trying to be truthful.’

Answer 8

‘trying’ + ‘to’ + ‘truthful’ - ALLITERATION - conveys the writers struggle (to keep the love alive)

this line acts as a pivotal transition
- honesty is crucial within a relationship

Question 9

‘Not a cute card or a kissogram.’

Answer 9

‘cute card’ + ‘kissogram’ - ALLITERATIVE hard ‘Cs’ and ‘Ks’ - conveys contempt

Question 10

‘It’s fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are
for as long as we are’

Answer 10

‘possessive and faithful’ - ADJECTIVES - connotes that love is the same

‘as we are’ - REPETITION - shows the excessive and overly abundant nature of love

Question 11

‘It’s platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring’

Answer 11

‘shrink’ - VERB - shows how love has the potential to diminish
‘shrink’ - VERB - commitment/love is confining and restrictive

the rings of the onion symbolise eternity and are infinite.

Question 12

‘It’s scent will cling to your fingers,

cling to your knife.’

Answer 12

‘cling’ - REPETITION - possessive

‘knife’ - NOUN - connotes ideas of violence and pain

‘fingers’ - ASSONANT VOWELS - rhythmic and memorable