Skip to main content

Analysis of The Biographer

Synopsis= Duffy centres this poem around the life of a biographer, it is clear to see that the speaker lives a life full of resentment and shame towards themselves for not living a life similar to the ones they are employed to write about. 

 Key Quotations + Analysis 
1.) "Because you are dead" 

  • It is significant that Duffy opens the poem with this line as it signifies that the biographer only becomes relevant after the death of someone who lived a life worth writing about. This enforces the nihilistic attitude of the speaker and sets the tone for what the speakers self perception is. 


 2.) "Green and crimson and gold" 

  • The wallpaper is described by the speaker into such great detail, implies that the speaker knows everything about their subjects life but they will never know that the biographer existed.
  • Green has connotations of envy which clearly relates to the speakers jealousy, crimson is a deep red which alludes to anger and rage that the speaker feels towards them self. Finally crimson and gold are very regal shades which connotes that the speaker feels that everything about their subject is superior to him.  


 3.) "The first four words I wrote were your name"

  • This signifies that the subject of the biography is at the forefront of the biographers mind, they attempt to submerge them self into the other persons identity in order to forget about their own life. This line reinforces the significance of the other person in comparison to the biographer.


 4.) "Shadow"

  • The light is on the person they are writing about as the biographer sheds light on their life, therefore the word choice shadow implies that no one is bothered about the biographers life. Shadow also conveys darkness, signifying that the biographer lives a sombre life. 
  • The fact that the word choice shadow is repeated implies the monotony of the biographers lifestyle, he is stuck in a loop of being a shadow as it is only way of making ends meet.


 5.) "When he was a boy" 

  • Duffy chooses to disconnect the speaker from them-self by using third person narrative, this could be because the speaker is ashamed to associate himself with his identity as it is nothing in comparison to the live's of the people he writes about.
Links to Other Poems

  • Captain of the 1964 Top of the form team= Both speakers show self resentment, in 'Captain' this bitterness is towards their present self whereas the speaker of the Biographer shows hatred towards both their past and present.
  • Fraud= In Fraud the speaker attempts to carve a new identity to better them selves and their position within society, similar to the speaker of the Biographer whom tries to replicate the identity of the person they are writing about as they are ashamed of their current identity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Analysis of Fraud

Synopsis= It is widely believed that Duffy based the poem 'Fraud' on a man name Robert Maxwell, however his prior name was Jon Ludwick Hock. Maxwell managed to carve a new identity for himself in England after moving from Czechoslovakia where he became a largely successful MP and media head. However after his death there was a burst of controversy surrounding Maxwell as it was believed that there was a lot of flaws in his finances, mainly from pensions. Key Quotations + Analysis 1.) "I spoke the English" Here the speaker is trying to affirm his English identity, however the deviant grammar contradicts this as no native English person would make this mistake. As a result this error flaws the speakers cover and almost unveils his true identity. 2.) "Politicians in and out of their pram"  This line has a lot of plosive language which can convey the speakers bitterness towards politics, his bitter tone is somewhat ironic as Robert Maxwell himself was...
Post a Comment
Read more

Analysis of Caul

Synopsis= A caul is when a baby is born still in their amniotic sac, this was deemed as especially lucky and as a result sailors would buy the caul and use it as a token of luck. It is significant to note that Duffy was born within her caul therefore this poem has a somewhat autobiographical sense and one could argue that the caul is a symbol of Duffy's fortune. Key Quotations + Analysis=  1.) "I'll never be drowned" Here the speaker is perhaps reliant on the fortune that her caul brings her and it is a part of her that will "never" diminish,  "never" alludes to a tone of sarcasm which is significant as cauls were supposed to prevent a sailor from drowning at sea. Therefore, this sarcastic attitude is perhaps a result of misfortune in the speakers life causing her to majorly doubt the validity of the cauls fortune.  2.) "under the waves or spoil on a beach"  The speaker is questioning whether her caul is still used for luck ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Analysis of Adultery

Synopsis= Its clear to see that this poem is based off a relationship that has been crushed through one partners decision to be deceitful and commit adultery against their partner. As a result the speaker of this poem demonstrates the effects, both short term and long term, that this act of deceit has Key Quotations + Analysis=  "Wash Themselves. Now" This line conveys the sense that the speaker is trying to cleanse herself of her husbands deceit from her body, it could also portray that her husband is attempting to wash himself clean of the guilt caused from his sins.  "Now" implies that she must constantly cleanse herself to feel sane and her mind must be washed frequently as the thoughts of her husbands deceit fill her mind. "Sweet Darkness" Here Duffy's use of an oxymoronic phrase links to the similar phrase 'ignorance is bliss' , connoting that when the speaker was unaware of her partners deceit it was much better, she would ...
Post a Comment
Read more