Eurydice

Theme

Eurydice - Carol Ann Duffy

EURYDICE

Whole poem is narrated by Eurydice who tells us about how she feels about the whole story and why she has acted in certain ways. It gives the audience another POV to the original Greek myth.

- Tone: Conversational. As if Eurydice is casually chatting to a group of girls.

- Sets the tone of the whole poem.

- Also repeated two more times.

- Audience connects to Eurydice

Her own personal comments on publishers in the real world, how there is an advantage of being a male

Internal conversation

Background Info:

- From 'The Worlds Wife' Collection

- Point of view from women of famous men

- Themes of entrapment and gender imbalance throughout whole collection

made impossible the possible: Sisyphus was punished to only push the rock uphill, watch it roll down and repeat the action forever and now he can sit "on his rock for the first time in years"

Tantalus was punished to be lusted by the fruits and water that is so close to him but can never possess

Emphasis is put on this word because it is capitalized - once again an emphasis on how peaceful she feels in the Underworld without Orpheus

A pun: She's currently underground and she believes that it suits her down to the ground.

- Carol Ann Duffy

In fact, girls, I'd rather be dead.

But the Gods are like publishers -

usually male -

and what you doubtless know of my tale

is the deal.

Orpheus strutted his stuff.

The bloodless ghosts were in tears.

Sisyphus sat on his rock for the first time in years.

Tantalus was permitted a couple of beers.

The woman in question could scarcely believe her ears.

Like it or not,

I must follow him back to our life -

Eurydice, Orpheus's wife -

to be trapped in his images, metaphors, similes,

octaves and sextets, quatrains and couplets,

elegies, limericks,villanelles,

histories, myths...

He'd been told that he mustn't look back

or turn round,

but walk steadily upwards,

myself right behind him,

out of the Underworld

into the upper air that for me was the past.

He'd been warned

that one look would lose me

for ever and ever.

So onwards we walked.

Nobody talked.

A narrative description on her relationship with Orpheus. Showing HER point of view.

But also alludes to her relationship with Adrian Henry.

As she is walking up to the living world the light turns from purple to grey. The grey color symbolizes the despair and sadness from the living world once again showing how she does not want to stay with Orpheus.

Girls, forget what you've read,

it happened like this -

I did everything in my power

to make him look back.

What did I have to do, I said,

to make him see we were through?

I was dead Deceased.

I was Resting in Peace. Passe.

Late. Past my sell-by date -

and here I stretched out my hand

and touched him once

on the back of the neck -

Please let my stay.

But already the light had saddened from purple to grey.

It was an uphill schlep

from death to life

and with every step

I willed him to turn.

I'd managed to filch the poem

out of his cloak

when inspiration finally struck.

I stopped, thrilled.

He was a yard in front. My voice shook when I spoke -

Orpheus, your poem's a masterpiece.

I'd love to hear it again.

He was smiling modestly

when he turned

when he turned and he looked at me.

What else?

I noticed he hadn't shaved.

I waved once and was gone.

The dead are so talented.

The living walk by the edge of a vast lake

near the wise, drowned silence of the dead

Girls, I was dead and down

in the Underworld, a shade,

a shadow of my former self, nowhen.

It was a place where language stopped,

a black full-stop, a black hole

where words had to come to an end

And end they did there,

last words,

famous or not.

It suited me down to the ground.

So imagine me there,

unavailable,

out of this world,

then picture my face in that place

of Eternal Repose,

in the one place you'd think a girl would be safe

from the kind of a man

who follows her round

writing poems

hovers about

while she reads them,

calls her his Muse,

and once sulked for a night and a day

because she remarked on his weakness for abstract noouns;

just picture my face

when I heard -

Ye Gods -

a familiar knock-knock-knock at Death's door.

Him.

Big O.

Larger than life.

With his lyre

and a poem to read with me as the prize.

Things were different back then.

For the men, verse-wise,

Big O, was the boy.

Legendary. The blurb

on the back of his books claimed

that animals,

aardvark to Zebra,

flocked to his side when he sang,

fish leapt from their waves

at the sound of his voice,

even the mute, sullen stones at his feet

wept wee silver tears.

Bollocks. Furthermore,

we've all, let's be honest,

been bored half to death by a man

who fucks like he's writing a book.

And, given my time all over again,

I know that I'd rather write for myself

than be dearest, beloved, dark lady, white goddess, etc. etc.

Analysis By: Barbie & Wingki

Eurydice's final plan to make her husband look back --> She hates his poems so by complimenting his poems the author shows the extent of things Eurydice would do just to stay in the Underworld. An emphasis on how much she would hate to be back with Orpheus

Hyperbole:

- Used here to make Orpheus sound greater than he actually is

Tone: Sarcastic

- Exaggerated because even nature responds to Orpheus

Implying that she may not have been honest before (when she was praising Orpheus)

The length of each line also differs (there is no strict structure or pattern to the poem). It's as if Eurydice is putting down any thoughts she's having into the poem which adds onto the conversational tone to the poem. This allows Eurydice to convey her emotions even more freely and the audience can assume that she is telling us her true emotions.

- The first time Eurydice is showing her own opinions and her own views on what SHE wants instead of what her husband wants.

- CAD shows the audience how she feels about Adrian Henry's writing

Initial Response + Questions

Personal Response + Comments

Sexism

- Not much of the original story is retained, only the basic outline is kept

- I believe that the poem reflects a lot of Carol Ann Duffy's life and emotions

- Interesting to see a different view on a story

- Creative way of presenting an idea

- A poem I thoroughly enjoyed

"But the Gods are like publishers -

usually male -"

Obvious link to Carol Ann Duffy's sexuality (bisexual) because she often writes about gender oppression and her poems often contain a feminist edge to them

"Like it or not,

I must follow him back to our life -

Eurydice, Orpheus's wife -"

Legendary musician in ancient greek. He has the ability to charm all living things

Who was Eurydice?

Targeted to one of Carol Ann Duffy’s relationship --> Adrian Henry

- In Greek Mythology, a beautiful oak nymph

Wife of Orpheus

- Target of Aristaeus

Underworld

- Orpheus begged Hades to set Eurydice free

- "Okay, but..."

- Screaming Eurydice

Unhappy Orpheus

THANKS