DICTION AND IMAGERY
FIRST STANZA
"Beloved sweetheart bastard"
This line is referring to the husband of Miss Havisham in her voice. The use of "beloved sweetheart" and "bastard" is using the technique oxymoron. This shows that Miss Havisham has conflicted feeling about the ex fiance and that although she loved him now she hates him because of how she treated her. This may also be showing how her love quickly turned to hate.
"Not a day"
Duffy uses negation to emphasize that Havisham spent all her days with her mind focused on vengeance. She did not stop praying even for one day wishing her ex-fiance would die.
"dark green pebbles"
This is a use of metaphor to show that her eyes have become small and fragile as Havisham has been in darkness praying with her eyes closed for many years. It also suggests that her eyes turned to stone from holding so much resentment and hate within herself. The color green may signify the actual color of her eyes, but also to the fact that dark green is associated with greed and jealousy ("Color Meaning").
"ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with"
This is a use of metaphor to show that she has aged as she is describing her the shape of her hands as vein ridden and tight like ropes on her skin. Furthermore the use of "strangle" was perhaps used deliberately to show that Miss Havisham is a damaged person who has a malicious intent to express her anger towards her ex-fiance. Duffy purposely describes the veins on the back of her hands as "ropes" because they are used by murderers in real life as well, reinforcing Havisham's aim to take revenge on her ex-fiance.
"day" "dead" and "dark"
This is a utilization of the technique alliteration. Duffy utilizes this technique to imply that almost all of Havisham's days were dark and dreary as she obsessed with wishing her ex-fiance to be dead. Because these words are single-syllable words, the forcefulness of the single-syllables enhance the dark mood of the poem.
This line is referring to the husband of Miss Havisham in her voice. The use of "beloved sweetheart" and "bastard" is using the technique oxymoron. This shows that Miss Havisham has conflicted feeling about the ex fiance and that although she loved him now she hates him because of how she treated her. This may also be showing how her love quickly turned to hate.
"Not a day"
Duffy uses negation to emphasize that Havisham spent all her days with her mind focused on vengeance. She did not stop praying even for one day wishing her ex-fiance would die.
"dark green pebbles"
This is a use of metaphor to show that her eyes have become small and fragile as Havisham has been in darkness praying with her eyes closed for many years. It also suggests that her eyes turned to stone from holding so much resentment and hate within herself. The color green may signify the actual color of her eyes, but also to the fact that dark green is associated with greed and jealousy ("Color Meaning").
"ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with"
This is a use of metaphor to show that she has aged as she is describing her the shape of her hands as vein ridden and tight like ropes on her skin. Furthermore the use of "strangle" was perhaps used deliberately to show that Miss Havisham is a damaged person who has a malicious intent to express her anger towards her ex-fiance. Duffy purposely describes the veins on the back of her hands as "ropes" because they are used by murderers in real life as well, reinforcing Havisham's aim to take revenge on her ex-fiance.
"day" "dead" and "dark"
This is a utilization of the technique alliteration. Duffy utilizes this technique to imply that almost all of Havisham's days were dark and dreary as she obsessed with wishing her ex-fiance to be dead. Because these words are single-syllable words, the forcefulness of the single-syllables enhance the dark mood of the poem.
SECOND STANZA
"Spinster. I stink and remember"
The use of the word "stink" is sensory imagery to show that she physically smells bad since she never takes off her wedding dress but allows it to yellow. Perhaps Duffy is suggesting that Havisham remembers the shock of finding out that she will be a spinster just by smelling her foul odor since the sense of smell is the strongest trigger of memory. The caesura after the word "Spinster" creates a pause in the line of verse that suggests Havisham is spitting out the word as if in disgust.
"in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall"
"Cawing" is a crow's whistle. Duffy is comparing Havisham with a crow through the use of a metaphor. It is commonly seen as an ugly and unwelcome sound. So when Havisham says that she was cawing at the wall the reader can recognize the use of metaphor to a crow and describe the sound she is making as harsh and ugly.
"the dress yellowing"
This imagery of the sense of sight is done to show that she has had the dress on for a long time, as it is fraying and turning in color.
"the slewed mirror"
Duffy uses the sensory imagery of sight to describe that the mirror is slewed. The denotation of "slewed" is to "turn or slide violently or uncontrollably" (
"her, myself, who did this to me?"
This statement shows that she can't recognize herself in the mirror anymore as she has been so adversely affected by being stood up. This is a hypophora as to whether she has done this to herself or if someone has done this to her. The character believes she is not at fault for her insanity. However, the poem seems to be leaning towards her having done this to herself since the enjambment at the end of line 8 suggests that the "who" in "who did this" could also refer to Havisham herself. But in line 9, the poetic voice goes on and eliminates herself as a potential suspect.
The use of the word "stink" is sensory imagery to show that she physically smells bad since she never takes off her wedding dress but allows it to yellow. Perhaps Duffy is suggesting that Havisham remembers the shock of finding out that she will be a spinster just by smelling her foul odor since the sense of smell is the strongest trigger of memory. The caesura after the word "Spinster" creates a pause in the line of verse that suggests Havisham is spitting out the word as if in disgust.
"in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall"
"Cawing" is a crow's whistle. Duffy is comparing Havisham with a crow through the use of a metaphor. It is commonly seen as an ugly and unwelcome sound. So when Havisham says that she was cawing at the wall the reader can recognize the use of metaphor to a crow and describe the sound she is making as harsh and ugly.
"the dress yellowing"
This imagery of the sense of sight is done to show that she has had the dress on for a long time, as it is fraying and turning in color.
"the slewed mirror"
Duffy uses the sensory imagery of sight to describe that the mirror is slewed. The denotation of "slewed" is to "turn or slide violently or uncontrollably" (
"her, myself, who did this to me?"
This statement shows that she can't recognize herself in the mirror anymore as she has been so adversely affected by being stood up. This is a hypophora as to whether she has done this to herself or if someone has done this to her. The character believes she is not at fault for her insanity. However, the poem seems to be leaning towards her having done this to herself since the enjambment at the end of line 8 suggests that the "who" in "who did this" could also refer to Havisham herself. But in line 9, the poetic voice goes on and eliminates herself as a potential suspect.
THIRD STANZA
"Puce curses that are sounds not words."
This metaphor implies that Miss Havisham mutters to herself linking her with madness. We know this because of the use of the words "sounds not words". The use of the words "Puce curses"is one that gives the reader an image of disgusting or unsavory language that Miss Havisham is saying.
"Some nights better, the lost body over me,"
This sensual imagery shows that sometimes Miss Havisham has good memories of him and that she imagines him on top of her in a sexual context.
"my fluent tongue in it's mouth and ear"
This imagery continues the sexual innuendo from the last line but then it uses the word "it" for the husband not him. This might be alluding the use of the word corpse mentioned later in the poem. This could then mean that perhaps Havisham is having necrophiliac tendencies, another allusion to Havisham losing her mind.
"then down till I suddenly bite awake."
This imagery of waking up shows that she was dreaming or fantasizing about her lost fiance and that she always tries to hurt the corpse that isn't there by "biting" awake. She fantasizes about making love with her lost fiance, but because he is not there, she bites air and thus, awakens when her teeth clatter together.
This metaphor implies that Miss Havisham mutters to herself linking her with madness. We know this because of the use of the words "sounds not words". The use of the words "Puce curses"is one that gives the reader an image of disgusting or unsavory language that Miss Havisham is saying.
"Some nights better, the lost body over me,"
This sensual imagery shows that sometimes Miss Havisham has good memories of him and that she imagines him on top of her in a sexual context.
"my fluent tongue in it's mouth and ear"
This imagery continues the sexual innuendo from the last line but then it uses the word "it" for the husband not him. This might be alluding the use of the word corpse mentioned later in the poem. This could then mean that perhaps Havisham is having necrophiliac tendencies, another allusion to Havisham losing her mind.
"then down till I suddenly bite awake."
This imagery of waking up shows that she was dreaming or fantasizing about her lost fiance and that she always tries to hurt the corpse that isn't there by "biting" awake. She fantasizes about making love with her lost fiance, but because he is not there, she bites air and thus, awakens when her teeth clatter together.
FOURTH STANZA
"Love's hate behind a white veil"
This is an oxymoron. I think it is to show that love can easily turn to hate when a person is not treated correctly. Behind the white veil is Havisham and her mixed love and hate for her ex fiance. Duffy purposely uses personification to humanize love to suggest that love and hate can come hand in hand since there exists only a thin line between them, like a white veil. But for Havisham, both our on the same side.
"a red balloon bursting"
The red balloon bursting is a metaphor used to show perhaps her embarrassment at being stood up at the alter. It might also be a metaphor to show how her love burst as the event happened.
This is an oxymoron. I think it is to show that love can easily turn to hate when a person is not treated correctly. Behind the white veil is Havisham and her mixed love and hate for her ex fiance. Duffy purposely uses personification to humanize love to suggest that love and hate can come hand in hand since there exists only a thin line between them, like a white veil. But for Havisham, both our on the same side.
"a red balloon bursting"
The red balloon bursting is a metaphor used to show perhaps her embarrassment at being stood up at the alter. It might also be a metaphor to show how her love burst as the event happened.