Feminine Gospels Exam Questions with Answers
Technique: [The use of stanzas to represent historical women] - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
The longer the stanza, the longer the male gaze has been able to transform the reality of the past. Link to the Virgin's Memo. This is supported via the hyperbolic ...
Technique: [The use of stanzas to represent historical women] - Answer-Poem:
Beautiful
The longer the stanza, the longer the male gaze has been able to transform the reality
of the past. Link to the Virgin's Memo. This is supported via the hyperbolic language in
"a thousand ships".
Quote: "The bird of calamity" - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
Smallest bird in it's family and one of distress and damage. A direct attempt of the male
world infringing on the power of women ("some said") which is later contradicted via her
sexual power when the soldiers "march to the syllables of her name", putting her in
control. As well as endangering those around her.
Quote: "Silver plate with grapes and honey" - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
This is both an example of the roman culture and of the hedonism/corruption which
accompanied it. The fact that "she" laid it out suggests that she is absorbing it, or is it
absorbing her = men destroy?
This idea of hedonism is later contradicted via "Alexandria" which Cleo pulls her man
down to. Are men blind by their own sexual desires, which women have helped to
create?
Quote: "Sucked...licked...swallowed...blew" - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
Everyday actions have been sexualised in an attempt to give women more power. Duffy
may also be challenging the way in which women are supposed to behave when around
men. Is she suggesting that throughout tike women are valued on their beauty as
opposed to their character, which is hardly explored in this poem?
Technique: [The use of indirect pronouns] - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
This creates and increased sense of isolation as time goes on in the poem. Gives the
sense of a individuals life as opposed to what the individual represents as with
Cleopatra and Helen of Troy; the myth disappears and reality seeps in slowly but still
from the male gaze. As time has gone on, we have found ourselves more and more
disconnected with reality.
Quote: "Filmed on, deep, dumped what they couldn't on the cutting room floor" -
Answer-Poem: Beautiful
Ironic as they are in fact creating a much more basic person as a result of filming
Monroe. A sense of methodical dissection, as in men see every bit of her before she is
discarded for good - even her death is glamourised; "the smoking cop". The sexual
, connotation of "deep" cements this idea of sexual exploitation but also a reverse of
women using it as a power; they are stripped of what they are.
Quote: "Act like a ****ing princess" - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
Traditionally male language intercepting a female stream of thought. Challenges the
traditional female stereotypes and especially those related to a princess.
Quote: "History's strinking breath in her face" - Answer-Poem: Beautiful
Links to the poem 'History' via the personification of History through the use of
capitalisation. History is full of decay and damage to women.
Quote: "My breasts...egg" - Answer-Poem: Sub
Duffy links the inequality of opportunities in part to the biological function of women; is
she calling out this absurdity or acknowledging this as a fact? The use of enjambement
puts a clear focus on the female body.
Quote: "Solitary shower...steam" - Answer-Poem: Sub
The use of alliteration / sibilance helps to reinforce this idea of an incomplete team. The
imagery of an ethereal barrier - "steam" - suggests that what divides them is easily
passable and not permanent.
Quote: "Yeah yeah yeah" - Answer-Poem: Sub
Contextual link with Liverpool and the Beatles. A repetition of sexual frenzy, which
suggests a genuine lack of emotional attachment. Equality has come at the expense of
female satisfaction.
Quote: "She was History" - Answer-Poem: History
"Was" falls in the middle which stresses all women as opposed to individuals; has she
become part of History in a positive or negative light?
Is the capitalisation ironic as it personifies her and subsequently grounds the abuse?
Quote: "old at last, alone, bones in bed" - Answer-Poem: History
Reality of old age catching up on you, more than just physically. Plosive sounds 'b' may
suggest with old age, speaking softer has become preferable and easier than saying
sharper sounds.
Quote: "as though his death was a difficult birth" - Answer-Poem: History
A significant milestone in history (the birth of Christianity) is paralleled to a milestone in
feminism. History is retold and challenges stereotypical male perspectives.
Quote: "Been there" - Answer-Poem: History
Short and declarative and hangs over the remaining stanzas. We treat the elderly right
not because they are hero's but because it is right.
Quote: "Bricks through the window now" - Answer-Poem: History
Placed in cognation with historic events such as "Jerusalem"; it joins the lexis.
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