HavishamHavisham

Discussion Point…Discussion Point…

Describe something in your life that Describe something in your life that you have strong, mixed or you have strong, mixed or contradictory feelings about.contradictory feelings about.

Describe why this person/place/issue Describe why this person/place/issue etc. makes you feel this way.etc. makes you feel this way.

What impact does this have on you as What impact does this have on you as a person?a person?

HavishamHavisham

Miss Havisham was left at the altar some years before we first meet her, and has never changed out of her wedding dress.

She is a rather pathetic figure but also hates men as a result of having been left: throughout Great Expectations she spends her time trying to take her revenge on all men.

Miss Havisham is a character from the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Important points to consider when Important points to consider when reading the poemreading the poem

Duffy’s intentions…Duffy’s intentions… The poem seeks to make us understand Havisham. The poem seeks to make us understand Havisham.

The first person narrative enables the reader to The first person narrative enables the reader to empathise (rather than sympathise) with her empathise (rather than sympathise) with her feelings.feelings.

The anger expressed in the poem gives a sense of The anger expressed in the poem gives a sense of

her reclaiming her ability to change things, as her reclaiming her ability to change things, as opposed to just being a victim. opposed to just being a victim.

The possibility of being only a victim is suggested The possibility of being only a victim is suggested by the wailing question of who did this to her.by the wailing question of who did this to her.

Form and StructureForm and Structure The poem is written in four stanzas which are The poem is written in four stanzas which are

unrhymed. unrhymed.

Many of the lines run on, and the effect is like Many of the lines run on, and the effect is like normal speech. normal speech.

The poem is written in free verse, in that it has The poem is written in free verse, in that it has no regular pattern of metre or rhyme. It is, no regular pattern of metre or rhyme. It is, however, arranged in four stanzas of equal length however, arranged in four stanzas of equal length (has egs of internal rhyme), which suggests some (has egs of internal rhyme), which suggests some control in its speaker, undermining the madness control in its speaker, undermining the madness the character is known for, which is one of the the character is known for, which is one of the points of the poem.points of the poem.

Form and StructureForm and Structure

A dramatic monologue, Havisham is written A dramatic monologue, Havisham is written in the first person, with the poet assuming in the first person, with the poet assuming the voice of a character (a persona). the voice of a character (a persona).

This form enables us to understand her This form enables us to understand her thoughts because she is speaking them thoughts because she is speaking them directly. There is no sense of an audience, directly. There is no sense of an audience, so she appears to be speaking to herself. so she appears to be speaking to herself.

Havisham – Verse 1Havisham – Verse 1

1) Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then 1) Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then

2) I haven’t wished him dead. Prayed for it 2) I haven’t wished him dead. Prayed for it

3) so hard I’ve dark green pebbles for eyes, 3) so hard I’ve dark green pebbles for eyes,

4) ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with. 4) ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with.

Alliteration ‘B’ Alliteration ‘B’ emphasises anger. The very first sentence in the poem is just three nouns in a row, without a emphasises anger. The very first sentence in the poem is just three nouns in a row, without a verb. There are a number of other short and powerful fragments in the poem, which are deliberately used for verb. There are a number of other short and powerful fragments in the poem, which are deliberately used for effect. They create a sense of anger.effect. They create a sense of anger.

Oxymoron Oxymoron – Suggests love and hate. Ambivalent, contradictory, and conflicting ideas – Suggests love and hate. Ambivalent, contradictory, and conflicting ideas and feelings. It is pretty clear that Miss Havisham has these kinds of feelings about this and feelings. It is pretty clear that Miss Havisham has these kinds of feelings about this manman

Metaphor - Metaphor - "ropes" on the back of her hands again show how Havisham has aged (Veins) and hardened over the "ropes" on the back of her hands again show how Havisham has aged (Veins) and hardened over the years. There is violence in this metaphor too, as they are ropes Havisham "could strangle with".years. There is violence in this metaphor too, as they are ropes Havisham "could strangle with".

The WeddingThe Wedding

Metaphor - Metaphor - Green as the colour of jealousy and greed, and sometimes even the colour of sickness. And Green as the colour of jealousy and greed, and sometimes even the colour of sickness. And pebbles are hard and small. Her fiancé's betrayal has left her jealous and hardened.pebbles are hard and small. Her fiancé's betrayal has left her jealous and hardened.

Enjambement – Enjambement – Run Run on lineson lines

Assonance Assonance -"hard" and "dark." A repetition of similar vowel sounds. Used often in this -"hard" and "dark." A repetition of similar vowel sounds. Used often in this poem. poem.

Not only wished for her fiancé's death; she's prayed for it. And she's prayed for Not only wished for her fiancé's death; she's prayed for it. And she's prayed for it hard. Poem has taken on a distinctly sinister tone.it hard. Poem has taken on a distinctly sinister tone.

Havisham – Verse 2Havisham – Verse 2

5) Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days 5) Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days

6) in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress 6) in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress

7) yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;7) yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;

8) the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this8) the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this

Single word sentence Single word sentence – – Negative word for an unmarried older woman -Negative word for an unmarried older woman - Denotes Her bitterness- what society Denotes Her bitterness- what society sums her up as. Monologue – get a glimpse into Miss Havisham's deepest thoughts (Stream of consciousness)sums her up as. Monologue – get a glimpse into Miss Havisham's deepest thoughts (Stream of consciousness)

She has never washed since her wedding day. She sees her life as decay and memories. She ‘remembers’, She has never washed since her wedding day. She sees her life as decay and memories. She ‘remembers’, suggests she has been stewing for decades, recalling every bit of unhappiness that she has had to endure suggests she has been stewing for decades, recalling every bit of unhappiness that she has had to endure because of her fiancé's actions. because of her fiancé's actions.

AgeAge

Metaphor - Metaphor - of a parrot “CAWING” makes her sound like an animal. Might she be reliving the moment when she of of a parrot “CAWING” makes her sound like an animal. Might she be reliving the moment when she of her fiancé's betrayal/bemoaning her current state of affairs? No one listening; she's just shouting at the wall. her fiancé's betrayal/bemoaning her current state of affairs? No one listening; she's just shouting at the wall.

Mirror. Mirror. She sees herself first as a "her," as if she doesn't recognize herself and what she's become. Mirror is She sees herself first as a "her," as if she doesn't recognize herself and what she's become. Mirror is "slewed," or turned/broken and warped, like a funhouse mirror. She could also be drunk"slewed," or turned/broken and warped, like a funhouse mirror. She could also be drunk

identity crisis. She no longer knows who is to blame. Split personality? she's staring at herself. And because identity crisis. She no longer knows who is to blame. Split personality? she's staring at herself. And because these words follow "myself," and there's no question mark after them, we might take it to mean she's blaming these words follow "myself," and there's no question mark after them, we might take it to mean she's blaming herself? herself?

Internal Rhyme Internal Rhyme - repeated sounds of "Spinst- repeated sounds of "Spinster. er. I stink and remembI stink and rememberer,"/"aw" sounds of caw and wall ,"/"aw" sounds of caw and wall combined with her short sentences claustrophobic? Trapped in Havisham's terrifing mind/ repeated thoughts combined with her short sentences claustrophobic? Trapped in Havisham's terrifing mind/ repeated thoughts

Full-length, giving Havisham a clear view of her entire body - old, yellowing, and wasting away. “Myself." Full-length, giving Havisham a clear view of her entire body - old, yellowing, and wasting away. “Myself." Havisham faces facts – she's the one in the mirror. Havisham faces facts – she's the one in the mirror.

PersonificationPersonification, As if dress waiting to be put back away / she lterally trembles when looking at the clothes of her past., As if dress waiting to be put back away / she lterally trembles when looking at the clothes of her past.

Havisham – Verse 3Havisham – Verse 3

9) to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.9) to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.

10) Some nights better, the lost body over me,10) Some nights better, the lost body over me,

11) my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear11) my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear

12) then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love’s 12) then down till I suddenly bite awake. Love’s

Enjambment – Enjambment – Gives the poem new, unexpected layer. Suddenly seems that she believes she's not Gives the poem new, unexpected layer. Suddenly seems that she believes she's not at fault. Someone has done something to her/doesn't seem to take blame for the shape of her life. at fault. Someone has done something to her/doesn't seem to take blame for the shape of her life.

Colour of deep red to purple-brown suggests old Colour of deep red to purple-brown suggests old blood which represents old woundsblood which represents old wounds

(compare line 6) Suggests she no longer can access (compare line 6) Suggests she no longer can access language to express her feelings – where pain is so deep language to express her feelings – where pain is so deep there is no language available to describe itthere is no language available to describe it

Conversational/Change to Lighthearted tone Conversational/Change to Lighthearted tone – Suggests Dreaming – Suggests Dreaming of man and intimacy with him are when some nights are betterof man and intimacy with him are when some nights are better

Husband she never had Lost to her / Husband she never had Lost to her / also creates sexual imagery of body in also creates sexual imagery of body in her dreamsher dreams

This violence ‘bite’ is picked up towards the end of the poem. The ‘suddenness’ ends the fantasy and wakes This violence ‘bite’ is picked up towards the end of the poem. The ‘suddenness’ ends the fantasy and wakes her – and us as the reader to the viciousness of the attack (or dreamed attack) her – and us as the reader to the viciousness of the attack (or dreamed attack) Implied revenge? Implied revenge?

‘‘Its’ She depersonalizes him; in this moment, he's just a ‘body’ Its’ She depersonalizes him; in this moment, he's just a ‘body’ or object to her. Continues to imagine intimacy between themor object to her. Continues to imagine intimacy between them

Enjambment - Enjambment - Finally, we get a lingering word on the last line of the stanza: Finally, we get a lingering word on the last line of the stanza: "Love's." Again, builds expectation. "Love's." Again, builds expectation.

Havisham – Verse 4Havisham – Verse 4

13) hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting 13) hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting

14) in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake. 14) in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding-cake.

15) Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon. 15) Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon.

16) Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.16) Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.

‘‘Red’ suggests anger, Red’ suggests anger, Alliteration Alliteration of `b’ and plosive of `b’ and plosive sound suggest violence. sound suggest violence.

Metaphor - Metaphor - Suggests celebrations that did not take place. Used to express Suggests celebrations that did not take place. Used to express her embarrassment (the veil concealed this) and the end of her her embarrassment (the veil concealed this) and the end of her innocence/dreams.innocence/dreams.

Triple meaning – Triple meaning – ‘white’ suggests innocence, ‘white veil’ ‘white’ suggests innocence, ‘white veil’ represents the wedding, ‘veil’ represents in feminist represents the wedding, ‘veil’ represents in feminist terms that she is concealing something (Hate?)terms that she is concealing something (Hate?)

Oxymoron - Oxymoron - ‘Love’s hate’ - She doesn’t trust love ‘Love’s hate’ - She doesn’t trust love as it let her down. Also shows her confusion – she's as it let her down. Also shows her confusion – she's trapped between hating and loving him. trapped between hating and loving him.

Onomatopoeia - Short sentence Onomatopoeia - Short sentence for effect – also represents the shock for effect – also represents the shock she experienced.she experienced.

Violent imagery Violent imagery ‘Stabbed’ shows literally her anger at the time and ‘Stabbed’ shows literally her anger at the time and metaphorically shows her opinion on marriage.metaphorically shows her opinion on marriage.

Use of dark repulsive image. Use of dark repulsive image. Reference to death/corpse links to idea that the ‘honeymoon’ would provide the Reference to death/corpse links to idea that the ‘honeymoon’ would provide the long painful death she wants for him. Combines both love and revenge(a final triumph?). Rather have him dead long painful death she wants for him. Combines both love and revenge(a final triumph?). Rather have him dead than have him reject her(bitter/twisted) making the reader less understanding of Havisham.than have him reject her(bitter/twisted) making the reader less understanding of Havisham.

Use of plosive ‘b’ Use of plosive ‘b’ in a stuttering style, suggests the is breaking/crying/collapsing. She conveys that her in a stuttering style, suggests the is breaking/crying/collapsing. She conveys that her life/mind/body has broken as a result – not just her heart. Pathos (emotional appeal) to reader – pity. May also life/mind/body has broken as a result – not just her heart. Pathos (emotional appeal) to reader – pity. May also refer to length of time her heart has been broken and the possibility of a stabbing, violent action towards the refer to length of time her heart has been broken and the possibility of a stabbing, violent action towards the bridegroombridegroom