Examine the use of the dramatic monologue Essay

Examine the use of the dramatic monologue in the rime of Carol Ann Duffy Unlike the soliloquy, the dramatic monologue speaks directly to the reader and voices a single character or personas thoughts, this offers a improve understanding of the ideas and message the poet is trying to express. The dramatic monologue is used to cast of characters a bond or relationship between the speaker and the reader, winning the poem to a personal level, and in turn more impelling in conveying a certain message.This essay will look the way the dramatic monologue is used in both Demeter and Mrs. Midas by Carol Ann Duffy, taken from her battle array of poems The Worlds Wife. The phrase, Behind both smashing man there is said to be a great woman comes to mind when reading The Worlds Wife. The title of this collection reveals much about its content and Duffys intentions. The Worlds Wife places emphasis on the wife, giving the woman the centre arrange and allowing her the chance to speak with t he medium of the dramatic monologue.From Mrs. Midas to Mrs. Beast, Duffy explores the thoughts and feelings of the women behind notable men, be it through history or through myth or fairy story, Duffy makes it very clear that every woman has a tale to tell. Mrs. Midas tells the much(prenominal) story of the well-known Greek myth King Midas, who is miraculously, granted the hankering of turning everything he touches into gold. As with all the poems in The Worlds Wife, the title is a clear giveaway of what the poem is about to entail, and this is no different. Mrs.Midas, the wife of King Midas is the persona of this particular monologue and here she voices her thoughts on her economises newfound ability. The kitchen filled with the smell of itself. This personification continues through the first stanza of Mrs. Midas. Its steamy breath and wiped the others chalk like a brow, personifies the kitchen Mrs. Midas is in to assistant you relate to the well-known(prenominal) homely setting that surrounds her. The effect of this is that you feel how she feels at that time, safe, intellectual and without a care in the world.The lines begun to unwind and the imagery of her relaxing to a scum of wine enforce this feeling. The use of dramatic monologue helps to dramatise the final exam line of the stanza, He was standing under the pear tree snapping a twig, the descriptive lines before this contrasts with the abrupt change of topic, this prepares you for the turning guide in her story, where the twist to her tale begins. Within the next few stanzas Mrs. Midass tone dramatically changes from feeling relaxed and happy to shocked and horrify at what her husband has done. He came into the house.The doorknobs gleamed. He drew the blinds. The short sentences submit a feeling of everything happening too fast, supporting the shocked and horrified mood, which continues to the next stanzas. The first point of the poem in which you hear of her husbands reaction is where he laughs in reply to her question, What in the delineate of God is going on? Duffy has intended his initial reaction to be laughter instead of explaining himself to portray the stereotypical man that doesnt intend consideration or take the situation or his wife poorly when she clearly needs it.The poem is set out in a structure of eleven stanzas consisting of six lines where only two exceptions of this rule is made. He toyed with his spoon, then mine, then with the knives, the forks. The word forks takes a line by itself to help you imagine the way in which Mrs. Midas is speaking to you, she is clearly still in a state of shock and this new line marks a short pause in her speech where she is struggling to stay calm. You see, we were enthusiastic then, where then is on a line by itself it is as though Mrs.Midas has taken a short moment to imagine those happy times when they were passionate, appreciating them as those long time are now long gone. I locked the cat in the cella r, The toilet I didnt mind. equivalent in much of her work, Duffy implements short spouts of humour throughout the poem, the effect of this is that the conversational language engages the reader and helps to support the idea that Mrs. Midas is actually voicing her tale to the reader personally. Mrs.Midas speaks bitterly about the fatal consequences her husband has bought to their marriage, Separate beds. In fact, I put a chair against my door, near petrified, she also reminisces of the days when they were happy and uses words such as unwrapping which connotes the excitement she once felt. tell apart the good times they had together with the breakdowns of their marriage they are experiencing now highlights the selfishness and deprivation of thought her husband had for their relationship. The poem ends with Mrs.Midas being obligate to separate from her husband. He is left secluded on his own in the wilds away from hoi polloi he can potentially harm. The irony of this is that he had hoped the power of the booming touch would win him prosperity, popularity and love and respect by all, and yet it has forced him to live alone for the rest of his life, unable to ever be versed with his wife again, and unable to enjoy the things he had hoped money would buy him. scarce the lack of thought for me. Pure selfishness.