Carol Ann Duffy, a staunch supporter of equality and a fighter for women’s freedom, strives to convey to the reader the idea of the inadmissibility of male domination in the modern world. Her poem “Circe” is a work that carries an overt and even aggressive feminist overtone (Duffy 47). The search for feminine identity manifested through the suppression of the male ego forms the basis of this work and attracts with its non-standard approach to reasoning on the topic of dissatisfaction with contemporary masculinity. By analyzing the poem, one can find different elements of influence that Duffy uses, including both literary devices and semantic drivers. These instruments help the poet address the topic raised sharply and build the mechanism that contributes to reflecting power, resistance, and, at the same time, vulnerability, which help highlight the feminine identity. However, this aggressive style is an attempt to hide longing and anxiety veiled in rudeness and blatant condemnation, and the poet’s sadness is the leitmotif of “Circe.”
The poet expresses power that forms the basis of the poem stylistically. The plot of Duffy’s poem is a culinary show in which a woman in the guise of the ancient goddess Circe shares cooking secrets: “but I want to begin with a recipe from abroad” (line 11). She is well aware of all the peculiarities of animals she has encountered, and cooking them is a pleasure for her: “one way or another, all pigs have been mine” (Duffy, line 3). Having an idea of ancient Greek mythology, one can draw a parallel: the poet identifies the female character with the ancient Greek goddess Circe who was famous for her ability to turn enemies into animals. This power is a key tool that allows Duffy to develop the idea of the need to deal with the manifestations of domination in a harsh and unambiguous manner. All her memories of “the tusker, the snout, the boar and the swine” convey a clear dislike and ability to control the opposite sex (Duffy, line 2). Thus, she conveys power through a desperate attempt to express personal anger and rage towards male identity.
The power of the main character sharply intersects with sadness, which, although it is mentioned once, is the key message. Recalling her past, the poet notes as follows: “of course, I was younger then. And hoping for men” (Duffy, line 37). Disappointed with men, the character is not ready to put up with the hopeless self-confidence and stupidity of those who brought her sorrow and grief, and now, she intends to rid herself of this fate. Cooper, who discusses feminist ideas, notes that the strength shown by the supporters of this movement is as crucial as identity (16). In other words, one can convey the ideas of equality and the inadmissibility of the dominance of one sex over the other only through open opposition. Therefore, resorting to the overt methods of struggle is the only effective way. As a result, in Duffy’s poem, a similar message is presented: victory over enemies carrying grief is real only with tough resistance, and the context of the ancient Greek epic helps express this concept allegorically.
The explicit resistance that the poet emphasizes in the poem in question is a common approach. Some scholars interpret this solution as a natural stylistic device used in feminist literature. For instance, Dhivya argues that feminist poets amplifying their impact on the reader and drawing attention to the issue of inequality utilize two images: “the traditional patriarchal image and the simultaneous resistance to it” (6). The decision to apply this principle is natural in the context of the existing confrontation since only in this way can poets express polar differences in views with the opposite sex. At the same time, as Cooper remarks, such an explicit emphasis is not always successful because an attempt to reflect the difference in views often borders on radical solutions, which, in turn, does not carry the idea of a peaceful conflict resolution (16). Duffy has managed to move away from an open conflict, but her aggressive writing reflects negative attitudes towards ideas of masculinity: “when the heart of a pig has hardened, dice it small” (line 30). Therefore, the resistance that the reader observes in this poem is a common tool for this genre.
Given the fundamental idea of the poem, one can assume that the vulnerability hidden behind strength and resistance is the main emotion that the poet intends to convey. When Duffy remembers her youth and trust in men, she regrets not being able to recognize the sadness ahead (line 37). Dhivya analyzes feminist writing and notes that this symbolic structure is characteristic of many literary works (11). According to the author, “a woman can never give an unambiguous and consistent answer to a question,” and in “Circe,” a similar principle applies (Dhivya 11). A woman who has experienced much sadness and longing for the fault of men compares herself to the arbiter of the destinies of those who caused her suffering. Duffy is confident that, despite their different appearances (“the cowardly face, the brave, the comical, noble, sly or wise”), all men have an identical nature to which inexperienced women are vulnerable (lines 19-20). Therefore, despite its seeming courage and self-confidence, the concept of feminist identity reflects the inherent longing that male dominance is the key cause of women’s sadness and hardship.
Reflecting strength, resistance, and vulnerability in “Circe” allows for a greater impact on the reader while expanding the range of emotions through allegoricality and comparison. For instance, Duffy does this through a large number of verbs that follow one after another: “to lick, to lap, to loosen, lubricate, to lie” (line 16). The call for revenge is another stylistic device expressed through repetition: “when the heart of a pig has hardened, dice it small. Dice it small” (Duffy, lines 30-31). Dhivya states that this type of creativity is characteristic of feminist writers and poets who use multiple means of artistic expression (12). As a result, the fullness of “Circe” with different stylistic devices makes this poem rich in terms of influence and semantics.
Duffy hides the key message of “Circe” behind rudeness and aggressive writing, but longing and anxiety reflect the poet’s mood and her concern for the fate of women. Both the stylistic and semantic richness of the poem are the characteristic features of feminist works in which ambiguity is a frequent device. Duffy emphasizes the contexts of power and resistance openly, while the subtext of vulnerability is hidden but understandable. The recourse to an allegorical plot is the poet’s attempt to get away from the traditional forms of poetic lyrics, and this method is successful.
References
Cooper, Brittney C. “Love No Limit: Towards a Black Feminist Future (In Theory).” The Black Scholar, vol. 45, no. 4, 2015, pp. 7-21.
Dhivya, N. A. “Feminist Literary Criticism.” World Women Studies Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, 2016, pp. 1-13.
Duffy, Carol Ann. The World’s Wife. Picador, 2014.