‘Valentine’

1. ‘Valentine’ Carol Ann Duffy

2. Imagery • The extended metaphor – the onion is a symbol of love. • The poet appeals to the senses – the bitter, acrid, long lasting taste of the onion. • The way the scent of the onion can bring tears to the eyes. • Smell, sight, taste.

3. Comments on Valentine’s Day? • The gift is unconventional, a direct contrast to the hackneyed gifts of what has become a commercial holiday. • The narrator seems to be against commercial, generic gifts which lack character and originality/thought behind them. • Is the onion a protest against V Day?

4. Structure • The poem is made up of six stanzas. • The first stanza is made up of three short, abrupt sentences before finishing with a longer image – a simile. • Use of short, abrupt, blunt sentences to grab the reader’s attention. Also reveals something about the narrator’s attitude? • “Here.”, “Take it.” Is this a sign of stubborness, disinterest?

5. Narrator’s Attitude • Is it a man or a woman? Think of the suggestions that are made – your interpretation. • It’s emotional – passionate (“It’s fierce kiss…”, “possessively faithful”) • Is it romantic or is it spiteful? Is this a lover’s tiff (argument)?

6. Word Choice • “It promises light” – optimistic, hopeful • “It will blind you” “grief”, “Its fierce kiss”, “Possessive”, “Lethal”, “cling”. These words are quite aggressive, negative connotations – think about their specific meanings. Control, power struggle/issues? • Is there a sinister undertone? Is this a happy relationship? Is there a dominant, controlling partner?

7. Imagery • Personification – the onion is brought to life. It begins as a seemingly innocent gift – one of hope “promises light”, presented in its own “brown paper”. • It then becomes something (perhaps) more sinister. “Blind you”, “fierce kiss”. The gift has more threatening attributes than first imagined.

8. Positive Symbolism • “promises light”, there is hope, the bright flesh underneath the dark skin could be a suggestion of the lover’s personality? Beauty not being skin deep. • Onion is layered, many different aspects of love – friendship, romance, camaraderie, partnership, love, marriage, family etc. • The different layers of a person that you learn about. • Nourishment. • It has a distinct personality/character – leaves a strong impression. • “Platinum loops…”, possibilities, new stages that can come from love.

9. Structure/Tone • The tone changes from one which is fairly optimistic and becomes darker as the poem progresses. • The different stanzas of the poem reflect the narrator’s thought processes. He/she seems to address the reality of the relationship and its negative aspects. A sinister, more hateful tone is created as the poem progresses. • Is the onion being chopped at the end? Is this a symbol of the demise of the relationship/love, the symbol of the poem? • Is there a darker outcome?