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Queen Herod Class Notes

The class notes on 'Queen Herod' explore the use of language, imagery, and structure, highlighting role reversal and the contrasting portrayal of women and men. Duffy employs colloquial language for men and regal diction for queens, emphasizing women's power and the complexities of motherhood. The poem's structure features repetition and short lines to enhance themes of maternal instinct and protection, culminating in a significant volta that contrasts cruelty with a sense of solidarity.

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29 views5 pages

Queen Herod Class Notes

The class notes on 'Queen Herod' explore the use of language, imagery, and structure, highlighting role reversal and the contrasting portrayal of women and men. Duffy employs colloquial language for men and regal diction for queens, emphasizing women's power and the complexities of motherhood. The poem's structure features repetition and short lines to enhance themes of maternal instinct and protection, culminating in a significant volta that contrasts cruelty with a sense of solidarity.

Uploaded by

owent3268
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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‘Queen Herod’ class notes

Add some examples of your feature/ aspect of


language/ imagery/ structure.
Could include some images.
Add some notes on the effects on readers/ Duffy’s
message to readers.
Word Groups
role reversal: “three queens”, “tallest queen”, “queen with the hennaed hands”, “black queen”

triplets: “grace, strength, happiness”, “dancers, music, talk”, “husband, hero, hunk”, “hawked,
spat, snatched”, “blatant, brazen, buoyant”, “knives, swords, cutlasses”

colloquial words used- some swaggering lad, hunk, mr right, wincing Prince, /.Ladykiller

The colloquial language is used more for the guys, but the more elegant words are used for
the Queens, as they are the women in power

Women are more regal and royal, worthy of respect unlike men who she almost looks down
upon with dismissive language.

fancy words- dressed in furs, courteous, silver and gold, grace and strength, rise like a god
Imagery
● “Sweating, panting beasts” - parallels the original Three Kings and the journey they made
● “Pierced through the night like a nail” - danger, unwelcoming (contrast to how people
describe jesus’s birth as like something really holy and great), foreshadows crucifixion
● “Behold our lullabies…thunder and drum” - suggest the power and danger behind a
mother’s love/how women portray/are seen by others as delicate/elegant/soothing
● “Silver and gold”, “loose change of herself”, “Made a tiny starfish of my daughter’s fist” -
how precious and how much she treasures her daughter.
● “I would have killed the children” This line illustrates the lengths that queen Herod would
go to protect her children.it explores the aspects of motherhood, also suggesting that
instinct of a mother can lead to violence and extreme actions.
● “Dresssed in furs, accented” - wealthiness, confidence
● Stanza 2 - parallels sleeping beauty (scene with the three fairies)
Sentence structures
Repetition for Emphasis
Certain phrases are repeated throughout the poem to reinforce the theme of power and maternal instinct.
This creates a sense of urgency and highlights the takeaways.

Short Lines for Emphasis

Several lines throughout the poem are deliberately very short to create emphasis on their implications,
such as “a new star”, “It means he’s here…”, “Do it. Spare not one” and “The boyfriend’s star”.

Volta

A change in the structure occurs at the end of the poem, which Duffy uses to contrast Queen Herod’s
cruelty and bitterness with the theme of protection and maternal duty. The short lines and stanzas also
reframe them into Queen Herod directly addressing the reader with a sense of solidarity.
Patterns (e.g. lists, alliteration, repetition)

Alliteration:

“Their several sweating, panting beasts”


“Pierced through the night like a nail”
“To the infant’s mouth”
“Some swaggering lad to break her heart”
“A mountain man”
“Blatant, brazen, buoyant, in the east and blue”

Repetition
"the black Queen" and "a star in the east"
The Husband. Hero. Hunk. The Boy Next Door. The Paramour." represents a mysterious figure

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