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A review by smoothunicorn
The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
I really loved this. I’m not a big poetry person and don’t read a ton so no expectations should be had as to my ability to review this book with any level of skill or knowledge. I just know that Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry is scathing, incisive, wrathful, hilarious, and smart.
It’s also often terribly problematic. Yeah I’m gonna talk about Mrs. Tiresias. I won’t go into a ton of critical detail because other reviewers have done it well. It’s some terf bullshit, no doubt. My only defense of it is that in the poem, Tiresias is described as being extremely hypocritical - demanding menstrual leave after experiencing a period for the first time (assuming Tiresias has never cared about menstrual health and support before), allowing men to fund a lavish lifestyle even though Tiresias has expressed no interest in men sexually or romantically (and after snapping at the wife to avoid showing affection and giving the impression of a queer relationship), and leveraging newfound womanhood for personal gain, as expressed by Tiresias being on TV. I think the genuine point of the poem was that Tiresias was being a dick about it, BUT there is no denying the transphobic radical feminism pen that Duffy was clearly holding when she wrote it - especially when the wife’s “clearly superior” relationship at the end is with a ciswoman. I’m not trying to say the poem (and the book at large, and likely Duffy herself) isn’t terfy. Just saying there are other context clues.
This is a good book for a woman who’s post-breakup, perhaps, and wants to really sink into and feel her rage for a minute. The book is loaded with poems about how much men suck. This has also been a criticism (fairly) leveled at The World’s Wife. But like. Idk man, I was a teenager in the 90s when these poems were written. I remember that being part of our cultural dialogue. The extreme anti-male language to call attention to the previously unchecked bad behavior of men. I’m not saying it was the RIGHT move, but it was certainly the move at the time, one that resonated with most of the women I knew.
But like. Duffy definitely brings up a good point. Did ANYBODY wonder how Midas’s wife might have felt about his “gift”? Has anyone ever wondered how Pontius Pilate’s wife felt about his decision to execute Jesus? Is Delilah ALWAYS meant to be the Bible’s most abhorrent villainess?
Anyway. Duffy is a good poet. They’re fun to read, fun to read aloud especially because of her excellent use of assonance and contemporary language, and often shockingly funny. Put on your grown-up critical thought hat when you read it and you’ll be fine.
It’s also often terribly problematic. Yeah I’m gonna talk about Mrs. Tiresias. I won’t go into a ton of critical detail because other reviewers have done it well. It’s some terf bullshit, no doubt. My only defense of it is that in the poem, Tiresias is described as being extremely hypocritical - demanding menstrual leave after experiencing a period for the first time (assuming Tiresias has never cared about menstrual health and support before), allowing men to fund a lavish lifestyle even though Tiresias has expressed no interest in men sexually or romantically (and after snapping at the wife to avoid showing affection and giving the impression of a queer relationship), and leveraging newfound womanhood for personal gain, as expressed by Tiresias being on TV. I think the genuine point of the poem was that Tiresias was being a dick about it, BUT there is no denying the transphobic radical feminism pen that Duffy was clearly holding when she wrote it - especially when the wife’s “clearly superior” relationship at the end is with a ciswoman. I’m not trying to say the poem (and the book at large, and likely Duffy herself) isn’t terfy. Just saying there are other context clues.
This is a good book for a woman who’s post-breakup, perhaps, and wants to really sink into and feel her rage for a minute. The book is loaded with poems about how much men suck. This has also been a criticism (fairly) leveled at The World’s Wife. But like. Idk man, I was a teenager in the 90s when these poems were written. I remember that being part of our cultural dialogue. The extreme anti-male language to call attention to the previously unchecked bad behavior of men. I’m not saying it was the RIGHT move, but it was certainly the move at the time, one that resonated with most of the women I knew.
But like. Duffy definitely brings up a good point. Did ANYBODY wonder how Midas’s wife might have felt about his “gift”? Has anyone ever wondered how Pontius Pilate’s wife felt about his decision to execute Jesus? Is Delilah ALWAYS meant to be the Bible’s most abhorrent villainess?
Anyway. Duffy is a good poet. They’re fun to read, fun to read aloud especially because of her excellent use of assonance and contemporary language, and often shockingly funny. Put on your grown-up critical thought hat when you read it and you’ll be fine.