Analysis of Havisham by Carol Ann Duffy

Miranda Garcia Avila

In the poem Havisham, Duffy explores her own interpretation of Charles Dickens character. In the
form of a dramatic monologue which allows us to explore into the feelings and thoughts of the
speaker. The poem is written in free verse and consists of four stanzas.
In the first line, Duffy uses the oxymoron Beloved sweetheart bastard. as well as the alliteration of
B in order to create an first impression of shock and even violence. Theres caesura and
enjambment in the first stanza lines which give the poem a forceful and inconsistent rhythm. The
imagery used in the first stanza indicates her anger and pain comparing her eyes to dark green
pebbles as well as the time that has passed by saying ropes on the back of my hands I could
strangle with.
The second stanza begins with a one-word sentence Spinster. it adds an aggressive tone to the
stanza and it partially said to herself since she feels that is all she has become. The title of the
poem itself is her maiden name which serves a a hint of how relevant the fact that she never got
married is. presumably due to the social pressure she suffered after people called her a spinster.
the next line continues with this idea of self-hate or hating what she has become as she says I
stink and remember.
Throughout the poem, Duffy uses sounds to create a shocking effect and by using the
onomatopoeia Noooo she gives account of the mental state of Havisham. The image of the dress
yellowing, again makes an allusion to the time that has passed and in the end of the second stanza
we get to see yet again her fear and disgust towards herself. Theres an important enjambment
between the end of the second stanza and the beginning of the third and by separating the words
To me? it is implied that she blames him and not herself for what she has become.
In the first line of the third stanza Puce curses that are sounds not words. she explains how she
curses without any meaning at all giving the character an almost beastly characteristic. The next
lines evoke a sexual fantasy which gives the reader the impression that she still loves him and
would like to be with him despite of her anger and hate. But her fantasy is interrupted violently as
she bites awake the use of this verb give an violent and painful image as well that is used to
portray the harsh reality she is living. In the end of the third stanza theres an enjambment that
continues on the next stanza, the words create an oxymoron Loves hate and the fact that they
are separated increases its effect.
The last stanza introduces a play with the colors and their meaning starting with the white veil that
represent the purity of a bride and introduces the idea that she is still a maiden. After this image
comes one of a red balloon bursting in my face. being a violent image and using the color red
which emphasizes the contrast with the purity of white. Red is a color used to represent love and
passion and by giving it to an aggressive object, it shows how she feels towards her lover. Again
an onomatopoeia is used as the sound of the ballon exploding and her stabbing the wedding cake
in order to create a shock feeing.
The next line Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon. might be a sexual reference
because of the use of a honeymoon element, but it could also mean a murder given the violent
cues given throughout the poem. And finally the last line gives account of the mental of Havisham
implying not only her heart but her mind broke and using the explosive alliteration of B in the last
word.