Loading...
54th out of 84 books
—
29 voters
My rating:
add to my books
The World's Wife
Be terrified.
It's you I love,
perfect man,
Greek God, my own;
but I know you'll go,
betray me, stray
from home.
So better by far for
me if you were stone.
--from "Medusa"
Stunningly original and haunting, the voices of Mrs. Midas, Queen Kong, and Frau Freud, to say nothing of the Devil's Wife herself, startle us with their wit, imagination, and incisiveness in this...more
It's you I love,
perfect man,
Greek God, my own;
but I know you'll go,
betray me, stray
from home.
So better by far for
me if you were stone.
--from "Medusa"
Stunningly original and haunting, the voices of Mrs. Midas, Queen Kong, and Frau Freud, to say nothing of the Devil's Wife herself, startle us with their wit, imagination, and incisiveness in this...more
Paperback, 76 pages
Published
April 9th 2001
by Faber & Faber
(first published 1999)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
687)
"These myths going round, these legends, fairytales, I'll put them straight."
While I was clearing out my wardrobe I was attacked by a falling lever-arch file and, after flicking through it, I found a copy of an A-Level essay that I wrote on this collection.
I immediately went to my bookshelf and dug out my heavily annotated (Phrases such as "Satirises the traditional views of women to represent them as holders of power" and "Men's violence is face...more
While I was clearing out my wardrobe I was attacked by a falling lever-arch file and, after flicking through it, I found a copy of an A-Level essay that I wrote on this collection.
I immediately went to my bookshelf and dug out my heavily annotated (Phrases such as "Satirises the traditional views of women to represent them as holders of power" and "Men's violence is face...more
These are Duffy's best poems, and she takes this one trick pony and turns it into a poetic calvary battalion. The trick is that each poem is based on either the wife of a historical or fictional character, or a woman from history. The voices she creates are so vivid, and her use of language is witty and hits like a hammer every time.
My favorites are "Mrs. Lazarus", "Mrs. Quasimodo", "The Devil's Wife", "Penelope", "Eurydice" and "Medu...more
My favorites are "Mrs. Lazarus", "Mrs. Quasimodo", "The Devil's Wife", "Penelope", "Eurydice" and "Medu...more
This was the topic of my senior thesis (specifically the poem 'Medusa'), and also my most recent attempt at finding something revolutionary, interesting, or worthwhile in modern poetry. The dadaists and beat poets were intent on wresting poetry from the jaws of tradition. By popularizing poetry, they turned poetry into another pointless, populist act.
By enshrining the 'personal experience' as the sole qualifier of poetic worth, they ensured that every hack poet will feel justified in...more
By enshrining the 'personal experience' as the sole qualifier of poetic worth, they ensured that every hack poet will feel justified in...more
I picked up a free copy of this in New Beacon Books – there was a stack of them left over from World Book Night earlier this year.
It’s a collection of poems all on the same theme of overturning male-centred history, literature and myth, and looking at familiar stories from the neglected wife’s perspective. So, for example, we have Mrs Aesop tiring of her husband’s constant boring fables, and Delilah explaining why she cut off Samson’s hair (he’d complained to her that he didn’t know w...more
It’s a collection of poems all on the same theme of overturning male-centred history, literature and myth, and looking at familiar stories from the neglected wife’s perspective. So, for example, we have Mrs Aesop tiring of her husband’s constant boring fables, and Delilah explaining why she cut off Samson’s hair (he’d complained to her that he didn’t know w...more
Bought this as a Christmas present that never got given. Lovely, fabulous and fantastic. Let's see ... humour, lack of the overblown, but definitely not lightweight. I think it's 'The Kray Sisters', 'The Devil's Wife' and 'Mrs Darwin' that will sit upon my mind for a great long time to come. Next up for me is her Rapture.
I was desperately trying to read Derek Walcott's Omeros, which I had to abandon due to my simple mind and his ability to remind me of a Caribbean past that I know hav...more
I was desperately trying to read Derek Walcott's Omeros, which I had to abandon due to my simple mind and his ability to remind me of a Caribbean past that I know hav...more
I have a love/hate relationship with Carol Ann Duffy. As a queer, Northern poet myself, I should love her. She should be a standard bearer for me and what I want to write. But quite often she isn't. Don't get me wrong, she's not a bad poet. Far from it. But she's not the *best* poet, despite being lauded as the poetic voice of modern Britain. Her talent is overshadowed by many other great poets, some of whom are also women and/or also queer, such as Dorothea Smartt, Rommi Smith, James Nash, and ...more
My first experience with this poet was reading her poem "Mrs Darwin" (from this collection) in Billy Collins' "180 More Extraordinary Poems for Every Day." I found the poem to be very clever, even though it was only 4 lines long. The premise of this Duffy collection is to hear from the female counterparts from famous men from history, literature, and mythology. (And sometimes just from famous women like Medusa or Eurydice.) The poems are insightful, hilarious, scathing, surpr...more
I was so looking forward to reading this. The concept is fantastic (and long overdue!) and I'd already read and enjoyed Little Red-Cap, Mrs Midas, and Anne Hathaway. But in the end it didn't measure up to my expectations.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the way CAD uses rhyme and assonance, and when she's on form her poems flow and it's a joy to read them aloud. But TWW quickly became very repetitive, both in form and content. I'll be honest, I could've done with a bit less male-bashin...more
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the way CAD uses rhyme and assonance, and when she's on form her poems flow and it's a joy to read them aloud. But TWW quickly became very repetitive, both in form and content. I'll be honest, I could've done with a bit less male-bashin...more
Here is a book with an interesting concept, and some interesting poems, but interest rarely insists upon good poetry; in this instance, for a good percentage, insists on the opposite.
Although this collection is ingenious in concept, Duffy presents a rather sterile and stoic interpretation of many of the women whose stories we do not hear in history and in lore. An example is Mrs. Midas - whilst not an apt selection for the book, it is a severely long poem with very little flesh upon it...more
Although this collection is ingenious in concept, Duffy presents a rather sterile and stoic interpretation of many of the women whose stories we do not hear in history and in lore. An example is Mrs. Midas - whilst not an apt selection for the book, it is a severely long poem with very little flesh upon it...more
I've been waiting for this book to come into my library since Duffy became Poet Laureate, and I'm afraid it wasn't much worth the wait. I'd read some of the poems in After Ovid, and while some of them are nice on their own (or in the context of The Metamorphoses), while reading them all together in this collection, they started to become grating. Although Duffy makes lovely use of rhyme and meter, and some of the poems are compelling, they began to feel trite and predictable. In her defense, ...more
I've read this book a few times because it's poetry that's fun while at the same time having a rich vein of truth running through it. What Carol Ann Duffy has done with The World's Wife is give voice to the unsung wives of famous husbands of history and literature. These wives have lived unappreciated and without credit in the shadows of their husbands until Duffy told their stories. Some of them we're familiar with--Eurydice, for instance, and Penelope. But it's the ones we've not given tho...more
view all 3 comments
Pauline Ross
rated it
This is, almost inevitably, a very mixed bunch of poems. The premise is simple - to look at some key moments of history or mythology, and imagine the female viewpoint. And some are wonderfully insightful, some are laugh-out-loud funny, some are extremely clever and some are, frankly, less inspired.
It really helps, I suppose, to have had the sort of classical education which knows exactly who Eurydice was and what she did, otherwise you spend more time Googling the references than enjo...more
It really helps, I suppose, to have had the sort of classical education which knows exactly who Eurydice was and what she did, otherwise you spend more time Googling the references than enjo...more
This was very, very good. One of her poems was read on BBC Radio 4 last Sunday afternoon and it was so powerful I went and got this.
I loved Mrs. Midas among others, Red Riding Hood's side of the story beautiful, Frau Freud was hilarious and so were Mrs Aesop and Mrs Icarus (A-bloody-men to that one!).
I will definitely read her other poetry and I'm very happy she's the first ever female Poet Laureate. Although I'm generally DISGUSTED that it took so long for any female poet to become...more
I loved Mrs. Midas among others, Red Riding Hood's side of the story beautiful, Frau Freud was hilarious and so were Mrs Aesop and Mrs Icarus (A-bloody-men to that one!).
I will definitely read her other poetry and I'm very happy she's the first ever female Poet Laureate. Although I'm generally DISGUSTED that it took so long for any female poet to become...more
I'm not the first or the last
to stand on a hillock,
watching the man she married
prove to the world
he's a total, utter, absolute, Grade A pillock.
-Carol Ann Duffy
Mrs Icarus
It does say something when a book blows away the mind of someone who, by her own account, has no head for poetry. That is all.
to stand on a hillock,
watching the man she married
prove to the world
he's a total, utter, absolute, Grade A pillock.
-Carol Ann Duffy
Mrs Icarus
It does say something when a book blows away the mind of someone who, by her own account, has no head for poetry. That is all.
I never read poetry yet these poems amuse me tremendously. Unfortunately, I am ignorant regarding Greek mythology, so some of her wit passes me, but she is so originally funny describing what various women would say about the famous men in their lives. She is absolutely skewing and hysterically funny.
Jo
added it
Mrs. Darwin
by Carol Ann Duffy
7 April 1852.
Went to the Zoo.
I said to Him -
Something about that Chimpanzee over there reminds me of you.
This book will make you laugh and move you to tears...
by Carol Ann Duffy
7 April 1852.
Went to the Zoo.
I said to Him -
Something about that Chimpanzee over there reminds me of you.
This book will make you laugh and move you to tears...
I seldom read poetry any more but this collection is well worth reading.
These poems are written from the perspective of either the wife of some famous person (either real or from literature/mythology) or a famous woman in history. The Devil's Wife, the Wife of Lazarus, Medusa, are but a few. Many are funny, some are cutting, some stark.
These poems are written from the perspective of either the wife of some famous person (either real or from literature/mythology) or a famous woman in history. The Devil's Wife, the Wife of Lazarus, Medusa, are but a few. Many are funny, some are cutting, some stark.
This book is a collection of poems that use characters from myth, fairytale and legend to represent opressed women from different time periods and different countries. I found them very amusing and full of clever rhymes and vocabulary to keep the reader interested.
Duffy covers all the realms of wifehood in a sometimes alarming, but always funny way. Some of my book group felt she hated men. I pointed out the she is in her 50's, so chances are it's experience talking, or should I say laughing?
Hannah
rated it
Recommends it for:
those who want a laugh, and/or love mythology
Shelves:
current-favorites,
poetry
This book contains poems about the wives of many fictional characters which are never fully fleshed out in mythology. For example, one of the poems is about the blind prophet Tiresias' wife and how she deals with him showing up one day as a woman. Another is about Medusa as the devil's wife, reexamining her portrayal as an evil-doer, writing her more as someone to feel sorry for than resent or fear.
There are even some nonfictional males' tales rewritten from the perspective of a wom...more
There are even some nonfictional males' tales rewritten from the perspective of a wom...more
I'm already a big fan of Carol Ann Duffy, but I loved how clever she was in rendering these familiar characters into a feminist context. I particularly enjoyed "The Kray Sisters" and the Sinatra reference.
I love Duffy's wit, she is just brilliant.
This definitely serves her well, and she achieves her aims to document the lives of those women who have been hidden behind famous males, just perfect really.
This definitely serves her well, and she achieves her aims to document the lives of those women who have been hidden behind famous males, just perfect really.
Some brilliant, some less than brilliant, some silly, Carol Ann Duffy is kind of a rock star for giving voice to some of the most enduringly silent women in history and literature.
There are no words to describe the amazing works of Carol Ann Duffy. Every single poem grips at your heart, allowing you to soar or fall with the voice behind it.
Marginally better than her usual stuff as it isn't total nonsense. However, once again Duffy's main triumph is her ability to spell her own name correctly.
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10272942
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10272942
I've wanted to read this entire collection since I came across Medusa in an anthology. It's wonderful! Duffy writes from the perspective of various women associated with men of history and myth. Many of their stories are recast in modern terms. All provide a different perspective!
Amazing collection of poetry. CAD takes famous fairytales, biblical and historical figures and retells their stories from the eyes of their wives.
I especially loved the poems for Mrs. Midas, Pilate's Wife, and Frau Freud. What a great idea for a series of poems... I also love her use of rhyme - very fun, yet contemporary.
These poems cleverly flesh out the women behind history & mythology's great, fantastical and evil men. An enjoyable read.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
