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Yellow: The language of the poem (Fiona)

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Yellow: The language of the poem (Fiona)

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The tone of the poem Medusa by Duffy is intense jealousy and self-hatred. Medusa's intense jealousy sparks from her growing insecurity about her self-image, in line 15 the phrase "I know you'll go, betray me" depicts her insecurity as she portrays her fear as an inevitable truth thus worsening her jealousy. As a result, she slowly begins to hate herself. in line 33 Medusa describes her appearance as a Gorgon. thus showing the hatred she has developed for herself The word "Gorgon" refers to an individual's appearance that causes fear.

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White: The GI statement and connection to AXE/Dove Ad (Joseph)

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White: The GI statement and connection to AXE/Dove Ad (Joseph)

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As Medusa's jealousy continous to grow, her emotions become overwhelming, and becomes unable to control her actions. As a result, she begins to subject her fear to reality, expecting everyone to view her the same way she views herself. The double entendre with the use of an imperative phrase can be seen when Medusa tells the readers to "be terrified", yet she repeatedly asks for a sense of reassurance from the readers that she is not frightful throughout the poem.

In addition, in stanza 8 there is only one line in which is imperative and has an ambiguous meaning. The shorter creates a short yet impactful message for the audience. Medusa orders the readers "look at me now". On one hand, it could be interpreted that she has finally accepted the truth in her emotional transformation and the monstrosity she has become due to jealousy. On the other hand, it could be interpreted as her refusal to accept the truth. She commands the readers to look into her eyes in an attempt to exert power over them and end the torment as she feels compelled to do so since they no longer view her as youthful.

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Carol Ann Duffy’s poem “Medusa” is part of her collection The World’s Wife (1999), which reimagines mythological, historical, and biblical figures from the perspectives of women. In this poem, Duffy explores themes of jealousy, power, and transformation through the lens of Medusa, the mythical creature.

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In Medusa by Duffy, there are a total of 8 stanzas. There are 7 stanzas with 5-6 lines in each stanza.; thereby remaining consistent overall. As for the last Stanza, there is only one line "Look at me now." This line creates a short yet impactful message depicting Medusa's internal struggle and ultimate realization of her aging and jealousy which sparks from insecurity.

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1. How does Duffy use imagery to show how Medusa is feeling?

We can explore how the descriptions in the poem, like “a suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy grew in my mind,” help us understand Medusa’s emotional state. The imagery of things turning to stone, like the bird and the trees, seems to symbolize how her jealousy hardens her, not just emotionally but almost physically. What do these images tell us about her inner struggle and the effects of her emotions?

2. Why do we feel sorry for Medusa even though she’s kind of scary?

While Medusa’s turning creatures to stone is terrifying, the poem makes us feel bad for her because it shows her vulnerability. For example, she’s jealous and insecure because she thinks her lover is betraying her. This makes her more relatable as a person, even though she’s described as a monster. What moments in the poem make us empathize with her the most?

3. How does jealousy change Medusa in the poem?

We can look at how her emotions take over her thoughts and even her body. Her jealousy grows so much that it transforms her into this snake-haired creature, and everything she looks at becomes lifeless. It makes us think about how powerful emotions like jealousy can consume someone and change how they see the world. How does her jealousy compare to times when we let negative feelings take over in our own lives?

4. Is Medusa powerful or powerless in this poem?

This is tricky because she has this crazy ability to turn living things to stone, which is super powerful. But at the same time, she’s controlled by her jealousy and fear, so she seems really weak emotionally. Is she more of a victim or a villain? Can someone be both?

5. Why does Duffy use Medusa from Greek mythology for this poem?

It’s interesting how Duffy takes a myth we know, about this evil monster, and changes it to show a more human side of Medusa. Maybe Duffy wants us to think about what might really make someone “monstrous,” like betrayal or heartbreak. How does knowing Medusa’s myth change how we understand this poem?

6. Does the structure of the poem match Medusa’s emotions?

The poem feels choppy and broken in some places, like her thoughts are all over the place. Maybe this shows how unstable and emotional she is. The lines sometimes run into each other without stopping, which could mirror how overwhelming her jealousy and fear have become. Do you think this structure makes us feel her emotions more?

7. What modern issues can we connect to Medusa’s story?

Jealousy and insecurity are feelings a lot of people deal with, especially in relationships. Medusa’s experience reminds us of how emotions can spiral out of control if we let them. It also touches on ideas like toxic relationships and how society sometimes blames women for being too emotional. How does this ancient myth still feel relevant today?

8. What do you think Medusa realizes about herself at the end of the poem?

When she looks at her reflection in the water, it feels like she’s finally seeing how much she’s changed. Maybe she regrets what she’s become, or maybe she’s accepting it. The ending feels like a big moment of self-awareness for her. What do you think her reflection means to her and to us as readers?

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Duffy utilizes parallelism throughout the poem, Medusa. The utilization of parallelism enables the emphasis on Medusa's emotional transformation throughout the poem. Parallelism creates a simple phrase for the readers to understand while allowing them to focus on the key concepts of the potential consequence of jealousy. The similar structures create a smooth flow throughout the poem allowing common ideas and concepts to be connected easily.

Each stanza is divided depending on the overall meaning or intention of the stanza:

Stanza 1: The consequence of jealousy

Stanza 2: A description of Medusa's emotional state

Stanza 3: Medusa's Lover

Stanza 4: The death of innocent small animals due to Medusa's overwhelming emotions

Stanza 5: The death of innocent big animals due to Medusa's overwhelming emotions

Stanza 6: Medusa's realization of what she has become

Stanza 7: Medusa's plead for a sense of reassurance and objection to reality

Stanza 8: Medusa's acceptance of her reality

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Characters and their relations to the plot 

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Characters and their relations to the plot 

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This poem explores themes of jealousy, power, and transformation through the lens of Medusa, the mythical creature.

Characters:

1. Medusa (Narrator):

Medusa is the central figure and narrator of the poem. She is portrayed as a tragic, jealous character whose emotions and insecurities transform her into a monstrous figure which reflects the effects of betrayal and emotional pain.

Relation to the Plot: Medusa's inner turmoil drives the narrative, and her emotions shape the imagery and tone of the poem.

2. Medusa's Lover:

An implied but absent character who has betrayed or abandoned Medusa seemingly the Greek god, Poseidon. Her jealousy stems from his perceived infidelity.

Relation to the Plot: His actions are the catalyst for Medusa’s transformation and her reflections on her monstrous state.

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Setting:

The setting is primarily internal, focusing on Medusa’s thoughts and emotions rather than a specific physical location. The imagery evokes a dark, mythical atmosphere filled with decay and transformation, aligning with Medusa’s gorgon-like state.

Relation to the Plot: The setting mirrors Medusa’s emotional and physical isolation, emphasizing the themes of jealousy and self-destruction.

Plot:

The poem focuses on Medusa’s perspective as she reflects on her transformation into a monster. Her jealousy and anger at her lover’s infidelity are expressed through vivid, grotesque imagery of her physical change. Medusa confronts her own monstrous nature, recognizing how her emotions have turned her into a figure capable of turning others to stone. The poem concludes with Medusa addressing her lover directly, threatening to use her powers on him.

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The speaker, Medusa continuously asks rhetorical questions with a low modality phrasing throughout the poem. Medusa continuously pleads for a sense of reassurance through her questions, "Wasn't I beautiful?", "Wasn't I fragrant and young?", " Are you terrified?". Such rhetorical questions strongly demonstrate her sense of insecurity and dependence on the confidence of others as she refuses to accept the reality in which she is Medusa.

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Medusa is one of the most famous figures in Greek mythology, known as a Gorgon. According to myth, she was a winged female creature with snakes for hair. Unlike her Gorgon sisters, Medusa was mortal, which allowed the hero Perseus to slay her by cutting off her head. Medusa's head retained the power to turn anyone who looked at it into stone, a power Perseus used to his advantage in various exploits. Medusa's offspring, Chrysaor and Pegasus, sprang from her blood after her decapitation by Perseus. Her severed head was later given to the goddess Athena, who placed it on her shield as a protective emblem.

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As the poem develops, the diction gradually becomes vulgar, reflecting Medusa's intense growth of jealousy. Towards the end of the poem, Medusa uses words like "shit" and "gorgon" to describe her surroundings.

The word "shit" refers to feces but is also used as a crude term to express disgust, anger, and frustration. This emphasizes her growth of bitterness and frustration over her appearance which has ultimately compelled her to harm innocent lives so that they could too feel what she is feeling.

The word "gorgon" often refers to the three sisters (including Medusa), they are called the "gorgon" due to their horrifying appearance and stone ability which inevitably makes others fear the "gorgon". By calling herself a "gorgon"- a name in which others creates to refer to the three sisters- it reflects Medusa's self-perception and her realization of what she has truly become due to her intense jealousy.

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Carol Ann Duffy’s Medusa reimagines the iconic figure from Greek mythology, giving her a voice and exploring her transformation through the lens of human emotions. The poem is a dramatic monologue that delves into Medusa’s psyche, exposing her descent into bitterness and despair driven by jealousy and insecurity. Suspicious of her lover’s infidelity, Medusa’s emotions spiral out of control, warping her sense of reality and manifesting as monstrous qualities. Her hair turns to venomous snakes, and her once-human gaze gains the terrifying power to turn living creatures to stone.

Through vivid and unsettling imagery, Duffy portrays Medusa’s psychological torment. She describes the physical consequences of her emotional turmoil—flesh turning to stone, breath transforming the natural world into lifeless objects. Symbols such as “bullet tears” and “a dragon” emphasize her anger and vulnerability. Yet, beneath her rage lies a deep yearning for love and acceptance, paired with a fear of rejection that feeds her transformation.

In the poem’s final moments, Medusa faces her reflection and confronts the irreversible effects of her emotions. Her monstrous appearance becomes a metaphor for the destructive nature of unchecked jealousy and self-doubt. By humanizing Medusa, Duffy challenges traditional portrayals of the mythological figure as purely villainous. Instead, Medusa becomes a tragic symbol of love turned toxic, exploring themes of betrayal, identity, and emotional fragility. Through this lens, Duffy critiques the societal and relational pressures that lead to such emotional devastation, making the poem deeply relevant to contemporary discussions of power, vulnerability, and the human condition.

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Culture, Identity and Community

In this view, Medusa's identity is stripped away from her to be the "girl who slept with Poseidon." But in a way she reclaims her identity as she embraces a new identity that accompanied her new form, one of fear and evil. This can be seen with her last line in the poem "Look at me now" which is directed towards her lover showing that she fully embraces her new form and will use it to her advantage.