Valentine (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Valentine
Each GCSE poetry anthology contains 15 poems, and in your exam question you will be given one poem – printed in full – and asked to compare this printed poem to another. The exam is closed-book, which means you will not have access to the second poem. This does not mean you need to remember every line from memory, but you do need to understand and remember key aspects of the poem. Understanding four things will enable you to produce a top-grade response:
The meaning of the poem
The ideas and messages of the poet
How the poet conveys these ideas through their methods
How these ideas compare and contrast with the ideas of other poets in the anthology
Below is a guide to Carol Ann Duffy’s poem 'Valentine', from the Relationships anthology. It includes:
Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations
Writer’s methods: an exploration of the poet’s techniques and methods
Context: an exploration of the context of the poem, relevant to its themes
What to compare it to: ideas about which poems to compare it to in the exam
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The exam question asks you to compare the way relationships are presented in two anthology poems.
'Valentine', as part of the Relationships anthology, explores themes related to romantic relationships and desire. It is therefore as important that you learn how 'Valentine' compares and contrasts with the way other poems in the anthology present such ideas, rather than understanding the poem in isolation. See the section below on “What to compare it to” for detailed comparisons of 'Valentine' and other poems in the anthology.
Overview
In order to answer an essay question on any poem it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
The poem in a nutshell
A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Carol Ann Duffy’s intention and message
'Valentine' in a nutshell
'Valentine', written by former Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, subverts traditional ideas of romantic relationships with simple imagery that presents a more realistic portrayal of love.
'Valentine' breakdown
Lines 1–2
“Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion.”
Translation
The poem begins with two images that contrast each other
Instead of offering a traditionally romantic “red rose” or “satin heart”, they offer an “onion”
Duffy’s intention
Duffy immediately begins the poem with incongruous images
Traditional symbols and ideas of love are undermined with the reference to a vegetable
Lines 3–5
“It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.”
Translation
These lines explain the gift of an onion:
The onion’s shape and colour is compared to a moon, its skin to “brown paper”
The poet alludes to bright and hopeful love (symbolised by the onion) with metaphorical imagery (“it promises light”)
A simile compares the peeling of an onion’s layers to lovers “undressing”
Duffy’s intention
Duffy’s explanation for the bizarre gift is presented with natural imagery:
She refers to the moon and “light”, which are typically romantic images
She likens a peeling onion to lovers slowly undressing, alluding to physical desire
Lines 6–10
“Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.”
Translation
The speaker’s tone is abrupt: “Here.”:
This line implies the speaker is giving their lover the onion
They go on to describe the onion’s ability to make you cry when you peel it:
The speaker says this is like love as it can make you sad and shaken
Duffy’s intention
Duffy’s pragmatic speaker uses a short, one-word line to shift the mood
Dark imagery highlights how love can disrupt peace and bring “grief”
Line 11–12
“I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.”
Translation
The poet draws attention to the reason for the strange gift with two isolated lines that emphasise the speaker’s desire for honesty
The speaker wants to reassure the listener that they are not offering platitudes through a “cute card” or a “kissogram” (a message delivered and accompanied by a kiss)
Duffy’s intention
Duffy’s poem uses colloquial references and simple language to amplify the speaker’s honest message about love
The poet contrasts the speaker’s “truthful” words with alliteration that implies disdain
This undermines traditional messages of love, presenting them as fake or shallow
Lines 13–17
“I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.”
Translation
These lines reinforces the speaker’s intentions:
They say that the onion is a symbol of love because it has a strong taste that is as strong as their commitment to each other
The speaker implies that the onion’s strength will last as long as they are “faithful”
Duffy’s intention
Duffy draws attention to the intensity of the romantic relationship
Words such as “fierce” and “possessive” are highlighted in a single short line
The poem begins to sound like an ultimatum as the speaker says the onion and their love will be strong as long as they are loyal to each other
Lines 18–23
“Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,
if you like.
Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.”
Translation
The speaker gives another instruction: the listener must accept the onion gift
The speaker describes the onion’s silver layers as “platinum loops”
They link this to a wedding ring, and then offer a hesitant “if you like.”
As the poem ends, the speaker alludes to danger with an isolated word “Lethal.”
They say that the “scent” (smell) when cutting an onion stays on the fingers and the knife
Duffy’s intention
Duffy’s poem ends ambiguously, alluding to the pain and risk involved in relationships
It is implied that cutting an onion is much like the pain of a broken relationship
The “scent” stays with you
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The exam question asks you to compare the ways poets present ideas about relationships in the poem given to you on the exam paper and one other from the Relationships anthology. For the best answer, you might want to focus on the way themes are presented across the two poems. This is better than providing a list of as many techniques as you can find, or remember. Perhaps you could begin your answer with a clear argument that clarifies how the poems explore relationships. This demonstrates that you have understood the poem and the poet’s intention. For example, “Carol Ann Duffy subverts ideas about traditional and romanticised relationships. Similar themes can be found in…”
Writer’s methods
Although this section is organised into three separate sections – form, structure and language – it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have.
Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme, and includes Carol Ann Duffy’s intentions behind her choices in terms of:
Form
Structure
Language
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Examiners specifically state that they are not looking for as many techniques as you can find in the poem(s). In fact, it is better to understand the themes in the poem and then use language and structural techniques to support your ideas.
Identifying sophisticated techniques will not gain you any more marks, especially if these techniques are only “spotted” and the poet’s intentions for this language are not explained. Instead, focus your analysis on the reasons why the poet is presenting their ideas in the way that they do: what is their message? What ideas are they presenting, or challenging?
Form
The form of 'Valentine' is an unconventional approach to traditional presentations of romantic relationships. Duffy’s monologue appears as if the speaker is having a real and physical conversation.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
Intimate relationships | The first-person monologue addresses a listener: “I give you an onion”:
| Duffy creates an intimate and instantaneous presentation of a romantic relationship |
The poem varies in line and stanza length | An irregular form presents the speaker’s thoughts as genuine and spontaneous | |
The poem uses three one-line stanzas:
| Duffy emphasises the idea that the poem is not a typically romantic address to a lover | |
Duffy’s poem, 'Valentine', is presented as a real piece of dialogue which shows the relationship as tangible and aids Duffy’s realistic portrayal of love | ||
Structure
The poem’s structure creates a speaker whose voice appears life-like and natural. Duffy’s poem is a pragmatic presentation of love.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
Complex love | The poem is written in free verse with internal or half-rhymes:
| Duffy’s poem, although poetic and musical-sounding, does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme in order to convey a spontaneous voice |
The poem takes place in present tense: “I give you an onion” | Duffy’s poem creates a sense of immediacy, which conveys urgency | |
Enjambment and one word lines contribute to an emotional voice:
| Duffy’s speaker is reflective:
| |
Duffy portrays a speaker who is hurt as well as inspired by love’s various qualities | ||
Language
The poem 'Valentine' uses metaphorical imagery that undermines traditional romantic symbolism. Duffy portrays love as intense, passionate and dangerous.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
Romantic relationships | The poem’s title and first line alludes to traditional romantic relationships:
| Duffy sets up an unconventional exploration of romantic relationships by immediately undermining them |
Natural and sensory imagery portray love positively, suggesting it is hopeful and bright: “It is a moon” and it “promises light”:
| While Duffy presents romantic relationships as natural, beautiful and enlightening, she also refers to sensual pleasure | |
Contrasting imagery conveys the dichotomies of romance:
| The symbolic representation of love as an onion conveys its many layers:
| |
Duffy’s examination of romantic relationships conveys the intense influence love has on individuals | ||
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The best answers comment on the way elements of language, form or structure contribute to or support an argument on the presentation of the theme in the question. This means you should aim to deliver an integrated comparison of the themes and ideas in this and the other poem you choose for comparison. Focus on the relevance of the methods used by the poet(s). It is better to structure your answer around an exploration of the ideas in the poems. Stay focused on the task and choose your evidence based on the theme named in the question.
Context
Examiners repeatedly state that context should not be considered as additional factual information: in this case, it is not random biographical information about Carol Ann Duffy or facts unrelated to the ideas in 'Valentine'. The best way to understand context is as the ideas and perspectives explored by Duffy that relate to romantic and complex relationships.
This section has therefore been divided into two relevant themes that Duffy explores:
Romantic relationships
Complex love and desire
Romantic relationships
Carol Ann Duffy, former Poet Laureate, often challenges traditional social constructs and stereotypes in her work
Her poem, 'Valentine', spurns established ideas of romance and suggests they are fake:
The speaker in the poem stresses “I am trying to be truthful”
This is typical of the way Duffy’s poetry deals in realism
Duffy’s poetry offers realistic portrayals of relationships:
The poem 'Valentine' uses the metaphor of an onion to describe romantic love, extending this to the idea of cutting it with a knife
Her poem’s speakers often convey their thoughts with disdainful sarcasm or casual nonchalance:
In the poem 'Valentine', this is evident in the line “if you like.”
The speaker is brusque and blunt: “Here.”
The poem is considered an example of post-modernism as it deconstructs ideas that are seen as universal, such as the idea of a “red rose” to symbolise love:
The modern poem, published in the 1990s, illustrates aspects of consumerism
The poem makes an implication that love has been commercialised with a “satin heart” and a “kissogram”
The poem’s honest portrayal of real love suggests its transience:
Duffy’s poem 'Valentine' alludes to temporariness, “for as long as we are”
Complex love and desire
Carol Ann Duffy is a Scottish poet who uses simple language to juxtapose intense emotions against mundane and everyday imagery
By offering their lover the gift of an onion, Duffy’s speaker is able to convey the “layers” of love and desire:
The poem alludes to “careful undressing” to connote to physical desire
However, the speaker is also bitter, suggesting love is “possessive” as well as “faithful” and “fierce”
Duffy’s poetry often creates dramatic characterisations that raise the profile of marginalised or unheard voices
Her poetry often dramatises arguments, poignant conversations and moments of pain
The poem 'Valentine' is from the anthology Mean Time, which dramatises, arguably, a conversation during which a gift is given for Valentine’s Day:
The speaker offers their lover a gift and says, “Take it.”
Duffy’s speakers convey mixed emotions to show the complexities of love:
The poem 'Valentine' depicts a conversation that, at times, seems desperate and, at other times, hurt
Duffy’s speaker is cynical, suggestive of a pragmatic attitude to love
The speaker acknowledges love brings both “light” and “tears” of “grief”
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember, you will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of factors in the author’s life that may have influenced the way they have presented their ideas on relationships.
Context should be connected to the theme named in the task, and can cover aspects of genre (related to poetry), social, literary and historical context, as well as the author’s own personal influences. However, writing a whole paragraph about Carol Ann Duffy is not an integrated approach, and will not achieve high marks. Instead, use contextual comments to support your ideas.
What to compare it to
The essay you are required to write in your exam is a comparison of the ideas and themes explored in two of your anthology poems. It is therefore essential that you revise the poems together, in pairs, to understand how each poet presents ideas about relationships in comparison to other poets in the anthology. Given that 'Valentine' explores the ideas of romantic relationships and complex love, the following comparisons are the most appropriate:
'Valentine' and 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)'
'Valentine' and 'Love’s Dog'
'Valentine' and 'i wanna be yours'
For each pair of poems, you will find:
The comparison in a nutshell
Similarities between the ideas presented in each poem
Differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For the best responses, examiners are looking for perceptive comments about the way themes are presented and conveyed by the language, form and structural techniques. It is therefore important that you have a thorough knowledge of key ideas, such as the way poems end, rather than just memorising a series of quotations.
It is also essential that you not only write about the named poem, but compare it to one other in the anthology. Only writing about the poem given on the paper will severely limit your marks.
'Valentine' and 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)'
Comparison in a nutshell:
Both Carol Ann Duffy’s 'Valentine' and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s ‘Sonnet 43’ present assertive speakers who declare their love to an implied listener. However, while Duffy conveys this in a post-modern poem that defies conventions, Barrett Browning’s sonnet is a classical portrayal of romance.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both poems are intimate addresses to a romantic partner | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)' |
Duffy’s first-person speaker addresses their lover and offers a gift: “I give you an onion.”:
| Barrett Browning’s poem is a direct address to an implied loved one:
| |
Duffy’s speaker reinforces their argument with an isolated one-line stanza: “I am trying to be truthful.”:
| Barrett Browning also builds a strong argument to prove the speaker’s love:
| |
Duffy’s speaker also presents the intimacy of the relationship with natural imagery:
| Similarly, Barrett Browning describes love with natural imagery, perhaps love that enlightens:
| |
The poets depict private and personal conversations that speak passionately to a loved one | ||
Topic sentence | Both speakers describe love as powerfully impactful and complex | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)' |
Duffy’s imagery implies love is passionate and intense:
| Barrett Browning presents love as similarly consuming using hyperbolic language:
| |
The poem describes love as both sensual and painful:
| Similarly, Barrett Browning’s list connects love with an array of emotions: “I love thee with the breath,/Smiles, tears, of all my life” | |
Duffy ends the poem with a sinister warning in an isolated line: “Lethal.” | Barrett Browning also ends the poem on darker themes:
| |
The poets both present love as complex and highlight its overwhelming effect | ||
Differences:
Topic sentence | While Duffy undermines typical ideas related to romantic love, Barrett Browning’s sonnet places her poem firmly within established traditions | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)' |
Duffy’s free verse poem consists of irregular stanzas and line lengths, defying conventional patterns of romantic poetry:
| In contrast, Barrett Browning uses a sonnet to allude to romantic traditions:
| |
Duffy’s speaker is assertive and blunt, giving commands, such as “Take it.”:
| Barrett Browning’s speaker, on the other hand, declares an unabandoned, innocent (and naive) love:
| |
Duffy’s modern poem uses mundane and everyday objects as symbols of love:
| Keeping with tradition, ‘Sonnet 43’ uses religious and spiritual imagery to imply the speaker’s love is pure:
| |
Duffy subverts conventions to portray a realistic, honest interpretation of romantic love, while Barrett Browning alludes to an idealised love | ||
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is a good idea to outline your argument in your introduction, providing a clear overview of the overarching themes within both poems. You can then use the theme to move between both poems to illustrate and support your arguments.
However, this does not mean that you cannot focus on one poem first, and then the other, linking ideas back to the main poem. You should choose whichever structure suits you best, as long as comparison is embedded and ideas for both texts are well-developed.
'Valentine' and 'Love’s Dog'
Comparison in a nutshell:
This is an effective comparative choice to explore the presentation of romantic love in modern poems. While the poems both convey love as complex, Duffy’s poem is a life-like address to a lover, while Hadfield’s poem is a less immediate, abstract reflection.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both poems employ speakers who address a loved one with pragmatism | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'Love’s Dog' |
Duffy depicts a speaker’s honest assertions on love:
| Hadfield also offers a confident and realistic assessment of love:
| |
Duffy’s unconventional romantic poem uses half-rhyme in its poetic, yet realistic characterisation:
| In 'Love’s Dog', too, simple rhymes like “me” and “me” create an irreverent tone:
| |
Both poems undermine traditional presentations of romantic relationships through their candid and honest speakers | ||
Topic sentence | Both poems juxtapose the powerful impact of love with simple imagery | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'Love’s Dog' |
Duffy’s symbolic representation of love is a common onion:
| Hadfield also uses an unconventional metaphor to describe love’s power:
| |
Duffy’s poem subverts traditional images of romance with cynicism:
| Hadfield uses imagery, highlighted by alliteration, to imply darker ideas:
| |
Duffy’s metaphor, the onion, is extended to convey the risk inherent in romantic relationships:
| 'Love’s Dog' also refers to mundane things that connote to painful emotions:
| |
Both poets portray love as complex and potentially dangerous | ||
Differences:
Topic sentence | Duffy’s poem depicts a tangible moment in a relationship, while Hadfield’s poem is a symbolic, conceptual reflection | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'Love’s Dog' |
Duffy uses an irregular form to convey an unstable voice:
| Hadfield’s poem, in contrast, consists of regular rhyming couplets that represent a balanced voice:
| |
Duffy creates a sense of spontaneity with one-line stanzas like “I am trying to be truthful.”
| However, Hadfield’s poem is a consistent list, suggesting forethought and clarity | |
Duffy’s presentation of love uses simple household objects like “brown paper”, a “photo” and a “wedding ring” | In contrast, Hadfield relates love to magical and fantastical ideas:
| |
Duffy’s dramatic characterisation of a lover offering a 'Valentine'’s Day gift contrasts Hadfield’s reflective evaluation of love | ||
'Valentine' and 'i wanna be yours'
Comparison in a nutshell:
Both poems are modern explorations of romantic relationships and their speakers’ mixed emotions about the complexities of love. However, Carol Ann Duffy’s poem is a pragmatic address to a loved one, whereas John Cooper Clarke’s poem is an interpretation of intense and obsessive love.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both poems examine the troubled thoughts of individuals in romantic relationships | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'i wanna be yours' |
The speaker in Duffy’s poem conveys a sense of urgency in their declaration of love:
| Cooper Clarke’s poem, too, conveys a desperate speaker with repetitive phrasing: “i wanna be yours””
| |
Sensory imagery in 'Valentine' conveys a sense of danger:
| Cooper Clarke’s poem also begins with a speaker’s allusion to the chaos of love referring to “breathing in your dust”:
| |
Duffy’s unconventional poem uses simple objects to symbolise passion, such as an onion’s “fierce kiss” and a “photo of wobbling grief” | Cooper Clarke’s poem employs a similar technique:
| |
As post-modern presentations of love, both poems show the disturbing emotions felt by individuals within romantic relationships | ||
Differences:
Topic sentence | While Duffy’s speaker is cynical and realistic, Cooper Clarke illustrates intense and obsessive love | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Valentine' | 'i wanna be yours' |
Duffy emphasises the poem’s honest portrayal with an isolated line: “I am trying to be truthful” | Cooper Clarke’s poem consists of a long, hyperbolic list of ways the speaker wants to belong entirely to their lover | |
Duffy’s speaker is pragmatic:
| Cooper Clarke offers a presentation of unabandoned loyalty:
| |
Duffy’s speaker conveys disdain for idealised versions of love through alliteration: “Not a red rose” and “Not a cute card or kissogram” | On the other hand, Cooper Clarke’s poem refers to a deep and passionate love:
| |
While Duffy’s speaker attempts to offer a genuine expression of love, Cooper Clarke’s speaker expresses an uninhibited declaration of commitment | ||
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Choose whichever poem you are able to make the most in-depth comparisons with in the exam. For example, you could choose to compare the presentation of romance in 'Valentine' and 'How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43)'. Or you might wish to explore the idea of complex desire in 'Valentine' and 'Love’s Dog'. What is important is that you view the poems thematically, with a clear emphasis on relationships. This will give you a better framework in which to write your response in the exam.
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