Loud - Carol Ann Duffy

summarise the key theme and focus of this poem

Loud by Carol Ann Duffy demonstrates the power of female voices, responding to horrific world events through a vocal explosion. Duffy suggests the importance of female voices, while also featuring the devastating horror of world news. Loud by Carol Ann Duffy explores the power of women's voices, while also exposing the horrors of the modern world

why does Duffy use some instances of internal rhyme throughout the poem?

No set rhyme scheme but there are instances of internal rhyme scheme to propel the poem forwards and speed up the meter. This acceleration goes hand in hand with the explosive voice of the poem.

what 2 other poems are good to compare to focusing on the female voice?

Anon and The Virgins Memo - Yet, those poems explore the obstruction and silencing of the female voice. Loud rebels against these notions, showing a woman gaining power with her voice.

'her voice ripped out of her throat like a firework, with a terrible sulphurous crack that made her jump' - stanza 1 - analyse

Duffy uses the harsh consonance plosive of 'p' - 'ripped' to mirror the brutality of an explosive voice. She uses the semantic field of explosions and fireworks to symbolise the extent of the voice's power and beauty too. this suggests the woman didn't know how powerful her voice can be as it 'made her jump' when she learned of the power of her own influence.

'a flash of light in the dark' (this quote follows after 'her voice ripped out of her like a firework)

The voice is represented by light, 'a flash of light in the dark', signalling the positive impact that women's voices are bringing. The metaphor is suggesting that when women do speak up, they will be heard and seen, like a 'light in the dark'

'Before, she'd been easily led'

this can represent the stereotype of a silent or quiet woman that society has created. Duffy uses the metrical pauses that caesura initiates to reflect this stereotype. it also suggests how women have been prevented from having an opinion throughout history.

why doesn't Duffy specify the woman's name?

perhaps once again suggesting that this is a universal female experience and that all women are taught to be subservient and to follow others. But the last line of the stanza suggests once a woman learns of her power, she is able to 'roar'.

'uttering lightning'

Duffy furthers the combination of women and nature imagery. Nature is often a symbol of power within the literature, Duffy attaching this power to the female voice - perhaps the woman is Mother Nature. However, like a storm, many are afraid of the female voice - mostly men - as they are afraid of losing their power. Maybe Duffy is using the semantic field of nature to portray the power struggle between male and female to be reflected in the power struggle between man and nature

(her voice) 'stomped through the city' 'shaking the bells'

Continuing her use of hyperbole, Duffy then personifies the female voice. It has incredible power. Women's voices have become all-powerful, combing with nature to overwhelming the world.

'She bawled at the moon and it span away into space'

suggests a rejection of femininity as the moon is often used as a feminine symbol for fertility - perhaps another reference to the natural order like in Tall - when a woman gains power they lose their feminine side as the natural order demands male dominance

'loud, loud, louder, the News'

Asyndeton closes the poem, event after event overwhelming the woman. Although she gets 'loud, loud, louder', representing the gaining of power within the female voice, the poem ends on 'the News'. The finality of this image could display how the 'News' is yet more powerful. Even after all the female voice has done, the horrors of the world are still too great. Duffy ends the poem on a chilling image, revealing how the 'News' has the power to overwhelm everything that has come before which portrays the toxic culture of media.