The Student Room Group

'Weasel Words' by Carol Ann Duffy - what is being said?!

Let me repeat that we Weasels mean no harm.
You may have read that we are vicious hunters,
but this is absolutely not the case. Pure bias
on the part of your Natural History Book. Hear, Hear.

We are long, slim-bodied carnivores with exceptionally
short legs and we have never denied this.
Furthermore, anyone here today could put a Weasel
down his trouser-leg and nothing would happen. Weasel
laughter.


Which is more than can be said for the Ferrets opposite.
You can trust a weasel, let me continue, a Weasel
does not break the spinal cord of its victim with one
bite.
Weasel cheers. Our brown fur coats turn white in winter.

And as for eggs, here is a whole egg. It looks like an
egg.
It is an egg. Slurp. An egg. Slurp. A whole egg. Slurp...Slurp...


In the commentary revision guide I have it says the above poem is a sonnet, and that "the structure of the sonnet reflects the apparently logical progress of a political speech. The control over language, which characterises a sonnet, usually makes us aware of the skill of the poet. In this case Duffy highlights the politician's facility with language only to remind us that the egg he uses as a concrete visual aid is sucked dry, becoming as hollow and empty as his words. Just as the politician appropriates language for his own purposes, the poet chooses the sonnet form as part of her ironic purpose to draw attention to the hijacking of a traditional lyric form."

I thought a sonnet was fourteen lines of iambic pentameter? This is not iambic pentameter. I understand that it isn't necessary to be confined to using a particular metre or rhyme scheme but then what's the point of the sonnet? Can somebody explain what is being said in the commentary in their own words please, because it makes very little sense to me.
I ****ing hate Carol Ann Duffy.

And I'm pretty sure she's saying "Vote Labour" in this...
Reply 2
Original post by mikeyd85
I ****ing hate Carol Ann Duffy.

And I'm pretty sure she's saying "Vote Labour" in this...


Me too. So, so much. She thinks everything she says is so provocative and profound when most of it's already been said before...a thousand times. Boring, recycled and annoyingly feminist opinions.

I'm only doing this because I got an E in my AS exam (probably because I made it too obvious that I hate the woman.)
Original post by chloeee!
Me too. So, so much. She thinks everything she says is so provocative and profound when most of it's already been said before...a thousand times. Boring, recycled and annoyingly feminist opinions.

I'm only doing this because I got an E in my AS exam (probably because I made it too obvious that I hate the woman.)


Now that I'm no longer in education, I seldom take the time to support students, however, if it was a CAD boycott, I'd join.

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