Global Issue

Culture, Identity and Community

Focus Question or Topic

Representation of women within these two texts

Texts Chosen (screenshot of cartoon and name of poem)

Poem: Mrs Darwin

Cartoon: 

Introduction (include context) to both texts and bodies of work by each author

I would like to explore ‘Mrs Darwin’ by carol Anne Duffy and ‘Cemetery of women’ by Lisa Donnelly. ‘Mrs Darwin’ is a poem written by Carol Anne Duffy is an extract from a poetry collection called “The World’s Wife”. A lot of her poem presents the western patriarchal society from the women’s point of view. One of which is ‘Mrs Darwin’ which focuses on the representation of the identity of women, written in a short diary form from the perspective of Mrs Darwin who is a wife of a scientist that discovered the theory of evolution. 

Lisa Donnelly is a cartoonist whose body of work consists of simple line drawings, some short dialogue and makes a point about the patriarchal society through humour. ‘Cemetery of Women’ is one of her cartoons that puts its emphasis on the same theme as the poetry ‘Mrs Darwin’. The way in which the women are portrayed is by their role in the society rather than as individuals. 

• Talk about 2 texts
• In the intro talk about their style and characteristics (i won’t go over the details here)
• They have common themes

Text 1: Thesis overview in relation to focus

This poem portrays Mrs Darwin’s frustration in the difference in ways in which women and men are recognised and identified. 

•   The title: ‘Mrs Darwin’
  • She is defined through her husband’s last name rather than her own
  • Suggests how she is under husband’s control
  • Does not have her own identity
•    The insult she makes towards her husband: also presenting the issue
  • She is making a scientific point, but also insulting her husband by comparing him to a chimpanzee
• Diary form
  • It may mean that women usually oppressed by the societal norms and that they cannot express their feelings
  • Diary is a form where she can express her frustration

Text 2: Thesis overview in relation to focus

This cartoon portrays how afterdeath, women are only recognised and remembered by their role as a wife and mother, rather than by their individuality. Their identity is being taken over by their role in society and that is portrayed here. 

•  “Whats her name: A good wife” short mementoes
  • This can be likened to ‘Mrs Darwin’, how the woman is recognised as one that serves the husband and fulfills her duty as a wife rather than her herself. 
•    The graveyards are packed very tightly and possibly not maintenanced very well
  • Women are not prioritised, respected and unimportant

Concluding point (link both texts) in relation to focus

This reinforces the social stereotype of women as housewives, who serves men. Both Lisa Donnelly and Carol Ann Duffy draw attention to this social idea, while using humour and insult to reduce the severity of the claim.