Instructions

1. Please read the poem Mrs. Darwin – it really won’t take too long – and then the contextual information on the attached slide.

2. Answer the question and put your comment in the comments section of this post (OLP).

Is the poem purely light-hearted and comic, or is there a more serious point being made

Notes

• Playful comparison between one’s husband and a chimpanzee.
• However, this is Duffy we are talking about:
• Duffy is playing on the idea of Darwin’s achievement of evolution and comparing it to the paradigm shifts society is currently facing in light of the social expectations of women.
• The playful comparison could be taken in two different ways. One is setting up the idea of the human evolution in Darwin’s head for a revolution in the field of biology, and the other is the starting of a revolution in the women’s movement.
• The man legally owns his wife – lack of identity – thus no mention of her in research
• Chimpanzee could be a reference to the conventional expectations one may have about women being tirelessly patient and self-sacrificing in the Victorian era.
• Zoo is often seen as a cage for animals to live in – metaphorically can be seen as a cage to prevent change and evolution
• Despite refer to her husband with Him, like a god, we see a tiny crack in the hold – comparison of a husband and a chimpanzee can be insulting. For a woman that is meant to comfort her man, unthinkable.
• Marks the sparks for change brewing.

Analysis

Ms Darwin is a poem which sparks laughter at first glance with the playful comparison of Darwin and a chimpanzee. But since this is Duffy we are talking about, this poem isn’t going to be that simple. Duffy is comparing the idea of Darwin’s thinking regarding human evolution with society’s paradigm shifts regarding the social expectation of women being tirelessly patient, self-sacrificing and a man’s property.

One of the ideas the poem seem to be drawing on is the lack of identity women of the Victorian era has, as referenced by the date stated. In that era, women’s status was seen to belong in the domestic sphere, with the stereotype chaining them to be required to love, honour and obey their husband in any circumstances. All properties or money that the women have earned is also legally the husband’s. Perhaps in writing and imagining of this recount Mrs Darwin has, Duffy is trying to challenge the lack of recognition the wife of Darwin deserve, not just possibly on the contribution of the idea of human evolution, but the sacrifices and burden women are expected to give to their husband.

Another idea the poem highlights is perhaps the start of a revolution in women’s rights. The comparison between Darwin and the chimpanzee could be an ironic insinuation to how ancient the thinking and expectations of women as men’s properties was. Zoos are often seen as a cage for animals to live in and lose their basic instinct as well as the chances to adapt and evolve. The capitalisation of the word Zoo is an emphasis on the metaphor of society expectations being a cage to prevent change and betterment to women’s rights. But we actually do see a tiny crack in the hold, as despite referring to her husband with Him, like a god, the comparison of a husband and a chimpanzee can be comedically insulting. And perhaps, a woman of that era, to refer her husband as a dirty animal, marks the beginning for change, as occurred later in the era.