Analysing the poem 'Before You Were Mine' by Carol Ann Duffy
I can analyse how Duffy uses language and structure to convey the life-changing responsibilities of parenthood.
Analysing the poem 'Before You Were Mine' by Carol Ann Duffy
I can analyse how Duffy uses language and structure to convey the life-changing responsibilities of parenthood.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Duffy opens the poem with a vignette of the mother as glamorous and admirable in her youth before the speaker is born.
- Duffy uses imagery to convey the sense of awe and wonder felt towards a parental figure.
- Duffy uses a rhetorical question to suggest the guilt the speaker feels at curtailing the mother's glamorous life.
- Duffy uses imagery to suggest the consolation a close maternal bond can bring to both mother and child.
- Duffy uses enjambment and caesuras to convey the speaker’s guilt about the effect she had on her mother’s life.
Keywords
Vignette - a short descriptive ‘scene’ that captures a moment without any plot or action
Enjambment - continuation of a sentence or phrase across line breaks, maintaining flow
Caesura - pause or break within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation
Ekphrastic poem - a poem that describes or responds to an image or sculpture
Consolation - comfort or solace provided in a time of grief, disappointment, or distress
Common misconception
The mother feels a loss of her her beauty, confidence and independence after having a child.
It's important to remember that the 'voice' we hear this from is the speaker's (the daughter). In this way, the negative connotations associated with motherhood could be interpreted as the speaker's guilt for taking her mother's freedom.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Analysing the poem 'Before You Were Mine' by Carol Ann Duffy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Analysing the poem 'Before You Were Mine' by Carol Ann Duffy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the 'Love and Relationships' unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to the poem 'Before You Were Mine' by Carol Ann Duffy. This can be found in the AQA Love and Relationships Poetry Anthology.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
The mother's youth was filled with joy and laughter.
The mother' beauty garnered lots of attention.
The mother's dancing days are a thing of the past.
The mother's life has drastically changed now she is a mother.
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a short descriptive ‘scene’ that captures a moment without any plot
continuation of a sentence or phrase across line breaks
pause or break within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation