Understanding 'Valentine'
I can understand how Duffy presents the speaker’s views on love.
Understanding 'Valentine'
I can understand how Duffy presents the speaker’s views on love.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The poem ‘Valentine’ is an unconventional love poem, which subverts the conventions of traditional love poems.
- The speaker gives her lover an onion and explains why this is a better metaphor for their relationship than a rose.
- The onion arguably represents both the joy in relationships, but also the pain and suffering that people endure.
- Arguably, the poet feels that conventional romantic gifts are cliché, and limit people’s freedom of expression.
- The tone shifts throughout the poem; the poem ends with an ominous tone, perhaps to show the dangers of possessive love.
Common misconception
Pupils think that the speaker does not love their partner very much.
The speaker does love their partner - very much. The speaker, unlike other lovers, refuses to make promises that they aren't 100% sure they can't keep - they arguably find promising 'forever' unrealistic.
Keywords
Cliché - an opinion or gesture that is overused and lacks originality
Unconventional - not conforming to what is usually or typically done or expected
Cynical - distrustful of other people’s sincerity
To subvert - to go against something
To romanticise - to view something in an unrealistic or idealistic way
Equipment
A copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology is required for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
- Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
an opinion or gesture that is overused and lacks originality
not conforming to what is usually or typically done or expected
distrustful of other people’s sincerity
to go against something
to view something in an unrealistic or idealistic way