Salome Carol Ann Duffy Id done it before

Salome – Carol Ann Duffy I'd done it before (and doubtless I'll do it again, sooner or later) woke up with a head on the pillow beside me -whose? what did it matter? Good- looking, of course, dark hair, rather matted; the reddish beard several shades lighter; with very deep lines around the eyes, from pain, I'd guess, maybe laughter; and a beautiful crimson mouth that obviously knew how to flatter. . . which I kissed. . . Colder than pewter. Strange. What was his name? Peter? Simon? Andrew? John? I knew I'd feel better for tea, dry toast, no butter, so rang for the maid. And, indeed, her innocent clatter of cups and plates, her clearing of clutter, her regional patter, were just what needed hungover and wrecked as I was from a night on the batter. Never again! I needed to clean up my act, get fitter, cut out the booze and the fags and the sex. Yes. And as for the latter, it was time to turf out the blighter, the beater or biter, who'd come like a lamb to the slaughter to Salome's bed. In tile mirror, I saw my eyes glitter. I flung back the sticky red sheets, and there, like I said -and ain't life a bitch was his head on a platter.

Who is Salome? Salome is a woman in the New Testament. According to the Bible, Salome danced for Herod on his birthday. He was so impressed by her performance that he said she could have anything she wanted. She was prompted by her mother to ask for the head of John the Baptist after he was executed. The head was presented to her on a plate. In this poem, Salome is presented as a cold, murderous woman in modern society. Duffy creates a modern persona for Salome.

Th fir is is ha st t not s h im ap e t the Sh pe hi ed ne s o d. an es y n b kn eca reg ’t fe wi ows use ret el ll d th sh o i at e t a sh ga e in. I'd done it before (and doubtless I'll do it again, sooner or later) woke up with a head on the pillow beside me -whose? what did it matter? She doesn’t know who the man is next to her and she doesn’t seem to care. She can’t remember who he is.

Good- looking, of course, dark hair, rather matted; Pewter = a type of the reddish beard several shades lighter; metal. with very deep lines around the eyes, from pain, I'd guess, maybe laughter; This line makes the and a beautiful crimson mouth that obviously knew reader suspect the how to flatter. . . man is dead. which I kissed. . . Thes Colder than pewter. matt e quotes ed, h soun i d no s b But, e rm a r d is we f red, al – his h ind o air is his li ut th colou p a s t ring are r is fr the man ed. o e h i t m s f o e n o d t t e ead Th he b l o o l. a d sta and the poem is casu ins. s d n u o s e m lo a S like she’s having a chat with a friend. She doesn’t seem to take the incident seriously.

Strange. What was his name? Peter? Simon? Andrew? John? I knew I'd feel better for tea, dry toast, no butter, so rang for the maid. And, indeed, her innocent clatter of cups and plates, her clearing of clutter, her regional patter, mber the e m e r o t g in y She is tr s a list e s u y f f u D. man’s name link to e s e h t – s e m of biblical na Salome. the story of The maid suggests that Salome is wealthy. The maid is making a lot of noise. This is emphasised by the use of onomatopoeia.

were just what needed hungover and wrecked as I was from a night on the batter. Never again! I needed to clean up my act, get fitter, cut out the booze and the fags and the sex. This word has a double meaning – it could mean she’s been drinking. Or, it could have a more literal, violent meaning. She is hungover from the night before. She says she will clean up her act and change her unhealthy lifestyle. Do you believe her? Remember at the start of the poem she said she’d “do it again”. She uses informal language.

Yes. And as for the latter, it was time to turf out the blighter, the beater or biter, who'd come like a lamb to the slaughter to Salome's bed. “lamb to the slaughter” is a Christian image of innocence. This contrasts the previous line – now the man is the victim. Alliteration – the ‘b’ sound is quite harsh. These words suggest that Salome assumes the man is violent.

This could show her evil side. It could also show that she is proud of what she’s done – she enjoyed what she did. In tile mirror, I saw my eyes glitter. I flung back the sticky red sheets, and there, like I said -and ain't life a bitch was his head on a platter. reveals y l l a n i f e h ’s done. S e enjoy h s o t t a s h m w e t e u s o e bed. Sh o care ab t e h m t e n e i s s i eals the ’t v n d e s a r e e o e h d h s s i e h n m e o y Sal him – th d and onl h a t e i d w s t i p n e l a s he only s that the m k n i h t r e read truth. letting the

Carol-Ann Duffy’s ‘Salome' in a nutshell! • Salome has become a serial remover of heads. • Having woken up with a severed head on the pillow, she cannot even remember the owner’s name! • She calls for the maid, has breakfast and decides to clean up her life.

Initially there doesn’t seem anything amiss. Many people wake up in bed with a stranger in the modern world. However, knowledge of the original Salome makes the words profoundly shocking. Casual almost indifferent voice. Sex is casual. I'd done it before Serial killer (and doubtless I'll do it again, sooner or later) woke up with a head on the pillow beside me -whose? what did it matter? Good- looking, of course, dark hair, rather matted; the reddish beard several shades lighter; Free verse. The narrator is just awakening. Red theme Lots of detail. “The Godfather” An arrogant voice. Sounds almost boastful. They only have good looking partners.

with very deep lines around the eyes, from pain, I'd guess, maybe laughter; and a beautiful crimson mouth that obviously knew how to flatter. . . The mouth is cold because he is dead. Kissing the decapitated which I kissed… head is depraved and shocking. Colder than pewter. Strange. What was his name? Peter? Can’t remember his name! The murder is told in a very matter of fact way. Her lack of interest in the individual suggests she might be a psychopath Red theme

She is now more awake so the tempo picks up. Simon? Andrew? John? I knew I'd feel better for tea, dry toast, no butter, Names of the disciples. Link so rang for the maid. to the biblical roots of the poem. And, indeed, her innocent clatter A very simple breakfast sits in of cups and plates, juxtaposition to the scale of her clearing of clutter, depravity. her regional patter, were just what needed hungover and wrecked as I was from a night on the batter. Hard “c” sounds Colloquial language. This makes it seem chatty and friendly which is at odds with the violence and the madness.

Doesn’t include murder in her list of things to cut back on. Casual about these things. But also casual about killing Never again! I needed to clean up my act, get fitter, cut out the booze and the fags and the sex. Yes. And as for the latter, Hates the male sex. Misandry. it was time to turf out the blighter, the beater or biter, who'd come like a lamb to the slaughter to Salome's bed. Simile Use of the 3 rd person. She is a force to be reckoned with.

Red theme In the mirror, I saw my eyes glitter. I flung back the sticky red sheets, and there, like I said -and ain't life a bitch was his head on a platter. Poem culminates in the decapitation. Echoes the original biblical story. Is she referring to herself? Or is it ironic sympathy for her victim?