Little Red Cap (poem)
Author | Carol Ann Duffy |
---|---|
Language | English |
Genre | Poetry |
Publisher | Picador |
Publication date | 1999 |
Media type | Hardcover, Paperback |
"The Little Red Cap" is a poem by
Influence
Many factors went into the making of Duffy's Little Red Cap. Little Red Cap is based on the fairy tale story known as
Plot
The poem Little Red Cap begins with "At childhood's end" informing its audience of the characters transition out of childhood. She is narrating the story, as she explains that once the wolf came to the edge of the woods her childhood ended. Little Red Cap examines the wolf, and found herself excited about his large ears, eyes, and teeth! The wolf is portrayed as an older character by the reference of alcohol used in his description"his hairy paw, red wine staining his bearded jaw". Little Red Cap, only 16 years old, pursues the older wolf. That became the start of her transition to
Comparison
Duffy's Little Red Cap uses the same story line and characters as does the original
Personal life
The poem Little Red Cap is an interpretation of Duffy. The piece explains her first love, and venture into adulthood. The geography described in the first verse- playing fields, factory, railway line, woods is based on the landscape in her hometown. The relationship between Little Red Cap and the wolf represents Duffy's relationship with poet Adrian Henri.[7] Little Red Cap falls in love with the Wolf at age 16 "I made quite sure he spotted me, sweet sixteen", the same age Duffy and Henri met at. The poem describes how their 10 year relationship helps Little Red Cap grow into adulthood "but then I was young - and it took ten years". Duffy and Henri lived together until 1982, for about 10 years. As pronounced in her poem, the two shared a sexual relationship, they were inspirations for their writings.[8]
Feminism
Duffy felt that the original Little Red Cap was a representation of male dominance over women in all English literature "The Wolf's belly, the grandmother inside, are all there waiting to be used. In a sense, in the poem, the grandmother's bones are the silent women who aren't present in English Literature". In her version Duffy modified the roles of the characters so that Little Red Cap was seen as the supreme role. Duffy was able to create a
References
- ^ "Duffy reacts to new Laureate post". May 2009.
- ^ "Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting & Domain Names from Heart Internet".
- ^ "Little Red Riding Hood".
- ^ Wood, Barry (1 February 2005). "Carol Ann Duffy: The World's Wife". Sheer Poetry. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Profiles and Interviews, New Scientist, Carol Ann Duffy, the Field Interview, Vintage Living Texts, le Monde, Wall Street Journal, the Times". Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
- Independent.co.uk. October 1999.
- TheGuardian.com. 30 August 2002.