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Theme Of Havisham

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I will discuss and compare Havisham by Carol Ann Duffy, and Warning by Jenny Joseph.
I believe that these poems deal with a similar theme; freedom. In Havisham, the woman is longing for freedom from her haunted wedding day. She feels trapped in the past, and cannot find a way to move on. In Warning, the woman yearns for freedom in her old age, but learns that she must begin rebel and be free now, in her younger years.
Other significant themes in Warning include non-conformity, and rebellion. Other significant themes in Havisham include regret, and heartbreak.

Both poems are written in the form of a dramatic monologue. The first stanza of Warning is written as a stream of thoughts, spoken aloud. The following three stanzas are written as …show more content…

Warning is free verse, and does not rhyme. This is to imply that the character is speaking as she thinks, and references free speech, and free action which is what the persona is striving for. The poem uses the technique anaphora, in which words are repeated at the beginning sentences and adjacent lines. This is shown in the use of ‘and’. It shows that her thoughts are unfinished and she has more to say, despite previously ending her sentence. There is no fixed metre in Warning, this is also a reference to the personas desire for freedom. The poem is structured as a list; the list of things the persona wishes she could do, compared to the expectations of society.
In Havisham, Carol Ann Duffy also uses structure very effectively. Havisham is also free verse, this creates a lack of structure, representing Havisham’s lack of structure and control in her life. This poem uses a mixture of long, winding sentences, and short, sharp ones. The short sentences are used to shows Havisham’s temper and negative mindset; ‘I stabbed at a wedding cake’ Stabbing at the cake, as opposed to cutting it shows her bitterness towards things related to her wedding day. Alongside the sprawling sentences is enjambment, used to create the effect of broken thought.
‘Bang’ shows a change in character. Before this line, we have no context as to why Havisham is resentful towards her ex-partner, therefore this line represents negative change, and links the ‘dress

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