“Valentine” is a free verse dramatic monologue written by Scottish poet, author, and playwright Carol Ann Duffy. The speaker presents their lover with a valentine in the form of an onion, then explains the reasoning behind this unusual gift..
Hereof, what is the theme of Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy?
The theme of love and its dangers are also stark in the poem; the way in which love progresses and can become "lethal" is emphasised through the progressive use of violent imagery and negative connotations of pain. The poem is almost a time line of the deterioration of a relationship.
Also, what is the meaning of the poem Valentine? Valentine is from a collection of poems entitled Mean Time (1993), and expresses love and affection in the form of a conceit whereby the symbol of love being offered by the speaker is an unconventional onion.
Similarly one may ask, why did Carol Ann Duffy write Valentine?
Carol Ann Duffy wrote Valentine after a radio producer asked her to write an original poem for St. Valentine's Day. Duffy likes to break conventions and in Valentine she is criticising society's views of being materialistic.
How does the poet present love in Valentine?
Duffy shows her wit and poetic cleverness by managing to keep the extended metaphor of the onion being like her love going throughout the poem. By doing this Duffy turns an ordinary object, an 'onion' into an unusual symbol of love, and makes it seem a more appropriate symbol than traditional Valentine gifts.
Related Question Answers
What does satin heart mean?
This poem is not about the meaning of love so much as it is a description of what the author feels love is. It isn't anything superficial, like the gifts we usually give on Valentine's day ("a red rose or a satin heart"). Instead, it isan onion. She gives her love an onion as a symbol of love as her valentine.What does the onion represent in Valentine?
The speaker is asserting then that the onion symbolises a positive aspect of love since it represents refreshing honesty and optimism, often experienced at the beginning of a relationship. The line It promises light also indicates that this will be an enriching and fulfilling relationship for both parties.How is love presented in Valentine's theme?
Similarly, in “Valentine”, Duffy suggests that true love is perpetual, through the use of “an onion” as a symbol of love. She uses “an onion” to show her lover that her love is more original, honest and true. She says, “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,” The “fierce kiss” could be a metaphor for love.Who wrote war photographer?
Duffy
When was Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy written?
1993
Who wrote Valentine?
Jim Brickman
Was Carol Ann Duffy religious?
Raised in her parents' Roman Catholic faith, Duffy became an atheist when she was 15. However, she has spoken of the influence religion has had on her poetry, stating, "Poetry and prayer are very similar."What is extended metaphor?
An extended metaphor, also known as a conceit or sustained metaphor, is an author's exploitation of a single metaphor or analogy at length through multiple linked tenors, vehicles, and grounds throughout a poem or story.What is the poem a wife in London about?
"A Wife in London" is a bleak anti-war poem by the English poet Thomas Hardy. The poem focuses on a woman who receives the tragic news of her husband's death in the war. Then, to make matters worse, a letter from the husband himself arrives, talking optimistically about future plans.What is the poem originally about?
'Originally' by Carol Ann Duffy describes a child's transformation after emigrating to a new country. The poem begins with the speaker describing a car ride that took her and her family from their home country to a new one. They were all jammed together and thinking the same thoughts, that they wanted to go home. 
