The Long Queen - Feminine Gospels

The Long Queen 

opening poem = sets the tone of the collection, idea of first poem being about a strong, female Queen suggests that this is how metaphorically, Duffy believes this is how all women should be viewed, sense of female empowerment. 

Title:

"The Long Queen" = inspired by Queen Elizabeth I who had one of the longest reigns of 44 years. 

Structure: 

Sestet & cycle of female life = Explores the different stages of female life, "childhood...blood...tears...childbirth" 

Men dismissed after stanza 1 = only women can share these experiences, strong female focus, echoed throughout the collection 

Techniques/Language/Themes: 

Interal rhyme/alliteration = "cold weight of the crown," "cold" 1. the crowns weight is symbolic of the burden being queen comes with 2.…