How does Carol Anne Duffy present the theme of gender in Litany and Havisham? Anonymous 11th Grade

Duffy presents gender in the poems Litany and Havisham through society’s views and expectations of women, and the effects it has on them show how being female was harmful to their wellbeing.

Litany creates an example of the ideal, successful woman. The reference to the brand ‘American Tan’ creates the image of all-American women - wholesome and patriotic, the perfect type of housewife to have, dutiful to their husbands and conforming to societal expectations with ease. The women’s ‘red smiles’ allow the reader to infer that they manage to put effort into their appearance for the benefit of their husbands, while looking after the family and home, and keep a positive outlook - again, fulfilling the role of women at the time. Alternatively, the red of their lips connotes pain (blood) and danger, showing that this may be all a façade, and that underneath the make up, they’re struggling and unhappy with the unsatisfactory, monotonous lives they lead. The ‘Pyrex’ and ‘passing the catalogue’ repeats the notion of the women mentioned as merely homemakers and nothing else - even when with friends, they still talked about housework, rather than anything else they could find more enjoyable; these women literally dedicated their lives to...