Carol Ann Duffy: 'War Photographer' Mr Bruff Analysis

Summary

In this video, the presenter analyzes Carol Ann Duffy's poem 'War Photographer,' delving into its themes, structure, and language. Duffy’s background, including her connections to renowned war photographers, shapes the poem’s exploration of the futility in capturing the true horrors of war. The structured form contrasts with the chaotic subject matter, highlighting the war photographer's challenge in conveying real suffering to a disengaged public. Through vivid imagery, symbolic references, and a controlled structure, the poem critiques society’s fleeting sympathy toward war and conflict, emphasizing the impotence of both the photographer and the poet in effecting change.

Takeaways

• 😀 Carol Ann Duffy, born in 1955, is a renowned poet who was appointed the first female Poet Laureate and the first openly bisexual Poet Laureate in the UK.
• 😀 'War Photographer,' written by Duffy in 1985, reflects on the dilemmas faced by war photographers and their role in presenting the horrors of war.
• 😀 The process of developing photographs in the 1980s, using dark rooms and film rolls, is essential context for understanding the poem's symbolism and references.
• 😀 Duffy was inspired by her friendship with war photographers Don McCullin and Philip Jones Griffiths, who specialized in capturing images in war zones.
• 😀 The poem explores the impossibility of conveying the true horrors of war to an audience, highlighting the transient and fleeting engagement people have with war images.
• 😀 The poem's structure, with four tightly controlled stanzas and a consistent rhyme scheme, reflects the photographer's attempt to impose order on the chaos of war.
• 😀 The cyclical structure of the poem, starting and ending with the war photographer’s journey, suggests the futility of the photographer's work, as people quickly forget the horrors they briefly witness.
• 😀 The poem uses structural devices like cesura (pauses) and half-rhymes to emphasize how people disengage quickly from the images of war, forgetting their impact.
• 😀 Religious imagery in the poem contrasts with sinister symbols (e.g., dark room, red light), illustrating the tension between the solemn duty of war photography and the harsh reality it captures.
• 😀 The poem critiques the public's detachment from the suffering of others, symbolized by the final line, 'he earns his living and they do not care,' which questions who is responsible for the apathy toward war and its consequences.

Q & A

Who is the poet of 'War Photographer' and what are some key details about her life?

The poet of 'War Photographer' is Carol Ann Duffy. She was born in 1955 and is the first female Poet Laureate of the UK. She is also the first openly bisexual poet laureate.

When was 'War Photographer' published and why is its historical context important?

'War Photographer' was published in 1985. Its historical context is significant because the poem was written during a time when the process of developing photographs involved dark rooms and physical film, as opposed to today's digital photography, which adds to the symbolism of the poem.

How does the relationship between Carol Ann Duffy and famous photographers like Don McCullin and Philip Jones Griffiths influence the poem?

Duffy was friends with renowned war photographers Don McCullin and Philip Jones Griffiths, and their experiences with war photography inspired her to explore the emotional and ethical dilemmas faced by photographers capturing the harsh realities of war.

What is the main theme of 'War Photographer'?

The main theme of 'War Photographer' is the **impossibility of presenting the true horrors of war**. It reflects on how war photographs can evoke brief emotional reactions but fail to convey the lasting impact of war, as people often forget about the suffering they see.

How does the structure of the poem reflect the theme of war photography?

The poem has a tight and controlled structure with four stanzas, each containing six lines, and a consistent rhyme scheme. This order contrasts with the chaotic nature of war, symbolizing how photographers attempt to impose order on the chaos of war, yet their efforts are often futile.

What does the cyclical structure in the poem suggest?

The cyclical structure of the poem, which begins and ends with the photographer's journey to and from war zones, represents the repetitive and seemingly predetermined nature of his job. It also highlights the futility of his efforts to make people truly engage with the horrors of war.

What is the significance of the phrase 'spools of suffering' in the poem?

The phrase 'spools of suffering' symbolizes the war photographer's work. The 'spools' evoke the image of war graves, suggesting that while the photographs may be ordered and structured, they ultimately fail to convey the true chaos and pain of war.

What role do the religious and sinister images in the first verse play?

The contrast between the sinister images of the 'dark room' and 'red light' and the religious imagery of 'church' and 'mass' highlights the moral complexity of the photographer's work. The religious imagery suggests that there is a solemn duty to document suffering, while the dark room and red light evoke the discomfort of engaging with such images.

How does the poem critique the public's reaction to war imagery?

The poem critiques how the public briefly reacts to war images—feeling momentarily moved by the suffering depicted—but quickly forgets and returns to their daily lives. This is symbolized in the half-rhyme 'tears' and 'beers' in the final verse, suggesting the rapid shift from sadness to indifference.

What is the meaning of the line 'All Flesh is grass' in the poem?

The line 'All Flesh is grass' is an intertextual reference to the Bible (Isaiah 40:6) and a Christina Rossetti poem. It underscores the fragility and fleeting nature of human life, drawing a parallel to how we ignore the transient nature of suffering and life itself, much like how we quickly forget the horrors of war.