OVERVIEW
In this poem, the persona is a teacher who heads the English department in a British school. She
introduces her class to a guest speaker, a practising poet, but sounds ungracious and annoyed that
she has to entertain her. The guest has been invited to discuss her poems with the youngsters.
The English teacher tells the students to raise some questions, to justify the £40 paid to the guest,
but says that it is unnecessary to write “reams” of notes, making the guest-poet feel unwelcome.
After the talk, the English teacher as host does not offer the usual courtesies shown to guest
speakers, rejecting the guest’s suggestion that they lunch together.
POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN LITERATURE WRITER & TEACHER
The poem features the conflict between writers and teachers of English Literature. Writers often
resent the way teachers misinterpret their work or don’t give it due attention. As this poem
suggests, teachers however are also often envious of the fame that writers enjoy and feel that
their own talent in promoting understanding of literary texts is under-appreciated. Also, many
English Literature teachers are themselves amateur poets, writing in their spare time. As a poet
herself, Duffy offers a CRITICAL VIEW OF ENGLISH TEACHERS, portraying them as
unimaginative and far too narrow-minded and petty to truly understand good poetry.
DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE
“Head of English” is a dramatic monologue. In such poems, the poem is a speech uttered by the
persona in conversation with one person or a group. The presence of others are signaled by clues,
such as by the persona repeating a question posed by the other before answering it. For e.g., in
this poem, the teacher-persona repeats the guest’s invitation to dine together, “Lunch in the
hall?” before she rejects her.
We only hear the persona’s voice in the conversation, not whom she addresses, and hence it is a
monologue. But we know another person is being addressed The presence of another person is
indicated either by persona repeating the other’s words before responding to them.
The purpose of a dramatic monologue is to feature the character of the persona, who is often a
familiar social type that the poet wishes to depict critically. The character traits of the persona
are conveyed by her use of language and the content of her speech.
Dramatic monologues are often funny and have satiric intent. The humour comes from the
exaggerated portrayal of the character flaws and hypocrisies of the persona.
HOW THE SPEAKER’S VOICE CONVEYS HER CHARACTER
“Today, we have a poet in the class./A real live poet with a published book.”
The teacher seems to suggest that real poets are rare, that many of them pretend to be poets but
have never published. She shows herself to be cynical.
“Perhaps we’re going to witness verse hot from the press./Who knows.”
The comment “Who knows” suggests that the teacher does not think it likely that the guest poet
will be able to come up with fine lines of inspired poetry at the drop of a hat. The teacher taunts a
guest who has not done her any harm. But she also displays her ignorance about the poetic
process—poems involve hard work, with writers carefully choosing words and ideas: they are
not impromptu creations.
“Please show your appreciation/ by clapping. Not too loud.”
This shows the teacher’s envy of the attention the poet gets: she doesn’t want the students to be
too enthusiastic in their show of interest but pretends she’s concerned by the noise.
“Remember/ the lesson on assonance, for not all poems,/ sadly, rhyme these days.”
Probably the guest-poet uses assonance rather than rhyme in her poetry. The teacher tries to
make the guest feel inferior about this, hinting that she lacks the ability to create rhymes.
However the teacher shows that she has an outdated understanding of poetry—some of the best
modern poetry is free verse, which is unrhymed. It’s not rhyme that makes a poem’s excellence.
The teacher shows a mind that is closed against new ideas, not a good quality in a teacher!
“Open a window at the back. We don’t/want winds of change about the place.”
Poetry offers us new ways of seeing issues and situations. It promotes progressive ideas
concerning equality and freedom. The teacher shows how clearly unqualified she is to be an
educator as she prefers to cling to old, musty ideas. She misuses her teacher’s authority by
forcing students to close their minds too. It is only too clear that poetry should not be taught by
such a teacher.
“Head of English” Summary
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The poem's speaker, the head of the English department at a British girls' school,
addresses a class gathered for an assembly, telling the students that a published
poet has come to speak to them today. Pointing out the appropriately poetic ink
stains on the writer's fingers, the teacher tells the girls they might be about to
hear some fresh new poems, before instructing them to clap—quietly—sit up
straight, and listen respectfully.
The teacher reminds the students to remember what they've learned about free
verse in past lessons: not every poem rhymes now, the teacher says, with
obvious disappointment. Then, the teacher gets back to telling the students what
to do, warning them to sit quietly—but to be sure to ask questions at the end,
since the school is shelling out £40 for this visit.
The teacher veers into announcements for a minute, telling the ESL class to
come to a meeting after lunch, then reiterates how lucky the students are to have
a poet in class today, halfheartedly quotes Keats, and talks about their own
poetry-writing and reading, noting that they're teaching Rudyard Kipling to the 9th
graders at the moment.
The teacher starts to wind up this speech, encouraging the poetic "Muse" who
inspires writers to take center stage instead. But first, a student needs to open a
window, so the "winds of change" don't sweep around the room too much. The
teacher also reminds the students to take notes so they can write an essay about
the poet's ideas later. Then, at long last, the teacher gives the poet the floor,
asking them to try to persuade everyone that there's something new to learn.
After the poet speaks, the teacher tells the students to go take their lunch break,
noting (with subtle disapproval) that the poet has just given them a window into
some unconventional views of the world, and then instructing the students to
clap. Finally, the teacher thanks the poet for coming and invites them to stay for
lunch—but rather rudely dashes off to (apparently) more important business. The
school secretary, Tracey, will usher the poet out the door instead.
Analysis
“Head of English” by Carol Ann Duffy depicts a teacher –also the Head of English – struggling
with her envious feelings towards a poet who was paid to come perform at their school.
Throughout the poem, Duffy makes use of different literary techniques to express the jealousy
that was felt.
It conveys how those given high status by others (not just an english teacher but head of english)
are quite conscious of not just their position but also their position in relation to others (the
nameless poet).
Duffy in the poem reveals her frustration as a poet, not in control of her own branding.
The head of English is tasked with introducing her in a way that is acceptable in a school setting,
that also serves to limit, as the Head of English sets the boundary of the discussion lest the poet
speak freely and inspire ‘winds of change.’
Today we have a poet in the class.
A real live poet with a published book.
Notice the inkstained fingers, girls. Perhaps
we’re going to witness verse hot from the press.
Who knows. Please show your appreciation
by clapping. Not too loud. Now
The primary concern of the teacher is not poetry or the poet but the behaviour of the girls and the
image of the school. ‘not too loud‘ and later ‘sit up straight.
She brands the poet some strange kind of exhibit. ‘notice inkstained fingers‘. Which is a poorly
disguised insult-perhaps implying that the poet is lower class, warning students of following in
the footsteps of the poet.
‘A real live poet’ may allude to the idea that most famous poets are dead and here’s a live one,
casting doubt on poet’s ability. ‘hot from the press’ suggests the poet lacks experience or is new
to the writing world.
sit up straight and listen. Remember
the lesson on assonance, for not all poems,
sadly, rhyme these days. Still. Never mind.
Whispering’s, as always, out of bounds –
but do feel free to raise some questions.
After all, we’re paying forty pounds.
The poet’s earning very little and still the teacher seems to think they must squeeze something
out of the poet to make it worth the 40 pounds. Especially coupled with her later comment
‘Convince us there’s something we don’t know.’ It’s clear that the teacher undervalues the worth
of Poet’s time.
Similarly, Duffy shows that english teachers take a poem and beat it to death. It must have
‘assonance’ or ‘rhyme’; they break poems down into their bare bones and say this is what makes
a poem. As if all poems are essentially the same. So Duffy clearly rejects rhyme. It’s ironic that
she’s gives this teacher who loves rhyme so much a voice that doesn’t rhyme properly. For
example; bounds & pounds. She can’t seem to structure the rhyme at the end of her sentences.
The occasional rhyming-some lines in the stanzas rhyme and some don’t-is contradicts the line
‘Not all poems, Sadly, rhyme today.’
Those of you with English Second Language,
see me after break. We’re fortunate
to have this person in our midst.
Season of mists and so on and so forth
I’ve written quite a bit of poetry myself
and doing Kipling with the Lower Fourth.
Allusion to Kipling-a famous traditional poet known for rhyming and somewhat offensive and
traditional views of British imperialism and nationalism. Basically Kipling’s poetry and his
views are old, antique similar to the speaker and quite directly opposite to what Duffy represents
with her alternative ideas. It’s clear that the Head of English lacks interest in both her pupils
(who are just ‘girls’) and the poetry ‘season of mists so on and so forth’. Again the casual
mention of having written quite ‘a bit’ of poetry suggests that poetry is not a serious craft.
Though it requires hard work and years of dedication on the poet’s part, it is merely a hobby to
her. Perhaps a subtle way for the Head of English to reiterate her own skill is above the poet’s.
Right. That’s enough from me. On with the Muse.
Open a window at the back. We don’t
want winds of change about the place.
Take notes, but don’t write reams. Just an essay
on the poet’s themes. Fine. Off we go.
Convince us that there’s something we don’t know.
The speaker continues with their instructions and short curtailed sentences.
‘Muse’ in Greek Mythology is someone who is a source of artistic inspiration. So the speaker
cautions the girls to not be inspired to write poetry but instead just ‘notes’ and ‘an essay on
poet’s themes’. This is the antithesis of what Duffy would want.
Reader gets the sense that Duffy wants to inspire, and to share. She resents the ‘know it all
attitude’ of the teacher, whereby she tells her pupils the correct interpretation and themes of the
poem and doesn’t leave room for the students to bring their own experiences to poetry and
explore what it means to them as an individual. Teachers mediate what the pupils understand/
take away from the poem. Perhaps this is also a comment on the depersonalization in education
where the pupil’s thoughts are not their own but rather what is taught to them.
Well. Really. Run along now, girls. I’m sure
that gave an insight to an outside view.
Applause will do. Thank you
very much for coming here today. Lunch
in the hall? Do hang about. Unfortunately
I have to dash. Tracey will show you out.
‘Run along now’ feels as if the speaker does not want to waste any more time on the Poet.The
speaker even after the talk remains sarcastic. Throughout-short sentences such as ‘Right.’ ,
‘Well.’, ‘Really.’, ‘Still.’, ‘Never mind.’, ‘Fine.’ underline the sarcastic tone undertaken by the
speaker.
All the Head of English wants is conformity. ‘Applause will do’. Tracey also sounds like a
working class name. Perhaps the teacher wants Duffy to show the poet out because they share
similar statuses in the teacher’s eyes.
The teacher explicitly feels the poet’s presence a threat to her own expertise.