Carol Ann Duffy’s collection of poems “The World’s Wife” focuses on known female figures or
counterparts of known fictional male figures, while focusing on the complexities of gender
relations, the roles of women, and the often ill-treatment of women through fictional, biblical,
mythical, and historical contexts. Duffy often makes modern-day references in her poems to
connect the different settings into a cohesive collection, as well as highlight the ill-treatment
towards women endured through all the different contexts and into the modern era. (Wikipedia)
Carol Ann Duffy explores emotional conflict and societal issues in “Salome” and “Foreign”
through themes of power, guilt, nostalgia, and discrimination. In “Salome”, Duffy examines guilt
and identity, while in “Foreign”, she explores alienation and the impact of discrimination,
highlighting how individuals confront both personal struggles and societal oppression.
Carol Ann Duffy presents Salome as a woman with a lot of power over men. The writer uses
biblical allusion in the first stanza, lines five, fourteen and fifteen, to say that this woman has had
more than one night stand with a man, and she has been with so many that she does not even
remember his name. She has power but seems to struggle to use it the right way. At the
beginning of the poem, she sounds like a poor girl who’s done something despite knowing that it
was wrong. She also sounds like someone fighting something they do not believe they can win
over— “I’d done it before (and doubtless I’ll do it again, sooner or later)” (lines one to three,
first stanza). Despite not being assertive in her decision-making, it is noticeable that Salome is in
control of her life. She has the power to decide and make it happen.
Carol Ann Duffy uses storytelling to explore human rights violations through a murder from a
powerful criminal’s perspective. In the last two stanzas, it is more than obvious that Salome is a
serial killer— “sticky red sheets… as I said -and ain’t life a bitch - was his head on a platter”
(last stanza, lines thirty-five and thirty-six). However, Carol Ann Duffy does not present her
character as the monster that is expected from a murderer, on the contrary, Salome is a killer who
“enjoys” the process in a more reproductive way— “a head on the pillow beside me..good
looking of course…from pain I’d guess, maybe laughter…a beautiful mouth…which I kissed”
(first stanza, lines three until nine). At the end of the poem Salome seems to regret her action and
feel pity for her most recent victim — “who’d come like a lamb to the slaughter to Salome’s
bed” (second stanza, lines thirty-one and thirty-two)— however, the writer brings a contrast
between kind thoughts and her actions as she has his head on a platter, which a huge level of
cruelty. It seems that in Salome’s perspective, murder is not “all that”. Her approach to it despite
feeling a certain discomfort about it makes it clear that for her it is not more than “just a
mistake”. There is a contrast between her initial perspective of the issue being a part of her
identity that is hard for her to abandon, and her approach to it— as if it could be easily corrected.
It is also evident that her internal conflict is not about whether it is right or wrong. It is not a
dilemma about ethics, it’s about whether she feels well or comfortable with it, which is seen in
the second stanza, lines fifteen until twenty-seven.
In this way, Duffy explores how power and decision-making; human rights violations; and guilt
cause emotional conflict within Salome, who grapples with differing thoughts about herself and
how she acts. At the same time, she presents a contrast between what is usual and expected in
society– where the woman needs to be helpless and in need of a man to save her, and a manly
indestructible man that is dominant over women– and the individual in the story. She also
presents human rights violations, which is the biggest and most important issue in the story- as it
is the character’s lifestyle, and what drives her so out of peace– from the criminal’s perspective.
In contrast, Carol Ann Duffy presents Foreign as a person living a sad life in a foreign country
which has not welcomed them. In the first stanza, lines one through three the writer informs the
reader about the economic situation of the main character, revealing that they do not have much
power of decision-making in their lives, and are very poor, by using the words “dark city”
—meaning it is a hard place to navigate around, “dwellings” — which are not even houses, are
just habitable places, “one of them is yours” and “for twenty years” —making it clear that the
Foreign has lived there for twenty years, as they do not have the economical and social power to
get a better place.
In lines four and five, Duffy emphasizes the lack of power of the main character as they say that
they think in their language but have to talk in other people’s language. This can be both positive
and negative: positive, considering that the main character has the power to communicate in
more than one language, which is supposed to be an advantage, especially in the economic and
career opportunities however, the main character is not seen as someone that could add value to
that community or country with their cognitive advantages. It is also negative as the main
character feels forced to express themselves in a way that is not theirs, and has to surrender to the
manners or ways of the owners of the land they are in, which is uncomfortable for them.
In the third stanza, lines one through three, the writer explores human rights violations through
discrimination against Foreign giving the reader a victim’s perspective. Duffy selects the words
“imagine” to create a connection between the reader and the main character as imagining the
scenario will make the reader more empathetic towards them; “night”, “sprayed in red”, “hate
name” and “red like blood” to expose the discrimination from the country’s people, while also
using imagery and descriptive making the visualization easier. Duffy emphasizes the sadness of
the issue by using the words “snowing in the streets” as snow is directly related to winter and
winter represents sadness or sorrow with implications of struggle and isolation.
Through personification, in the second stanza, lines six and seven, Duffy explores internal
conflict regarding language and culture. Duffy creates a nostalgic scenario as the main character
recalls the past and how sweet it was, in contrast to their current situation. At the same time she
uses personification, as there is a voice in the back of the main character's mind, meaning no
matter how much time passes, they will not completely forget their culture and language.
However, this idea is contrasted with the fact that in line ten of the second stanza, Foreign not
being able to remember the word for her eyes watering in her mother tongue. Additionally, in the
last stanza, lines eighteen through twenty, the main character imagines how embarrassing it
would be if even after twenty years living in that country, she spoke broken English, which
contrasts with the initial idea, as most people develop their speaking skills after more than ten
years actively speaking the language, especially if they live in a country with that official
language, and may end up forgetting various words and expressions of their mother tongue,
which is not their case, as they struggle with both languages in the second stanza, line ten; and in
the last stanza, lines sixteen and seventeen.
In this way, Duffy explores how power, decision-making and human rights violations cause
emotional conflict within the main character in Foreign, who grapples with their struggles in a
“strange” land that has not received them warmly. She also explores human rights violations,
which can be considered the most important issue, bringing up the stereotype of foreigners being
mistreated, also spreading awareness about discrimination and how it could be perpetuated.
While the two poems share the themes, they contrast in some topics. Foreign is about nostalgia
caused by the chaotic and troubled situation in the present. While Foregein’s story is sad because
of the discrimination they suffer, it is also admirable how strong the main character is and has
been for living in a place with so much hatred towards them. On the other hand, there is Salome
who is also brave, but for murdering people. Because of her lifestyle, she has to deal with
constant: thoughts of guilt, need to clean herself up, use of material and superficial things to feel
well and comfortable.
Duffy contrasts the roles of those in power and those who are oppressed, the server and the
served. In the second stanza, line eighteen of the poem “Salome”, the server is innocent and the
servant is a murderer. Similarly, Foreign is the innocent target for crime, while Salome is the
criminal. Foreign is a victim of people’s hate, in contrast, Salome victimizes herself by going
back to her toxic habits. Additionally, while Foreign is not in a position of power and control of
her life, Salome is in control of her life and other people’s.
“The World's Wife” is a collection of poems that gives voice to diverse female perspectives,
shedding light on their experiences and challenges. While “Foreigner” does not explicitly specify
the gender of its main character, its message is nonetheless powerful and effectively conveyed.
Both poems provide readers with an intimate view of struggles that often go unnoticed or
overlooked, inviting reflection and empathy.