| Collection
Introduction (3) | Mean Time, 1993
Duffy explores the history and etymology of the word ‘Nostalgia’, which generally refers to the desire to return home or a feeling of loss
The strength of the feeling itself is emphasised by the mercenaries who experience it
The poem touches on: linguistics, philosophy and literary works |
| Subject (3) | A group of mercenaries move from a settlement in the high mountains to a valley area, motivated by money to join another army
The emotional and physical effects of this movement are explored
The strain of the journey brings out a feeling (nostalgia) that they have never felt before |
| Form (3) | Three stanzas of 9, 9 and 10 lines;
- The lengthy stanzas reflect the arduous journey undertaken by the group
- They also represent the tendency of nostalgia to come rushing in all at once - an uncontrollable surge of emotion |
| Theme | Duffy gives voice to the feelings of the mercenaries
The group are found in an unfamiliar, foreign territory - they are uncomfortable and things feel 'wrong'
There is violent physical response to moving to lower ground (literal)
- The pain is also brought about by the strength of nostalgia (metaphorical)
Once an idea becomes fixed in language, it cannot be erased - linguistic relativity
- In Saussurian linguistics terms; once the relationship between signifier and signified has been established, it remains constant
- Equally, if something has not been given a name, it cannot be experienced |
| Motifs (4) | "wrong taste", "wrong smells"
"It was killing them"
"the word was out"
"Some would never/fall in love had they not heard of love" |
| Diction; Lexical fields
Language (2)
Verbs
Epithets
Transferred epithets (2)
Oxymoron
Kenning | Pain - 'ill', 'ache', 'hurt'; immense pain associated with nostalgia
Colloquial - 'Hearing tell of it'
Poetic - 'opened a book to the scent of her youth' (synaesthetic)
Almost exclusively in the past tense - the poem explores the yearn for the past
Contrasting - 'fine air', 'heavier air'
'dull, crude coins clenched'; describes the cold nature of the mercenaries, stereotyped as unfeeling
'sad pipes' reflects the strength that nostalgia has on the mercenaries
'fearful of a sweet pain in the heart'; confusion in dealing with this new, unnamed emotion (C.R to J.Keats)
'dwindling light of the plains'; highly romantic, poetic visual image |
| Cross References (2) | John Keats' ode 'To a Nightingale', "my heart aches" ('fearful of a sweet pain in the heart')
Heraclitus (philosopher), "you cannot step into the same river twice, the water is continually flowing" ('same sign on the inn'...'changed') |
| Imagery; Symbol
Pictorial
Auditory
Synaesthetic (3) | 'yellow ball'; warmth experienced at home (sun is also associated with daytime and warmth)
Mercenary returning home "with his life/in a sack on his back"; although when returning there is the "same sign on the inn" and the chiming of the 'same bell', things had 'changed' - reminds the reader that the past cannot be repeated (C.R to Heraclitus)
Priest "crying at the workings of memory"; sybolises spirituality
- Duffy presents a starkly different character to that of the mercenary (both are deeply affected by nostalgia)
'wrong taste', 'wrong smells', 'light' is 'wrong', 'every breath' is 'wrong'; the appeal to synaesthesia highlights the overwhelming feeling of nostalgia
"stones in the belly"
Schoolteacher smelling the "scent of her youth, too late"; emotional yearning to go back to the past |
| Rhythm
Consonance (2) | The continuity of time, which cannot be reversed is captured in the varying rhythm
"dull, crude, coins clenched" - alliteration of 'c', plosive consonance of 'd'; harsh exterior/personality of mercenaries
"dwindling light of the plains" - liquid consonance; melodic quality |
| Rhyme | Internal rhyme, 'sack' and 'back'; the mercenary is returning to familiarity |
| Conclusion (2) | Duffy emphasises the strength of not only nostalgia, but all emotional - simple objects/memories can trigger strong and immense feelings
When these feelings are put into words, they become solidified in the mind forever |
