Diction & Imagery
- Masculine rhyme: The rhyming of single-syllable words
jerk, kirk, irk, berk, dirk, perk, cork, park, dork, gawk, quirk, lark, mark, bark, shirk, hawk, shark, dark, Ark, squawk, smirk, murk, work (-k rhymes throughout the poem)
Effect: Masculine rhyme emphasizes the short length of the words, which connects to Sisyphus's preoccupation with his work and his neglectful behavior towards his wife. It creates an image that Sisyphus does not have time for his wife.
- Colloquial language: Informal diction that reflects casual, conversational language
jerk (1), berk (4), feckin' (17)
Effect: The use of colloquial language provides the sense of a person who is down to earth lower class. It also helps to convey the poem in a conversational tone as if Mrs. Sisyphus is directly talking to the readers. Readers are drawn to the moment, being there on Sisyphus's side.
- Simile: The comparison of two unlike things using the words "like," "as," or "then"
"it's nearer the size of a kirk" (2)
Effect: Mrs Sisyphus compares the stone that Sisyphus is pushing up to a "kirk", which is a church. This exaggerates the size of the stone by making the audience to imagine the large size of a church, associating it with the stone.
"Keen as a hawk" (21), "lean as a shark" (21)
Effect: Hawks are known for intelligence and acuity, and sharks are known for being efficient. Thus, when Sisyphus says he should be as "keen as a hawk"and "lean as a shark" while working, Sisyphus is showing his passion for his work. The poem emphasizes that Sisyphus is a workaholic, which is a factor that is infuriating Mrs. Sisyphus as Sisyphus almost seems unaware of his wife's presence.
"feeling like Noah's wife did" (25), "like Frau, Johann Sebastian Bach" (27)
Effect: By using intertextual references, the way in which Mrs. Sisyphus feels towards Sisyphus' indifference to her is clearly expressed. As both Noah and Johann Sebastian Bach are known for their diligence in their work, Duffy established non-existing characters, Noah's wife and Frau, Johann Sebastian Bach, enhancing understanding of how Mrs Sisyphus feels towards Sisyphus as a wife of a workaholic.
- Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of specific words of comparison
"Folk flock from miles around" (11)
Effect: The word "flock" visualises the scene where people come from miles away, just to "gawk" at Sisyphus pushing up the stone.
"A load of old bollocks is nearer the mark" (14)
Effect: Mrs Sisyphus expresses Sisyphus as "a load of old bollocks" and this emphasises her disgusted feelings toward Sisyphus because it is a strong negative expression.
- Hypophora: Raising a question then proceeding to answer it
"And what does he say?" (20)
Effect: Hypophora helps to create a conversational tone, leading readers to be more engaged in the poem. Since Duffy's attempt is to raise reader's awareness of the social issue about how women are trivialized in the society, having a conversational tone helps female readers to agree and understand Mrs. Sisyphus' point of view.
- Connotation: the implied or associative meaning of a word
"But I lie alone in the dark," (24)
Effect: Having the words 'alone' and 'dark' leads both the words to have lonely connotation within the context. Since Mrs. Sisyphus is depicted as a lonely woman who is disregarded by her husband, these words further create an imagery of her in a lonesome situation.
"Her voice reduced to a squawk," (28)
Effect: The word 'reduce' has a negative connotation as it means to bring something to a lower state. Thus, when Frau, Johann Sebastian Bach's voice reduced to a squawk rather than changed to a squawk, she appears to be inferior to her husband, furthering emphasizing women's inferiority and loneliness. Since Mrs. Sisyphus is referring her situation to that of Frau, Johann Sebastian Bach, her inferiority and loneliness are also emphasized along with Frau, Johann Sebastian Bach.