The Representation Of Love In Valentine By Carol Ann Duffy

The desire for love and the influence it has on our lives has consistently been the subject for literature. Although relationships have not been altered dramatically, modern views on relationships have changed. In the poem ‘Valentine, ’ Carol Ann Duffy challenges the modern representation of love and relationships promoted on Valentines day and aims to give a more ‘realistic’ view of what love can potentially bring.

From the first line of the poem, it is clear that the speaker in this poem wishes to reject modern symbols of love and romance. Sentence inversion is used effectively to focus our attention on the word ‘Not’ as the speaker informs their lover that the Valentine’s gift they bring will not be ‘a red rose or a satin heart.’ This pattern is repeated later in the poem which highlights the need for the speaker feels to avoid the universal symbols typically associated with Valentine’s. This rejection highlights the idea that these gifts have become meaningless and so common that they no longer signify genuine affection. Furthermore, through the extended use of imagery on an onion, Duffy explores both the positive and negative aspects of love. At first, the speaker highlights that modern relationships can still be rewarding. The onion is described as a ‘moon wrapped in brown paper’ which implies that it is a gift. The colour brown suggests that love may not seem an extravagant gift at first, yet with time it can be seen to reveal something more heavenly. This is