Starter quiz
- Which of these words could you use to describe the relationship between a mother and their child?
- historical ✓
- romantic
- familial ✓
- professional
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- Why is it important to consider the wider context of a poem in your analysis of it?
- it gives the impression that you know a lot more about the poem
- it allows you to use lots of advanced vocabulary
- it can give important insights into the writer's intentions/attitudes ✓
- it means you don't have to include as many quotations from the text
- it indicates you which other poems you could compare it to
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- Which of these words is an example of a possessive pronoun?
- you
- under
- they
- mine ✓
- before
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- Which of these words means 'associated with a caring, nurturing significant mother'?
- paternal
- matriarch
- patriarch
- maternal ✓
- matricide
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- Which of these sentences is in the second person?
- I'm getting too old for this
- You should think carefully about your next steps ✓
- He was excited for the trip to France
- We should go out for pizza
- They were never too tired to play video games
-
- Which of these is a synonym for 'not afraid to break the rules'?
- retrospective
- chaotic
- obedient
- authoritative
- rebellious ✓
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Exit quiz
- What does the word 'feminist' mean?
- a female writer who writes about female characters
- a male writer who writes about female characters
- advocating for the social and political rights of women ✓
- someone who believes that women are superior to men
-
- Which word in the title 'Before You Were Mine' is a possessive pronoun?
- Before
- You
- Were
- Mine ✓
-
- Duffy has admitted that 'Before You Were Mine' is partly based on her mother and her own childhood memories, so it is an example of ______ writing.
- 'semi-autobiographical' ✓
- What does the word 'alluring' mean?
- beautiful and fragile
- carefree and fun
- captivating and seductive ✓
- angry and jealous
- bold and confident
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- Which of these words from 'Before You Were Mine' suggest Duffy's mother's glamorous lifestyle is a thing of the past now she has children?
- "possessive"
- "relics" ✓
- "clatters"
- "lights"
- "sweetheart"
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- Which word from the last stanza of 'Before You Were Mine' emphasises how mundane Duffy's mother's life is now she has children?
- "Mass" ✓
- "stars"
- "pavement"
- "bold"
- "Portobello"
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The speaker is initially looking at a photo and reminiscing about their mother’s life before she had children.
- The mother's life seemed glamorous, rebellious and full of promise before the speaker was born.
- The speaker feels her birth made her mother's life more mundane due to the responsibilities of parenthood.
- Duffy is a feminist writer who often criticises conventional and restrictive roles for women.
- This poem is semi-autobiographical, based on photographs of Duffy’s mother as a young woman.
Common misconception
The speaker explains how having children ruined her mother's life.
While Duffy does explore how motherhood has contributed to her mother's loss of confidence and freedom, the final stanza of the poem shows them both having fun together so it is evident that there are many positive aspects to motherhood as well.
Keywords
Mundane - ordinary, lacking excitement or interest
Feminist - advocating for the social, political, and economic rights of women
Semi- autobiographical - partially based on the author's own life experiences, events, or perspectives
Alluring - attractive in a mysterious or tempting way; captivating and seductive
Relic - an object surviving from a past era, often with historical, cultural, or sentimental significance
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