Backstory
Who were Thetis's parents in Greek mythology?
Daughter of the sea god Nereus
How does Thetis try to escape Peleus, and what does this reveal about women’s survival?
She transforms into animals, elements, and even a “Size 8” woman. This shows women’s ability to adapt and survive in difficult situations.
What form of poem is Thetis, and how does its use of dramatic monologue function?
Thetis is written as a dramatic monologue, using a first-person voice that makes her story intimate and personal, typical of Carol Ann Duffy’s style.
How is the fisherman depicted pursuing Thetis?
He is persistent and threatening, representing male control and the danger Thetis faces.
What verse form does the poem use?
The poem uses sestets in free verse with enjambment.
Why was Zeus warned against fathering a child with Thetis?
Themis warned Zeus that Thetis’s son would be greater than him, threatening his rule, so Zeus gave her in marriage to Peleus instead.
What is Thetis’s adaptability or survival instinct?
It is her ability to change shape and use her wits to avoid capture, showing cleverness and resilience.
How does the bird metaphor in “I shrank myself to the size of a bird in the hand of a man” present Thetis’s vulnerability?
The image of a bird suggests fragility and freedom, but being “in the hand of a man” shows her diminished power and the control men exert, symbolising women’s vulnerability.
Why might the poet have chosen to repeat small, “unpleasant” animals like raccoon, skunk, and rat? What effect does this repetition and the negative connotations create?
The repetition emphasises Thetis’s vulnerability and the unpleasantness of her situation, showing her struggle to escape and creating a sense of menace.
How does the stanza structure of eight sestets reflect Thetis’s character?
The short, six-line stanzas mirror her rapid transformations, with each stanza representing a new challenge or metamorphosis.
How does Thetis’s ability to change forms reflect the symbolic nature of the sea?
Just like the sea can be nurturing yet dangerous, Thetis’s shapeshifting shows her unpredictable and fluid nature, symbolizing both protection and threat.
How does Duffy contrast male and female roles in the poem?
Women (Thetis) are shown as part of nature, vulnerable but clever, while men (Peleus) are shown as persistent, controlling, and destructive.
In “Sweet, sweet, was the small song that I sang, / till I felt the squeeze of his fist,” how does Duffy use sound and structure to create tension?
The sibilance mimics a lyrical birdsong, creating a gentle tone, but the sudden caesura and violent monosyllables of “squeeze of his fist” contrast innocence with brutality, highlighting male domination.
Why does Thetis take those specific forms when she “swims in the sea”?
The forms reflect creatures that are small, quick, or hard to catch, showing her adaptability and survival instinct.
Why might enjambment be particularly effective in a poem about Thetis?
Enjambment creates a sense of energy, unpredictability, and movement, echoing Thetis’s restless transformations and inability to be contained.
How does Thetis’s portrayal as primarily the “mother of Achilles” reflect the oppression of women, as seen in themes of Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry?
Thetis is dehumanized by being defined only through her motherhood, reducing her identity to her gender role, which mirrors how women across history are often oppressed and limited.
What does Thetis’s eventual consent to Peleus suggest about patriarchal control?
It shows how women often have limited choice in male-dominated societies; survival and compromise are sometimes the only options.
What does the line “So I shopped for a suitable shape / Size 8. Snake. Big Mistake.” suggest about societal pressures on women?
The casual, consumerist language of “shopped” and “size 8” links metamorphosis to modern body politics, showing how women are pressured to conform to male-defined ideals. The snake form ties to stereotypes of temptation and danger, exposing how female identity is both commodified and judged.
How does Thetis demonstrate power and freedom by changing into elements?
transforming into elements like wind or water shows her control over nature and her ability to evade capture, symbolising strength and autonomy.
How does the dramatic monologue form influence the reader’s perception of Thetis?
By using a first-person voice, the poem makes Thetis’s story feel personal and intimate, allowing readers to empathize with her defiance and making her eventual defeat more powerful.
To what extent can Thetis be considered both a victim and a powerful figure in Greek mythology?
Thetis is a victim in being forced into marriage with Peleus and reduced to her role as Achilles’s mother, while her attempts to immortalize her children are thwarted. Yet, she also demonstrates power through her prophetic abilities, her shapeshifting, saving Zeus during revolt, and shaping the course of the Trojan War by her involvement in Achilles’s fate.
How does the poem use Greek mythology to comment on modern societal issues?
The myth is used as a metaphor for women’s experiences today—highlighting vulnerability, adaptation, and patriarchal pressures—making an ancient story relevant to modern discussions of gender and power.
To what extent do Thetis’s metamorphoses represent empowerment versus entrapment?
Thetis’s transformations (bird, snake, lioness) demonstrate adaptability and power, symbolising female resilience. Yet each is thwarted (“clipped,” “clasp,” “gun”), showing that male dominance ultimately restricts her freedom. Duffy critiques patriarchal control while highlighting women’s strength and resistance.
How is fire imagery used to show Thetis’s struggle and connection to childbirth?
Fire represents both danger and creation, symbolising Thetis’s struggle against male control and her role as a life-giver, linking power, pain, and survival.
To what extent does the poem’s structure reinforce its central themes of resistance and entrapment?
The shifting stanzas, enjambment, and sudden changes reflect Thetis’s attempts at freedom and transformation, while the rhyming final lines suggest inevitability and finality, reinforcing the tension between her constant resistance and ultimate entrapment.