Conclusion

Duffy expertly combines past and present aspects in the poem; - Modern elements in poem, “stuffed dark suits”, “schoolteacher” are used in conjunction with aspects from the past “cot”, “blacksmith”. The fact that the poem is not restricted to a particular time period universalises the experience. It also highlights the shared experience of women throughout history, which still happens in modern times – societal judgement has and will always remain present towards women