The Map Woman, Carol Ann Duffy

The Map Woman by Carol Ann Duffy

Welcome to your study guide for "The Map Woman" by Carol Ann Duffy. This is one of the most famous poems in your Poems of the Decade anthology. It tells a surreal, story-like tale of a woman whose skin is literally a map of her hometown. It explores how our past and the places we come from define who we are, even if we try to leave them behind.

In your exam for Unit 1 Section A, you will be asked to compare this poem with another one from the collection. You should focus on AO1 (using literary terms and clear expression), AO2 (analysing how language and structure create meaning), and AO4 (making connections between poems). Note: You do not need to include historical context (AO3) or critical theories (AO5) for this specific section!

1. What is the Poem About?

The poem follows a woman who has the "map of the town" where she grew up imprinted on her skin. It isn't just a small tattoo; it covers her entire body. As she grows up, she tries to hide it under clothes, and eventually, she moves away to start a new life. However, even when she moves and the map on her skin finally changes to a new city, her old memories remain deep inside her. It’s a powerful metaphor for how our identity is shaped by our origins.

Quick Summary of the Journey:
1. Childhood: The map is detailed and clear; she knows every street.
2. Adulthood: She feels restricted by the map and tries to cover it up.
3. Escape: She travels and moves to different cities to "lose" the map.
4. Transformation: The old map finally peels off, but the memories of the old town stay "under her skin."

2. Language and Imagery (AO2)

Duffy uses very specific language to make this strange idea feel real. Here are the key techniques to look out for:

The Extended Metaphor

The entire poem is built on an extended metaphor: the map represents the woman's past and identity. By making the map a physical part of her body, Duffy suggests that we cannot simply "flick a switch" and forget where we came from. Our hometown is "etched" into us.

Sensory and Cartographic Language

Duffy uses words related to map-making (cartography) to describe the woman’s body. Look for terms like:
• "Grid" and "Contours"
• "Street names" and "Landmarks"
• "Boundaries"
These words emphasize how rigid and permanent her past feels. It’s not a vague memory; it’s a detailed, physical border.

The Body as a Landscape

The map is found in intimate places: her "thighs," her "upper arms," and even her "face." This creates a sense of claustrophobia. The woman feels that her body is not her own; it belongs to the town. When she tries to dress in "high heels" or "stockings," she is literally trying to clothe herself in a new identity to hide the old one.

Lists and Enumeration

The poem is full of long lists of shops, cinemas, and streets. This technique is called enumeration. It creates a feeling of being overwhelmed. For the Map Woman, the past is "cluttered" and heavy.

Key Takeaway: The language shows a conflict between the internal self (who she wants to be) and the external map (what her past says she is).

3. Form and Structure (AO1 & AO2)

The way the poem is laid out on the page tells us a lot about the woman's state of mind.

Stanza Structure

The poem consists of 15 stanzas, each exactly 8 lines long (octaves).
• Why does this matter? The regular, blocky shape of the stanzas on the page looks like a map grid or city blocks. Even the structure of the poem reflects the theme of being trapped in a "pattern."

Enjambment (Lines running over)

While the stanzas are rigid, the sentences often flow from one line to the next and even from one stanza to the next. This is called enjambment. It creates a sense of narrative flow and suggests the unstoppable passage of time. It feels like the woman is constantly moving, trying to outrun her skin.

The Ending

In the final stanzas, the woman finally gets a "new" map of a different city. However, the poem ends with her remembering the "old streets" and the "smell of the air" from her original home. The circularity of the poem suggests that while the "skin" can change, the soul or the mind remains connected to its beginnings.

4. Key Themes

Identity and the Past: The poem argues that our childhood and origins are permanent parts of us. We are "mapped" by our experiences.
Gender: The title specifies she is a Woman. The poem touches on how women’s bodies are often "marked" by society's expectations or by their domestic histories.
Change vs. Permanence: Even when the woman travels across the "broad blue sea," her internal map stays the same. Change is shown to be superficial (only skin deep).

5. Comparison Hints (AO4)

In the exam, you must compare "The Map Woman" to another poem. Here are some strong links:

• Compare with "The Furthest Distances I’ve Travelled" (Leontia Flynn): Both poems explore travel and how journeys change our identity. While Flynn focuses on the physical items (knapsacks, passports), Duffy focuses on the body and skin.
• Compare with "Material" (Ros Barber): Both poems look at the past and how specific objects (a map vs. a handkerchief) represent a way of life that is disappearing or has been left behind.
• Compare with "To My Nine-Year-Old Self" (Helen Dunmore): Both poems deal with the physical body and the gap between who we were as children and who we are as adults.

6. Summary "Quick Review" Box

• The "Map": A metaphor for the woman's past, childhood, and hometown.
• The "Skin": Represents the surface-level identity that she tries to change.
• Structure: 15 stanzas of 8 lines (looks like a city grid).
• Tone: Initially claustrophobic and trapped, shifting toward a sense of resigned realization.
• Main Message: You can leave a place, but the place never truly leaves you.

Don't worry if the poem feels long! Just remember to focus on the central image of the skin-map and how it shows the struggle between wanting to move on and being unable to forget the past.