Betrothal: Plot

“Betrothal: Plot” Overview

Beginning

• The poem commences with a direct address to a young female character, the subject of the narrative.
• Duffy starts the poem with an imperative, “Remember this”, that foreshadows the reflection and remembrance packaged within this piece.

Development

• The stanza progresses into a description of a betrothal event, or a formal engagement to be married. However, the account is painted in rather somber tones, suggesting more ominous events.
• It delves into the woman’s experience of this engagement, citing the impact on her familial relationships and proposing a feeling of confined tradition.

Middle

• The narrative moves through the change in the woman’s life as she grapples with gender roles and societal expectations.
• The woman’s mood and being are explored in-depth, insinuating a profound ambivalence and detachment towards her new role as a betrothed woman.

Climax

• Over time, the reader sees the woman appear to relinquish her youth and independence, a surrender suggested tautly through the emotive language used.
• The poem hits a climax when the woman is found standing by a shadowy threshold, possibly representing the start of her new life chapter as a wife.

Resolution

• In a final devastating comment, Duffy reminds the woman that she must leave everything behind, effectively ending her previous life as a free-spirited individual.
• The last line encapsulates the gloom of the woman’s betrothal, affirming a forced transition into her new life.

In summary, the plot of ‘Betrothal’ elegantly traces the emotional journey of a woman who experiences a tumultuous internal conflict following her arranged betrothal. Duffy deftly raises questions about freedom, identity, and societal expectations of women.