Hour: Plot

Hour: Plot

Understanding the Plot

  • “Hour” is a poem by Carol Ann Duffy that explores the theme of love and time. Love is depicted as a powerful, rewarding experience, while time is considered an antagonist that limits these moments of affection.

  • The speaker and their loved one are trapped in time, as every positive aspect of their relationship is constantly faced by the inevitability of the ‘poor hour’s’ ending.

  • Duffy captures the delicate balance between the everlasting emotion of love and the physical constraint of an hour, using rich imagery and emotive language.

  • The poem is told from a first-person perspective, giving an intimate insight into the speaker’s feelings and emotions.

Key Events in “Hour”

  • The opening line suggests a reckoning with time, instantly introducing the major conflict in the poem.

  • The lovers are portrayed as wealthy, not in terms of money, but richer for their love experience. They embrace the moment and their shared love instead of focusing on material possessions, suggesting that love is the ultimate wealth.

  • The speaker describes the fleeting time as both a source of illumination (light of love) and darkness (fading hour), indicating the transient nature of happiness.

  • The end of the poem sees the lovers parting ways, revealing the inevitable constraint that time puts on their relationship, leading to a sense of longing.

Interpretation

  • “Hour” is a lyric poem that explores the dichotomy of love and time. This interaction between the infinite concept of love and the finite unit of an hour forms the essence of the poem.

  • The lovers’ wealth, described in the context of their relationship, challenges materialistic notions of value and emphasises the pricelessness of love.

  • The presence of time is persistent in the poem. Despite their happiness in each other’s company, the lovers can’t escape the inevitable passage of time, painting a bittersweet picture of their relationship.

  • Through the mention of Cinderella and her story, Duffy references a broader narrative beyond the poem, using it as a metaphor – just like Cinderella, the lovers are restricted by the stroke of midnight, bespeaking the temporary nature of their bliss.