Mrs Midas: Stanza One to Three

Overview of “Mrs Midas: Stanza One to Three”

• Stanza one begins with a lighthearted tone, introducing Mrs. Midas desiring some company as she takes in the beautiful calm of autumn. The line “yellow on the lawn”, possibly signifies the first gold item transformed due to King Midas’ wish, hinting at the impending doom.

• In Stanza two, imagery and contrast are used, the unusual behaviour of the husband is contrasted with a normal setting of Mrs Midas peeling potatoes. The metaphorical phrase “halo of light” refers to the nascent stage of her husband’s golden touch, emphasizing its deceptive allure.

• The Stanza three shows the husband’s escalating greed, reinforced by the line, “And who, when it came to the fruit, / laughed, as he was / Glass in hand, as cool / as a pewter tankard”. There’s a sense of transformation - mysterious laughter, glass of wine appearing like a trophy, signalling the chaotic transformation starting to unfold.

Analysis of Language and Imagery in “Mrs Midas: Stanza One to Three”

• Use of onomatopoeic words like “fizzed”, “hissed” heightens the sense of the supernatural element entering the otherwise normal scene. It has auditory effects, adding a layer of sensory detail to the narration.

• The situation becomes unreal when the glass of wine glistens as gold in his hand. The phrase “he picked up the glass, gazed at it / glistening” employs alliteration, drawing the reader’s focus to the gold aspect.

• A simile is cleverly employed in the phrase ‘light like a pair of wings’, likening the unnatural glow around King Midas to angelic wings, perhaps symbolising his initial delight in his new power, unaware of the impending consequences.

• Conversational tone is maintained throughout these stanzas, the normality of Mrs Midas’ voice, unaware of the supernatural occurrences juxtaposed against the abnormal acts of her husband, creating an effect of the absurd.

These opening stanzas effectively blend the ordinary and extraordinary, the result of Carol Ann Duffy’s clever handling of tone and language. The subversive narrative technique, the vivid use of imagery and the sharp sense of humour set the stage for the impending downfall.