My Rival's House: Stanza 5

“My Rival’s House: Stanza 5”– Insights and Themes

Imagery

• Lochhead deploys visual imagery to illuminate the tangled web of the protagonist’s vengeful planning.
• The phrase “escape routes of hairpins” reveals the elaborate, but delicate, plotting against her rival.
• The image of the hairpins also subtly hints at the feminine attributes of the protagonist, and the dichotomy of their utilitarian function and glamorous design.

Theme of Jealousy

• Jealousy is underpinned throughout Stanza 5 with the feeling of envy towards the rival being palpable.
• The protagonist feels as if she is losing out to her rival in terms of accomplishments, setting a goal for herself to reach her level.
• The jealousy here details the protagonist’s escalating fixation over her rival and deepening feelings of inadequacy.

Theme of Rivalry

• The title “My Rival’s House” is constantly reminded through the stanza with the protagonist measuring herself against her ‘rival’.
• The quest for perfection in the eyes of the rival forms a key aspect of the protagonist’s motivation.
• The concept of rivalry also reinforces feelings of competition and insecurity.

Use of Contrast

• There is a distinct contrast in the persona’s presentation of herself and her portrayal of the rival.
• This is evidenced in the way the protagonist meticulously plans to portray herself in a certain way, but perceives her rival as effortlessly glamorous.
• This use of contrast not only highlights the protagonist’s feelings of inadequacy but also intensifies her aspiration to win over her rival.

Key Quotes

• “She kept a tortoiseshell for me in her bureau drawer”
• “the rustling tissue-paper house I could never inhabit”
• “around the **sharp angled ** escape routes of hairpins”

These quotes underline the themes of jealousy, rivalry, and contrast solidifying their crucial roles, and enriching the complex nature of the protagonist’s psychological journey in Stanza 5 of Lochhead’s “My Rival’s House”.