Carol Ann Duffy THE GOOD TEACHERS. Analysis and revision for GCSE. Aiming for Grade 9.

[@laurasaurus6744]

My English teacher asked Carol Ann Duffy when he met her about the line "South Sea Bubble Defenestration of Prague", and apparently it actually has no meaning behind it and is simply a collection of her favourite words from when she was at school!

[@livvymanning2774]

This was recommended by my English teacher. I find Carol Ann Duffy's poetry really difficult and this video has helped me a lot :) Thank you

[@kenmightbe]

Thank you and god bless. You helped me get an A. fucking good shit

[@dude_mude3366]

Honestly, during these COVID Times , just looking at you explaining this poem from 2012 , in a classroom and just you know the calm environment around you gives me a ASMR feeling of the school.

[@MarkBirch]

Thanks so much. Hope it was useful and that 'calm' isn't a euphemism for boring. Best of luck with the exams.

[@MarkBirch]

While I disagree with the implication regarding the A level syllabus and hold to the idea that it's the sound rather than the meaning that appeals, I do accept the primary school issue. You win.

[@tutupapasul9406]

Your videos are more useful than every English Literature teacher I ever had. 11/10

[@MarkBirch]

Thanks so much! That's very kind. Best of luck for the future.

[@ellamay3035]

Thank you very much for this great analysis! I'm not trying to be pedantic but I would argue that the poem does not start in primary school: Duffy talks about 'double History' in the first stanza (unlikely in a primary school) and both the 'South Sea Bubble' and the 'Defenestration of Prague' were two topics on a very old A-level syllabus. Furthermore, it is also unlikely a primary school would have enough pupils to call for the use of a panoramic photograph.

[@lapatatedouce9060]

I think it's more O level grade

[@sharonmurphy6947]

Thanks you. I've got an exam tomorrow and this is really helping😁

[@MarkBirch]

Really pleased. Hope the exam goes well.

[@harrietmcclean2194]

Wow amazing analysis very useful, Mark.

[@dylannt8934]

Wow amazing analysis very useful, Mark.

[@katelynramsay]

Indeed very useful, will be looking forward to watching your other videos!

[@dylannt8934]

@@katelynramsay What did you think about this particular poem Caitlyn Ramsey?

[@katelynramsay]

@@dylannt8934 Though this was not one of my favourites - this has a deep underlying message dylan

[@carlbahar9502]

This absolutely amazing. Thank you for not letting me fail my GCSEs!

[@jackporter8721]

10 years later and this is still very useful

[@nicolas9807]

when is your gcse?

[@olliespencer863]

Mark, i've got to be honest. I've never come across someone who is more concise and succinct as you! Thank you for the brilliant notes to add to my poetry anthology! Take care :)

[@MarkBirch]

What a lovely comment! Huge thanks and I hope that the analysis proves useful.

[@amyrenton4020]

What dose the present tense mean?!

[@MarkBirch]

Hi 'Plosives' are (at a simplistic level) 'b' or 'p' sounds. The word 'bubble' literally pops out of the mouth as a result of the three plosives. I like your interpretation of the eyes; reconciling 'cruel' with 'fair' is tricky though.

[@prarthnamiddha8363]

When Duffy refers to herself as "passionate" the caesura makes the word stand out. Could this indicate that her passion was what go her through the monotony of school?

[@MarkBirch]

A really interesting idea. I love the concept of the caesura heightening the passion. If I'm remembering correctly, the caesura comes before 'passionate', and it is followed by the end-stopped line. This could make the focus on the word even more profound. However, I think that the poetic voice is presented as genuinely passionate in the early stages of her education, before the monotony kicks in. Best of luck with your exams.

[@ColumD1]

Mark, I didn't like or really understand this poem until I viewed your video. Thank you very much. May I offer one additional thought for you to consider which I think is important. In Stanza 2 - "the two of you" who stare out from the panoramic picture is not just a play on Duffy appearing twice in the school photo - but is Duffy distinguishing two sides of her character when at school. One is the "serious" Duffy "top of her class" who "stares out" in her love of Miss Pirie's English class (we know Duffy was inspired to write poetry by her English teachers and so would have loved this particular lesson) and the other is the "passionate" Duffy who stares out in love and admiration for the English teacher herself. Later we learn " you are making up a poem for her in your head". Interestingly, the English teacher who so impressed Duffy in real life was according to an interview with the poet: "One of the ‘real people’ whom Duffy’s nuns brought in to teach was a charismatic Jean-Brodie-esque English teacher who roared into school in her sports car wearing dark glasses and smoking black Sobranie cigarettes, and introduced the young Carol Ann to Outposts magazine, which published her first poems." Not one of the 'Good Teachers' of "long brown skirts, snobbish and proud."

[@MarkBirch]

Great points. Wonderful to learn something new and to read such insightful interpretation. Thanks for taking the time to post; I'm sure many students will benefit from your comment. Cheers Mark

[@Stapan]

My teacher showed this for class :D

[@mohamedhijazi3832]

Can you please do Mean Time? Will be very helpful.

[@yl6661]

my teacher showed this for class :D too

[@betshilton]

can u do Mean Time? thanks, you are very helpful

[@nafisabegum6301]

Do you have Th Cliche kid?

[@PF1SNTS]

LOL this video is pretty old but it explains everithing

[@MarkBirch]

I am also pretty old but hopefully not useless yet. Best of luck for the future.

[@Mario-xd9uk]

@@MarkBirch omigosh don't say that my heart 😭

[@TheJessieeA]

Can you please do the dolphins always watch your videos it would be very helpful

[@sarahjal4533]

could you please do Dolphins by carol ann duffy as soon as possible please

[@akirohaa]

2020