Gillian Clarke's Catrin tackles one of the well-considered themes in

Gillian Clarke's Catrin tackles one of the well-considered themes in

feminist writing - the mother-daughter relationship.

CATRIN

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Gillian Clarke's "Catrin" tackles one of the well-considered themes in

feminist writing - the mother-daughter relationship. The aspect of the

relationship that Clarke explores here is the bond ("rope") that ties

them together and from which they try to free themselves from the very

beginning, even before birth. Freeing yourself as an individual within

a relationship must result in conflict on both sides, which is what

the mother and daughter in "Catrin" are experiencing now. The question

we ask ourselves here is, when does the struggle begin?

Notice how the speaker uses monosyllables to describe the 'tight, red

rope'. The effect of this is to make a tight sound and to perhaps

simulate the mother's breathing patterns during birth, which are short

breaths outwards.

There is a striking contrast between the white, sterile room and the

red rope, which is literally red, as it is covered with blood. This

has the effect of making the 'red rope' memorable against the white

backing. It also emphasises the neutral nature of the room as opposed

to the battle of wills, love and pain that goes on there.

Perhaps 'circles' suggest the shape of the birth canal through which

the baby emerges. In shape they contrast with the squareness of the

room. 'Wild' suggests to us that the struggle is intense and painful,

almost out of control, yet paradoxically it is 'tender' at the same

time. 'Tender' might refer to the type of physical sensation the

speaker feels, or it could refer to the sort of love between the

mother and the baby.

Perhaps the speaker did, but I think she is arguin...

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...want) To be two, to be ourselves'.

This is an involved expression, repetitive, reflecting the

involved and circular nature of such a desire in a mother/child

relationship.

* Look at lines 26-27, where the initial words of the lines are 'Tightening'/'Trailing',

indicating the effects of the rope in the speaker's life. The

words are opposite in meaning, so they suggest the contrary

experiences and feelings in the relationship.

The speaker again

We can end this discussion by considering the speaker's point of view:

* Is the poem autobiographical? If so, then the poet is recording an

intensely personal experience. The title is 'Catrin', suggesting

that this is a real child, and the poem is addressed to her.

* If this is an invented speaker and situation, the poet could be

speculating on the mother/daughter relationship in general.