Writing the female body: Reclaiming women's literary place in Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife

This thesis explores the multifaceted reconstruction of femininity in Carol Ann Duffy's poetry collection The World's Wife (1999) through the lens of écriture féminine. Focused on the idea of providing a place for women within the written canon, the thesis delves into Duffy's selected oeuvre, namely "Eurydice," Pygmalion's Bride," "Medusa," Mrs. Midas," "Demeter," "Little Red Cap," "Mrs. Aesop," "Mrs. Beast," "Queen Herod," and "Salome," investigating how Duffy reconstructs traditional representations of women in poetry by using feminine writing. The analysis presents a linguistic deconstruction of French feminism to underscore instances where Duffy subverts patriarchal structures, providing women with a distinct poetic space through feminine writing that reflects diverse experiences and challenges societal norms, since within language, the depths of the human self can be fully revealed. Thus, the study transcends mere linguistic analysis by highlighting the broader implications of Duffy's poetic intervention, illuminating instances where she not only dismantles conventional gender norms but also actively contributes to a redefinition of the "female," "female experience," and "jouissance." This thesis contributes to feminist literary criticism by emphasizing the dynamic portrayal of femininity and feminine writing in Duffy's poetry collection, epitomizing the poet's commitment to linguistic representation within literature.