Poem Analysis; War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy
Task: Explore how Duffy depicts the trauma experienced by the photographer and how he feels disconnected from society
The poem ‘War Photographer’ written by Carol Ann Duffy examines the life of a war photographer who takes pictures of conflict for British newspapers. It explores themes of despair, introspect, guilt, sorrow and suffering. Its narrator is a photographer and this poem is about how he deals with traumatic experiences during taking photographs. It creates a fearful atmosphere throughout each of the stanzas successfully through Duffy’s use of word choice and techniques.
In the first stanza, the poet observes the photographer as he prints images of the war zone from which he had just returned. Using of negative word such as ‘Darkroom’ shows the serious, moody background of the poem, creating a melancholy mood. It also gives us idea of evil and darkness. ‘Spools of suffering set out in ordered rows’ is a metaphor which its film is described as endless suffering of people. Moreover, being set out in ‘ordered rows’ brings the image of graves of hundreds of people who died during the war. This implies the seriousness of amount of deaths during the war and depicts the trauma that he has experienced. Duffy observes the darkroom with its ‘infra red light’ coming from the church with the photographer as a priest preparing to hold a religious service. This comparison suggests the feeling of moral discomfort with the photographer’s role. The dim atmosphere and the photographer being called as a priest refers an imagery of a funeral to readers. In addition, ‘he is finally alone’ gives the idea of the photographer being alone in the room and suggests that it allows him time to reflect on what he has done during the war. This implies how he is disconnected from society to readers.
In the second stanza, Duffy creates vivid images of misery during doing his work. This continues the serious, sombre mood of this poem. The enjambment is used in this stanza which makes the poem dramatic and emphasizes the imageries. The photographer thinks back to the war zone and makes a contrast with ‘Rural England’ which Duffy described as a field which don’t explode beneath the feet. Comparing the peaceful, stabilized atmosphere of rural England with the war creates dramatic effect and indicates that the place is not as war-like as it is. The photographer shows sympathy towards the children suffering from war. ‘Running children’ creates an imagery of children trying to escape from danger. This evokes pathos for the children. Also, ‘Nightmare heat’ is a metaphor which describes the atmosphere as very hot, and hellish due to explosions. This brings the idea that photographer is struggling to deal with the images he has seen which is giving him nightmares.
In the third stanza, it shows an image of a man who died in the war. Duffy described him as a ‘half-formed ghost’ as a metaphor. This implies that the photographer is being haunted by the wife whose dead husband he photographed and shows horror. However, the photographer is respectful towards them. Using words such as ‘ghost’, ‘blood’, ‘dust’ implies a shocking, deathly image symbolising pain, suffering and violence. By developing the tension throughout the stanza, Duffy implies the trauma that he had to suffer taking pictures with full of blood during the war.
In the last stanza, ‘Agonies in black and white’ brings out the image of black and white photographs of the war creating a sense of fear, horror and brutal,dramatic imagery of the war. The colour black and white also implies the contrast of good and evil. It is simplified and less human-artistic which causes reader to feel the sombre mood of poem. Photographer is not pleased with the reaction among citizens after war. The idea of ‘supplement’ , it shows the level of attitude towards the war. They have lost its importance and he is disappointed about it. Citizens are having a relaxation in their home enjoying bath and with beers. Lots of plosives such as ‘between’, ‘bath’, ‘pre-lunch’ and ‘beers’ creates an emphasis on each words ,that shows the attitude of people towards war. Duffy is referring to the image of people in England having a set of routine on Sunday morning which is relaxed and detached. People are not affected by the war and not emotional towards war. In the last 2 lines, Photographer feels disconnected to society as he travels in an airplane to his next ‘job’ where ‘he earns living’. He has left his emotion behind however readers eventually don’t care. Duffy finishes the poem giving reader an interrogation of the subject ‘they’ and brings self-examination towards the war and suffering of people.
‘War photographer’ is powerfully anti-war. However, Duffy doesn’t show her opinions straight forward. She allows readers to make their own judgements such as in last stanza where she leaves variety of interpretation of the subject ‘they’. Duffy depicted the trauma that he had to face against by using a symbolic association Instead of using an ordinary language so that the word can carry out lots of possible meaning. She also includes some powerful imagery which makes reader to be addressed emotionally into the poem. Overall, the poem is successfully implying the sense of fearful atmosphere throughout each of the stanzas through Duffy’s use of word choice and imagery. These techniques are used effectively making readers to gain a better understanding of the horror that the poet is demonstrating.
