Little Red Cap is a poem by Carol Ann Duffy and it is base on the common fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, however it is also based on a true episode in Carol Ann Duffy’s live. Although the poem is based on the fairy tale, the themes and message behind are no longer as simple as the fairy tale as it also more openly discussed about sexual maturity.
The structure of the poem is inform of free verse, stanza, a modern type of poetry as the lines just flow through. The advantage of this structure is that it is easier for readers to understand and it allows the basic story line to flow better.
The poem contain different literary techniques for example symbolism, rhymes and imagery in which it strengthens the reader’s understanding and impression of the story, as well as the messaged being spelt out.
“ away from home, to a dark tangled thorny place lit by the eyes of owls” is an example of a imagery. This quote explains and gives readers an idea the fact that the wolf’s lair is a unpleasant place, a place where people avoid entering. Besides stating the fact that the wolf’s lair is dirty and nasty, it also indicate the fact that the wolf is not particularly a good person as wolfs are cunning. This imagery can be compare with another imagery in the poem, which is “where a whole wall was crimson, gold, aglow with books”. This quote described another side of the wolf’s lair, although the lair might look nasty on the outside but it still contains some beautiful things. These two example of imagery creates a strong contrast as they both described the wolf’s lair but one said it is nasty while the other said is beautiful.
Symbolism is another strong literary technique in this poem, the symbolism helps to carry out the themes and that it allows reader to easily understand them at the same time.
Color was used to symbolize different things in the poem. Red isn’t just the color of little red riding hood’s coat but it is also a color of passion and it also symbolize blood and sexual maturity in this poem. As for gold is the color of rich and wealth and in this case it is describing the wolf’s knowledge is rich and wealthy.
Besides the use of color, animals was also used to symbolize different things within the poem, by doing that it gives reader a better understanding of the different personality a character contains. The wolf represents the male, and it also symbolize the characteristics and personality of a male, or precisely the personality of the male in Duffy’s live. Wolf has been viewed differently according to different culture over centuries, some describe wolf as evil as the witches as they carry disease like rabies which was fatal. However it was also viewed as a loyal and intelligent animal like dogs. This also shows how a male can contain different personality, the fact that they could be nice and sweet as well as evil and cunning at the same time. The Owl symbolizes the knowledge and wisdom of the wolf, as he is a poet. The white dove was used to symbolize the beauty and purity of little red riding hood, also stating the fact the Duffy was innocent and how she was easily manipulated to follow wolf into his lair when she was 16.
“my stocking ripped to shreds, scraps of red from my blazer”, is an example of a vivd imagery and it contains internal rhyme as well. The internal rhyme is between shreds and red, the imagery allow reader to understand Duffy had or wanted to have sex. By using internal rhyme and imagery it gives reader a strong impression as it allow them to remember the scene easily.
Other literary techniques like rhythm and rhetorical question was also used. “For what little girl doesn’t dearly love a wolf?” is an example of a rhetorical question. Rhetorical question is to draw reader attention to what is happening at that moment, it is also a question with no specific answer in which it leaves reader a space of imagination.
The last stanza is a rhythmic stanza, which suited the atmosphere. As Little Red Riding hood had finally breaks away from wolf’s control. The rhythm also weakens the strong theme that was discussed earlier and link back to the basic story line of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood.
In conclusion, we could see that although the basic story line is a kid’s fairy tale but the theme and message is really strong. By using a fairy tale and other literary techniques I had mention above helps reader to easily understand the deep concept hidden.
The structure of the poem is inform of free verse, stanza, a modern type of poetry as the lines just flow through. The advantage of this structure is that it is easier for readers to understand and it allows the basic story line to flow better.
The poem contain different literary techniques for example symbolism, rhymes and imagery in which it strengthens the reader’s understanding and impression of the story, as well as the messaged being spelt out.
“ away from home, to a dark tangled thorny place lit by the eyes of owls” is an example of a imagery. This quote explains and gives readers an idea the fact that the wolf’s lair is a unpleasant place, a place where people avoid entering. Besides stating the fact that the wolf’s lair is dirty and nasty, it also indicate the fact that the wolf is not particularly a good person as wolfs are cunning. This imagery can be compare with another imagery in the poem, which is “where a whole wall was crimson, gold, aglow with books”. This quote described another side of the wolf’s lair, although the lair might look nasty on the outside but it still contains some beautiful things. These two example of imagery creates a strong contrast as they both described the wolf’s lair but one said it is nasty while the other said is beautiful.
Symbolism is another strong literary technique in this poem, the symbolism helps to carry out the themes and that it allows reader to easily understand them at the same time.
Color was used to symbolize different things in the poem. Red isn’t just the color of little red riding hood’s coat but it is also a color of passion and it also symbolize blood and sexual maturity in this poem. As for gold is the color of rich and wealth and in this case it is describing the wolf’s knowledge is rich and wealthy.
Besides the use of color, animals was also used to symbolize different things within the poem, by doing that it gives reader a better understanding of the different personality a character contains. The wolf represents the male, and it also symbolize the characteristics and personality of a male, or precisely the personality of the male in Duffy’s live. Wolf has been viewed differently according to different culture over centuries, some describe wolf as evil as the witches as they carry disease like rabies which was fatal. However it was also viewed as a loyal and intelligent animal like dogs. This also shows how a male can contain different personality, the fact that they could be nice and sweet as well as evil and cunning at the same time. The Owl symbolizes the knowledge and wisdom of the wolf, as he is a poet. The white dove was used to symbolize the beauty and purity of little red riding hood, also stating the fact the Duffy was innocent and how she was easily manipulated to follow wolf into his lair when she was 16.
“my stocking ripped to shreds, scraps of red from my blazer”, is an example of a vivd imagery and it contains internal rhyme as well. The internal rhyme is between shreds and red, the imagery allow reader to understand Duffy had or wanted to have sex. By using internal rhyme and imagery it gives reader a strong impression as it allow them to remember the scene easily.
Other literary techniques like rhythm and rhetorical question was also used. “For what little girl doesn’t dearly love a wolf?” is an example of a rhetorical question. Rhetorical question is to draw reader attention to what is happening at that moment, it is also a question with no specific answer in which it leaves reader a space of imagination.
The last stanza is a rhythmic stanza, which suited the atmosphere. As Little Red Riding hood had finally breaks away from wolf’s control. The rhythm also weakens the strong theme that was discussed earlier and link back to the basic story line of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood.
In conclusion, we could see that although the basic story line is a kid’s fairy tale but the theme and message is really strong. By using a fairy tale and other literary techniques I had mention above helps reader to easily understand the deep concept hidden.