The World's Wife

Carol Ann Duffy's 'The World's Wife' is an ingenious and subversive collection of poems that gives voice to the often-silenced female counterparts of legendary and historical men. From Mrs. Midas and Mrs. Lazarus to King Kong's girlfriend and Darwin's wife, Duffy reimagines these iconic narratives through the eyes of the women traditionally relegated to the margins. With biting wit, profound empathy, and incisive contemporary language, each poem strips away patriarchal assumptions, revealing the untold desires, frustrations, and astute observations of these 'lesser-known' wives. Duffy masterfully blends mythology, history, and modern sensibilities, offering a fresh, often humorous, and always compelling feminist perspective. The collection is a powerful reclamation of female agency, celebrating resilience and intellect while deconstructing familiar tales to expose their underlying biases.