Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, born on December 23, 1955, in Glasgow, Scotland, is a renowned poet and playwright known for her significant contributions to contemporary literature. She achieved notable recognition when she became the first female poet laureate of the United Kingdom in 2009, as well as the first Scot and first openly lesbian individual to hold the position. Duffy’s poetry often incorporates feminist themes and addresses LGBTQ issues, reflecting her personal experiences and social critiques. After earning a degree in philosophy from the University of Liverpool, she began her career writing for television and later turned to poetry, debuting with her collection "Standing Female Nude" in 1985.
Her works have garnered critical acclaim and include popular collections like "Mean Time" and "The World’s Wife," which showcase her narrative style and sharp characterizations. Duffy has also ventured into writing plays and children's literature, and her poetry is widely taught in British schools. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards, including the T.S. Eliot Prize and the Golden Wreath Laureate distinction in 2021. Duffy continues to influence British literature and culture, currently serving as a professor at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Carol Ann Duffy
Poet, poet laureate of the United Kingdom
- Born: December 23, 1955
- Place of Birth: Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Education: University of Liverpool
Significance: In 2009, after winning critical acclaim for years in the United Kingdom (UK) and elsewhere, Carol Ann Duffy was named the first female poet laureate of the UK. Duffy's work often features feminist themes as well as explores lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) issues. She has published and edited many works, including poetry, plays, and critiques.
Background
Carol Ann Duffy was born on December 23, 1955, in Glasgow, Scotland. Duffy was the first child of her parents, Mary and Frank. She had four younger brothers. Duffy’s father worked as a fitter with English Electric. The family moved to Staffordshire, England, when Duffy was five years old. She was raised Catholic, and her parents were working-class liberals who cared about social issues. Duffy's father even ran for elected office when Duffy was growing up. Her parents' politics influenced her later writing. Duffy was also influenced by her mother, who made up songs and poems for her children. Duffy herself enjoyed writing and poetry as a young woman.
Duffy attended the University of Liverpool and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1977. She was interested in writing, and her first job was writing for television shows. In the early 1980s, she received a Cecil Day-Lewis Fellowship, which allowed her to work as a writer-in-residence in London schools.
Life’s Work
Duffy published her first full-length collection called Standing Female Nude in 1985, and it immediately garnered her notoriety. The title work focused on models and artists, and the collection had themes of identity and living outside societal norms. In 1993, she published the collection Mean Time, which is taught in British schools. In 1994, she published the collection called Selected Poems. These two collections were the first in which she discussed gay relationships.
Duffy's 1999 collection The World's Wife appealed to an even larger audience. This collection focused on the lives of fictional women, and it included Duffy's usual critiques on society. In 2005, she published the collection Rapture. This collection was slightly different from much of her previous work as it focused on love and relationships, whereas much of her other work focused on society and an individual's place in it.
Although Duffy is best known for writing poetry, her career has been broad. She has written a number of successful plays, including Take My Husband—which was first produced in Liverpool, England, in 1982—and Little Women, Big Boys—a one-act play that was first produced in London in 1986. She also has written a number of children’s books, including Meeting Midnight (1999) and The Oldest Girl in the World (2000). Duffy also worked as the editor of the poetry magazine Ambit and wrote reviews for the Guardian and other publications.
While Duffy’s early work was known for its social critiques, her later work began focusing more on internal subjects, such as love. Duffy’s early work had a feminist quality, but it did not indicate that she was a lesbian. Her later works, however, were more introspective and focused more on love, including her own experiences with it.
In 1999, Duffy was considered by the government for the position of poet laureate. However, Duffy lost out on the position to Andrew Motion. Critics believed Duffy was passed over for the honor because she is gay and because she is a woman. In 2009, Duffy was again considered for the position of poet laureate. This time, she was chosen and became the first female poet laureate in Britain’s history on May 1, 2009. She was also the first Scot and the first lesbian to be named to the position. During her term as poet laureate, Duffy released several works, including the notable poem "Rings" (2011) written for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Duffy's term as poet laureate ended in 2019.
Duffy has been acknowledged for her work many times throughout her career. Standing Female Nude garnered her a Scottish Arts Council award. She also received the Dylan Thomas Prize in 1989. She won the Whitbread Award for Poetry and the Forward Prize for Poetry for her collection Mean Time. She also has been awarded a Somerset Maugham Award, a Lannan Literary Award, and the T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. She was awarded with the honors Officer of the British Empire in 1995 and Commander of the British Empire in 2002. Duffy was named a Golden Wreath Laureate by Struga Poetry Evenings in 2021.
As of 2024, she was a professor and the creative director of the Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. Duffy taught the poetry option to working toward a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. The university awarded her with its Commemorative Medal in 2024, its highest award. The Medal is presented to individuals who have become leaders in their field and significantly contributed to Manchester Metropolitan University.
Impact
Duffy’s work is important because it is popular both with critics and with people who do not normally read poetry. Her poems have been praised for their narratives and sharp characters. Duffy’s poetry is even taught in schools in Britain. Her style has affected British literature. She also has had an impact as the first female, first lesbian, and first Scot poet laureate in British history.
Personal Life
Duffy has one daughter, Ella, who was born in 1995. For a number of years, Duffy and her former partner, fellow poet Jackie Kay, lived in West Didsbury, England.
Bibliography
"Carol Ann Duffy." Academy of American Poets. Academy of American Poets. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Carol Ann Duffy." BBC. BBC. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Carol Ann Duffy." BBC Stoke & Staffordshire. BBC. 13 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Carol Ann Duffy." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955)." Scottish Poetry Library. Scottish Poetry Library. Web. 10 May 2016.
Savage, Mark. "Profile: Carol Ann Duffy." BBC. BBC. 1 May 2009. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Carol Ann Duffy Is the Recipient of the Golden Wreath Award for 2021." Manchester City of Literature, 29 Mar. 2021, www.manchestercityofliterature.com/news/carol-ann-duffy-is-the-recipient-of-the-golden-wreath-award-for-2021/#. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
"Commemorative Medal Presented to Poet Professor Dame Carol Ann Duffy." Manchester Metropolitan University, 16 July 2024, www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/commemorative-medal-presented-poet-professor-dame-carol-ann-duffy. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.