Elvis's Twin Sister

1. From last lesson Powerpoint from last lesson: http://www.slideshare.net/lizaollett/before-you-were-mine-and-myfatherthoughtit

2. Learning Objective: To understand techniques used by poets in ‘Homecoming’ and ‘Elvis’ Twin Sister’

3. What do we know about Elvis?

4. What do we know about Elvis? King of Rock and Roll  Born January 8 1935, died August 16 1977  Born in Memphis, Tennessee, to a very religious family  Died as a result of overdosing on prescription medication  The second of two identical twins (the first was stillborn and named Jesse Garon )  Picked on at school for being different – he stuttered and was very quiet  His music mixed black and white influences Criticised for playing the music of the devil 

5. Listen to ‘Elvis’s Twin Sister’ Write down any striking words or phrases Who is speaking in this poem?

6. Context This poem is from a collection of poems written by Carol Ann Duffy called ‘The World’s Wife’ Takes characters, stories, histories and myths which focus on men, and in Duffy's renowned feminist way, presents them anew for the public to look at the women that were previously obscured behind the men ‘her-story’ instead of ‘his-story’

7. Context cont. In ‘Elvis’s Twin Sister’, Duffy imagines what it could have been like if Elvis’s twin had been a girl and had lived She shows similarities and differences between Elvis and his imagined female twin

8. The Epigraphs What is an epigraph? A phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component. The epigraph may serve as an introduction, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional context.

9. The Epigraphs Are you lonesome tonight? Do you miss me tonight? Elvis is alive and she’s female: Madonna   Where is this a quote from? What relevance might it have to the rest if the poem? Quote from Madonna What does this reveal about her? What is its relevance to the rest of the poem? How does it set the tone for the rest of the poem?

10. Elvis references Read through the poem and highlight all references/allusions to Elvis

11. Religious references Read through the poem and highlight in a different colour all religious references/allusions

12. Are you lonesome tonight? Do you miss me tonight? Elvis is alive and she’s female: Madonna In the convent , y’all , I tend the gardens, watch things grow, pray for the immortal soul of rock ‘n’ roll . They call me Sister Presley here. The Reverend Mother digs the way I move my hips just like my brother. Gregorian chant drifts out across the herbs Pascha nostrum immolatus est … I wear a simple habit, darkish hues, a wimple with novice-sewn lace band, a rosary, a chain of keys, a pair of good and sturdy blue suede shoes . I think of it as Graceland here, a land of grace. It puts my trademark slow lopsided smile back on my face. Law dy . I’m alive and well. Long time since I walked down Lonely Street towards Heartbreak Hotel.

13. Contrasting language One of the most striking aspects of this poem if the contrast between language of ‘the angels’ (religion) and ‘the devil’ (Elvis) Creates comic effect

14. In the convent , y’all , I tend the gardens, watch things grow, pray for the immortal soul of rock ‘n’ roll . Immediately places poem in context Is this where we expect to find Elvis’s Twin Sister? Why? What accent is conveyed phonetically here? How do these words contrast? What is this a reference to? American Pie by Don McLean Inspired partly by the deaths of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens in plane crash popularized the expression ‘The Day the Music Died’ to describe this event could be applied to the day Elvis died

15. They call me Sister Presley here. The Reverend Mother digs the way I move my hips just like my brother. What do we learn here? How does it relate to our view of Elvis? How is this comic?

16. Gregorian chant drifts out across the herbs Pascha nostrum immolatus est … I wear a simple habit, darkish hues, Contrast to music of Elvis “Our paschal [Easter] lamb , Christ, has been sacrificed .” who else has been ‘sacrificed?’ conventional desription of nun’s attire

17. a wimple with novice-sewn lace band, a rosary, a chain of keys, a pair of good and sturdy blue suede shoes . continues conventional description How is this comic? reference to Elvis contrast to rest of description description is built up to comic ‘punch line’

18. I think of it as Graceland here, a land of grace . It puts my trademark slow lopsided smile back on my face. reference to Elvis’s home word play on Graceland – grace, in a religious sense again, comic effect combination of Elvis and nun

19. Lawdy . I’m alive and well . Long time since I walked down Lonely Street towards Heartbreak Hotel . Southern exclamation, such as Elvis might have used layers of meaning ‘ lordy ’ – religious pun on theory of some that Elvis is alive link to Madonna quote lyrics from ‘Heartbreak H otel’ by Elvis what does it imply about her life?