1. STARTER TASK: Read and consider the words on the word cloud
STARTER TASK: Read and consider the words on the word cloud. What do you think the monologue is going to be about? What do you think the mood or atmosphere is?
CHALLENGE: The bigger words are the ones which are repeated in the monologue. Why do you think they are repeated by the poet?

2. Medusa – Carol Ann Duffy
Objectives: To explore how he poet presents a classical figure through poetry
Challenge: To analyse how sound techniques add to the meaning presented.

3. Who was Medusa?
Medusa was a very attractive mortal who was admired for her looks and beautiful hair. One day, Poseidon, the God of the Sea, seduced Medusa in Athena’s temple. Athena, the Goddess of war strategy and the protector of land, was very angry that Medusa disgraced her in her temple; therefore, she took Medusa’s beauty away and turned her into an ugly Gorgon with snakes on her head. From then on, any person that Medusa looked at would turn into stone. This obviously meant that she could never fall in love or have herself attached to someone again. Perseus, a Greek hero, was able to cut off Medusa’s head by using a polished shield from Athena. He saw Medusa in the reflection of the shield (this allowed him not to turn to stone) and was able to use her head to combat many future battles.
TASK: Go back to your word cloud – highlight or underline the words that you think that particularly address the story.

4. Let’s read Carol Ann Duffy’s version
Consider the words that are emphasised in the reading.
Why do you think these words have been selected?

5. Onomatopoeia
Alliteration
What literary techniques relate to sound? Look for these in the poem and annotate.
Rhythm
Rhyme
Assonance
Repetition

6. LONELY vulnerable man-hater EVIL jealous sensitive
How can a poet use sound to add meaning?
TASK: Here are some words to describe Medusa.
Find a quote in the poem which relates to each word.
How are sounds used to get the meaning across?
LONELY
vulnerable
man-hater
EVIL
jealous
sensitive

7. Consolidation
How does Duffy use literary techniques related to sound to help present the figure of Medusa?
Answer the question using evidence to support your ideas.

8. hissed and spat on my scalp. My bride’s breath soured, stank
TASK: What imagery is used here and what sort of character is the speaker?
as though my thoughts /
hissed and spat on my scalp.
My bride’s breath soured, stank
I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued,
There are bullet tears in my eyes.
but I know you’ll go, betray me, / stray from home.
So better by far for me if you were stone.
I glanced at a buzzing bee,
a dull grey pebbly fell
I stared in the mirror. /
Love gone bad
Wasn’t I beautiful
Look at me now.