Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Mrs Lazarus" by Carol Ann Duffy is a poignant and powerful poem from her collection "The World's Wife," which reimagines the voices of wives from mythology, history, and literature. This particular poem offers a deeply personal and emotive perspective on the biblical story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus. Instead of focusing on the miracle, Duffy explores the intense grief and eventual recovery of Lazarus's wife, who is left to grapple with the consequences of her husband's resurrection.

The poem begins with Mrs. Lazarus vividly recounting the depth of her grief at her husband's death. She describes her mourning in visceral terms—weeping, ripping her marriage clothes, clawing at burial stones, and retching his name. This depiction of grief is raw and physical, emphasizing the profound impact of her loss.

As the poem progresses, Mrs. Lazarus moves through the traditional stages of grief and begins to dismantle her previous life, symbolized by her gutting their home and disposing of his belongings. Her actions reflect an attempt to cope with her loss and forge a path forward as a widow. The imagery of her sleeping in a single cot, and becoming a "gaunt nun in the mirror," signifies her transformation from a wife to a solitary figure, reshaped by bereavement.

Duffy portrays Mrs. Lazarus's healing as a slow, painful process of letting go. Her husband "dwindles" in her memory, fading to "the shrunk size of a snapshot," indicating how time distorts and diminishes the vividness of those we have lost. The poignant detail of his last hair floating out from a book and his scent leaving the house poetically captures the fading presence of the deceased in the spaces they once filled.

The turning point of the poem occurs when Lazarus is brought back to life. Instead of joy, his resurrection brings complexity and pain. Mrs. Lazarus has moved on; she has healed and even started to find companionship with another man, hinted at by "my arm on the arm of the schoolteacher." Her new life is disrupted by the sudden return of her husband, whom she no longer recognizes in the same way. The community's excitement contrasts starkly with her personal turmoil, highlighting the dissonance between public spectacle and private suffering.

The final lines of the poem are haunting. Mrs. Lazarus does not rejoice at her husband's return but instead confronts the "horror" on his face and the grotesque reality of his resurrected body. His return from death is not just a miracle but a curse, unsettling the life she had painstakingly rebuilt. The use of words like "stench," "rotting shroud," and "grave's slack chew" starkly depict the unnaturalness of his return, and her reference to him as "my bridegroom" with a "cuckold name" captures a blend of betrayal and displacement.

Overall, "Mrs Lazarus" is a deeply emotional exploration of grief, identity, and the unexpected consequences of miracles. Carol Ann Duffy's reimagining of this biblical story through the eyes of Lazarus's wife allows readers to consider the complex human emotions that are often overshadowed by the grand narratives of miracles and resurrection. The poem challenges the notion of a happy ending, presenting a more nuanced reality where the lines between loss and recovery, life and death, are irrevocably blurred.

POEM TEXT: https://www.ronnowpoetry.com/contents/duffy/MrsLazarus.html

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...