In Mrs Tilscher's Class by Carol Ann Duffy

In Mrs Tilscher’s Class by Carol Ann Duffy explores the theme of childhood and growing up, the fond memories of primary school and the rough awakening of adolescence. Read on for analysis of the theme of childhood, growing up, school and other influences on our identity.

This study guide is written for students and teachers of English Literature, particularly those studying CCEA’s GCSE English Literature Identity Anthology. For more study guides from this anthology, check out the Identity page, or the list of poems in the series at the bottom of this guide.

In Mrs Tilscher's Class

You could travel up the Blue Nile
with your finger, tracing the route
while Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery.
Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswân.
That for an hour, then a skittle of milk
and the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust.
A window opened with a long pole.
The laugh of a bell swung by a running child.

This was better than home. Enthralling books.
The classroom glowed like a sweet shop.
Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. Brady and Hindley
faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake.
Mrs Tilscher loved you. Some mornings, you found
she’d left a good gold star by your name.
The scent of a pencil slowly, carefully, shaved.
A xylophone’s nonsense heard from another form.

Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed
from commas into exclamation marks. Three frogs
hopped in the playground, freed by a dunce,
followed by a line of kids, jumping and croaking
away from the lunch queue. A rough boy
told you how you were born. You kicked him, but stared
at your parents, appalled, when you got back home.

That feverish July, the air tasted of electricity.
A tangible alarm made you always untidy, hot,
fractious under the heavy, sexy sky. You asked her
how you were born and Mrs Tilscher smiled,
then turned away. Reports were handed out.
You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown,
as the sky split open into a thunderstorm.

What is 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class' about?

Summary of verse 1

In verse 1 of “In Mrs Tilscher’s Class”, Duffy sets the scene of a vibrant classroom where the teacher, Mrs Tilscher, guides her students on an imaginative journey up the Nile. Through interactive activities and chanting, Mrs Tilscher transforms geography lessons into exciting adventures, tracing the route with her finger while invoking exotic locations. The imagery of chalky Pyramids being rubbed into dust suggests the magical nature of childhood experiences, while the laughter of a bell swung by a running child adds a sense of playfulness to the classroom atmosphere.

Summary of verse 2

In Verse 2, the classroom becomes a sanctuary for learning, even more enticing than home. The world of knowledge and creativity is compared to a sweet shop, full of magic and excitement. Mrs Tilscher’s love and encouragement, symbolised by the gold star, create a sense of security and achievement among the students. However, darker elements of the outside world, represented by the criminals Brady and Hindley, are overshadowed by the warmth and safety of the classroom environment.

Summary of verse 3

In verse 3, time has moved on in the school year, as indicated by the changing seasons. The transformation of tadpoles into punctuation marks symbolises the development of both the children’s writing skills as well as the literal growth of the frogs. Play in the playground has also changed, taking on a new tone. The innocence of childhood is juxtaposed with the discomfort of being confronted by adult truths, as seen in the speaker’s reaction to learning about birth from another kid in the playground.

Summary of verse 4

In Verse 4, the oppressive heat of summer intensifies, mirroring the feverish emotions and restlessness of adolescence. The heavy sky creates a sense of unease and anticipation, signalling the approach of adulthood. Mrs Tilscher’s reluctance to address certain topics suggests the complexity of growing up, while the handing out of reports marks the end of innocence and the beginning of a new phase of life. As the speaker eagerly rushes through the gates, the thunderstorm symbolises the turbulent journey of self-discovery and transition into adulthood that lies ahead.

Context

Carol Ann Duffy's life, education and career

Carol Ann Duffy is a 20th and 21st Century Scottish poet. Born in 1955, her early years were spent in the Gorbals, a working class area of Glasgow. At six years old, she moved with her parents (of Irish descent) to Stafford, England. As a child, she developed a deep love for literature and poetry, which was nurtured by her parents and teachers. This early exposure to the power of words and storytelling played a significant role in shaping her future career as a writer.

At the age of 16, Duffy moved to Liverpool and began a ten year relationship with then 39 year old Liverpudlian poet Adrain Henri. She says of him:

He gave me confidence … he was great. It was all poetry, very heady, and he was never faithful. He thought poets has a duty to be unfaithful.
from The Times article of 5th Spetember 2005, by Jeanette Winterson

Duffy’s love of literature was fostered and encouraged by her school teachers and her ten year relationship with Henri, along with the poets, writers and artists she mixed with during that decade. She studied philosophy at the University of Liverpool and went on to earn a master’s degree in the subject. Throughout her life, Duffy has been open about her sexuality and has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Her personal relationships have also influenced her work, particularly her long-term partnership with fellow poet Jackie Kay, with whom she lived and raised children between 1991 and 2005. Duffy’s personal experiences, emotions, and reflections often find their way into her poetry, lending it a deeply personal and relatable quality.

Career and Achievements

Duffy has a remarkable body of work that has earned her numerous awards and critical acclaim throughout her career. Her debut collection, “Standing Female Nude” (1985), contributed significantly to her rise to the poetry scene, attracting attention for its sharp wit and feminist perspectives.

Notably, in 2009, Duffy made history by becoming the first female and the first openly gay, Poet Laureate in the United Kingdom, a highly respected position she held until 2019. Throughout her career, Duffy has received numerous awards, including the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Costa Book Award, and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.

In 2009 as Poet Laureate, Duffy wrote about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and invited other poets to write more poetry to reflect on modern conflict. If you are interested, you can check out her poem, Last Post, and fellow poet Jane Weir’s contribution, Poppies:

Context of 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'

‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ is, in part, autobiographical. Mrs Tilscher was a real teacher, and Duffy draws out her positive, loving and caring nature in the imagery of the poem.

Another feature of the poem which draws on the real world is the reference to ‘Brady and Hindley’.

Brady and Hindley

Brady and Hindley are the surnames of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, who were convicted for the murder of five children and teenagers in the 1960s. They became known as the “Moors Murderers” due to the fact that they buried their victims on Saddleworth Moor in Greater Manchester. The murders were shocking and caused fear throughout the country. Brady and Hindley were sentenced to life imprisonment. You can read more here.

In ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s class,’ Duffy references Brady and Hindley to highlight the idea of innocence lost. Mrs Tilscher’s class is described as a place which is safe and loving. Duffy highlights the safety of the classroom by mentioning that these murderers ‘faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake’. The dangers of the outside world fade, but they are there, lurking in the background. There is tension between the safety that Mrs Tilscher creates in her classroom and the very real dangers of the outside world. In the final stanza, the protection offered by Mrs Tilscher comes to an end.

The ‘feverish July’ dawns, marking the end of the school year, and as Mrs Tilscher turns away, ‘the sky split open into a thunderstorm’. The mention of Brady and Hindley is used as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and the dangers of the world. The pupils slowly realise that the world, while full of excitement and wonder, can also be dark and dangerous, as highlighted by the ominous ending of the poem.

Line-by-line analysis of 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'

Stanza 1

You could travel up the Blue Nile

Visual imagery evokes the sense of travel and exploration, creating a visual journey for the reader.
The metaphor of the Blue Nile symbolises the vastness and possibility of knowledge and experience.
‘You’ gives this poem a timeless quality, reminding the reader of their own early primary school days.

with your finger, tracing the route

The active verb ‘tracing’ makes this experience immersive, as if it were a traveller mapping out the journey.
Sensory imagery appeals to the sense of touch, enhancing the reader’s immersion in the scene.

while Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery.

Alliteration in the repetition of the ‘s’ sounds in “Mrs Tilscher chanted the scenery” creates a musical quality, enhancing the rhythm of the line.
The verb ‘chanted’ gives an auditory dimension to the line, engaging the reader in this geography lesson.

Tana. Ethiopia. Khartoum. Aswân.

The list of specific geographical locations adds to the sense of a journey. Each item in the list is punctuated with a full stop, adding a longer pause and creating a stronger auditory effect. The list is reminiscent of rote learning activities from school. The verb ‘chanted’ suggests this repetition to help students learn the place names.
Each place name is exotic, especially for a class in the early 1960s when distant travel was more expensive than most families could afford, representing learning as glamorous.

That for an hour, then a skittle of milk

The caesura in the middle of the line creates a short pause, creating a sense of continuity in the story, and reinforcing the safety of the classroom routine.
The “skittle of milk” represents a break in lessons.
Milk is a symbol of nourishment, reinforcing the image that the children are safe, protected and well cared for in Mrs Tilscher’s classroom.

and the chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust.

The symbolism of the Pyramids rubbed into dust suggests the interactive art lessons which often take place in primary schools – perhaps chalky drawings are made by the children.
The imagery is tactile, adding texture to the description.

A window opened with a long pole.

The opening of the window is perhaps a metaphor for a new perspective or insight gained through learning, with the window representing a portal to the outside world, offering opportunities for exploration and discovery.
The window pole may be another familiar memory for an older generation who used a long pole to hook onto the window mechanism to open high windows. Classrooms tend not to be designed this way today.

The laugh of a bell swung by a running child.

The bell is personified as laughing, giving it human-like qualities of fun and playfulness.
Combining auditory (‘laugh’) and visual (‘swung by a running child’) imagery creates a multisensory experience for the reader.

Stanza 2

This was better than home. Enthralling books.

The speaker contrasts the excitement of learning in the classroom with the familiarity of home life, highlighting the importance of education.
The comparative adjective “better” sounds almost child-like in its enthusiasm for school.

The classroom glowed like a sweet shop.

The simile compares the classroom to a sweet shop, emphasising its colourful and inviting atmosphere.
The imagery evokes the sensory experience of entering a sweet shop and is another very child-like, innocent and enthusiastic description.

Sugar paper. Coloured shapes. Brady and Hindley

The list of resources such as ‘sugar paper’ and ‘coloured shapes’ emphasises the abundance and variety of materials in the classroom which facilitates creativity and learning.
‘Brady and Hindley’ are mentioned above in detail in the context section.
This line contains a list of three, with each item separated by a full stop, creating a caesura (a pause in the middle of the line).
The triplet structure in this line creates an odd and unsettling effect: placing ‘sugar paper’ with ‘coloured shapes’ and then the names of two serial killers minimises their impact, blurring the excitement of the classroom and the dangers of the real world into one.

faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake.

The speaker uses the fading memory of the notorious criminals Brady and Hindley as a visual metaphor, suggesting the diminishing significance of darker aspects of life outside the classroom.
The simile compares the fading memory to “the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake,” creating a vivid image of rubbing out, something done frequently in the classroom. The speaker suggests that inside the safety of the classroom, dangers fade like errors on a page.

Mrs Tilscher loved you. Some mornings, you found

The short, factual nature of the sentence ‘Mrs Tilscher loved you’ is childlike and trusting. There is no doubt for these young children.
The universal nature of ‘you’ makes this feel timeless: Mrs Tilscher loves all her students, every year, regardless. The world of Mrs Tilscher’s classroom is once again established as safe, wholesome and trusting.

she’d left a good gold star by your name.

The gold star symbolises recognition and achievement, motivating students to succeed and love learning.
Alliteration in the phrase “good gold star” emphasises its importance for the child who receives it.

The scent of a pencil slowly, carefully, shaved.

Duffy uses olfactory (smell) imagery to evokes the sensory experience of sharpening a pencil, appealing to the reader’s memories of their own childhood.
The words “slowly, carefully” mimic the deliberate sound and rhythm of pencil sharpening, enhancing the sensory imagery.

A xylophone’s nonsense heard from another form.

Auditory imagery is used to describe the sound of a xylophone, adding to the immersive atmosphere of the school environment.
Synesthesia (combining of sensory imagery) is used with the auditory imagery of the xylophone sounds combined with the smell of the pencil and the sight of the gold star in the previous lines, creating a multisensory experience for the reader.
At the end of the stanza, there is the first reference to a world outside of Mrs Tilscher’s classroom – the sounds of nonsense from another form up the corridor. This fleeting reference to the outside world becomes more significant in the next two stanzas.

Stanza 3

Over the Easter term, the inky tadpoles changed

The reference to the Easter term here reminds the reader that time is moving on. Time is not to be considered too literally here, as the speaker seems to move from childhood into adolescence during the poem, not just within one school year. Instead, the reference to Easter reminds us that time is moving on and that Easter and spring are a time of change and rebirth.
The tadpoles to frogs science classes are another common feature of primary school learning. Tadpoles are easy to collect and care for and are often kept in tanks in primary school classrooms. They are a great model for teaching life cycles and also work well as a metaphor for growth, change and personal development into adulthood.

from commas into exclamation marks. Three frogs

The frog metaphor is extended by comparing the shape of the tadpoles to ‘commas’, and the shape of the froglets as ‘exclamation marks’.
By using a punctuation metaphor, the speaker also reminds us that the children are growing and developing too, learning new writing skills as the term moves on. There is a sense of growth and transformation in this verse which is becoming increasingly unsettling for the speaker.

hopped in the playground, freed by a dunce,

These three frogs symbolise freedom, contrasting with the structured environment of the classroom. They also remind us that while the tadpoles on the classroom windowsill are still tadpoles, outside the classroom and out in the real world, there are adults (adult frogs in this metaphor), representing knowledge and potential danger.

followed by a line of kids, jumping and croaking

In this line, the speaker depicts a playful scene of children imitating the frogs, adding to the sense of freedom and joy.
However, the verbs ‘jumping and croaking’ create a metaphor of the children themselves as frogs. They are also subject to the growth and adolescence they are learning about among the frogs.

away from the lunch queue. A rough boy

The children jump away from the lunch queue, perhaps representing the freedom from the careful structure of Mrs Tilscher’s classroom, and the wildness of life in the real world.
The adjective ‘rough’ is spoken from the point of view of an young child. His roughness is unclear: perhaps in his knowledge, or his desire to share that knowledge with another kid who is not yet ready to hear what he has to say, or in his overall demeanor.

told you how you were born. You kicked him, but stared

Conflict is introduced in the poem here, as the speaker describes a confrontation with a boy, highlighting the clash between childhood innocence and adult knowledge.
It is ironic that the speaker’s reaction to the revelation of this ‘rough boy’ is to kick him, showing the speaker’s own rough actions.

at your parents, appalled, when you got back home.

The adjective ‘appalled’ is separated by a comma on either side, adding emphasis through the pausing in the line. This caesura highlights the speaker’s disgust and the fact that they are unprepared for adult realities.

Stanza 4

That feverish July, the air tasted of electricity.

Sensory imagery is used to create the sensation of taste, adding to the vividness of the description.
Pathetic fallacy (matching the weather to the mood) is used to describe the atmosphere of July as tasting like electricity, suggesting a charged and intense environment.

A tangible alarm made you always untidy, hot,

The speaker describes the physical and emotional discomfort of adolescence in the adjectives ‘untidy, hot’.
Alliteration of the ‘h’ sound in “hot” on this line and “heavy” on the next, creates a harsh and oppressive tone, mirroring the discomfort felt by the speaker.

fractious under the heavy, sexy sky. You asked her

‘fractious’ makes clear the mood here is oppressive and fraught, mirrored by the ‘heavy, sexy sky’. ‘Sexy’ is an odd word to use in relation to nature, but Duffy infuses the language of growing up with the world around the speaker, emphasising that change is everywhere and inescapable.

how you were born and Mrs Tilscher smiled,

Mrs Tilscher’s avoidance of the question symbolises the delicate balance between innocence and knowledge, hinting at the complexities of growing up.
Mrs Tilscher is a feature of the speakers young childhood, and as with many relationships in life, people move apart. Mrs Tilscher gets a new class and loves them, and the speaker is expected to move on into the world with greater independence.

then turned away. Reports were handed out.

Mrs Tilscher’s smile and turn conveys a sense of reluctance or discomfort, suggesting the difficulty of addressing certain topics in the classroom. It also suggests the temporal nature of the relationship: Mrs Tilscher is not the person to explain this.
The handing out of reports symbolises the end of the school year and the transition to a new phase of life.

You ran through the gates, impatient to be grown,

The speaker’s desire to be grown is juxtaposed with the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the thunderstorm, highlighting the ambivalence of youth towards maturity. Only a few short lines before, the speaker was horrified by the adult world, but now they are ‘impatient’.

as the sky split open into a thunderstorm.

The thunderstorm symbolises the tumultuous emotions and uncertainties associated with growing up, contrasting with the speaker’s eagerness to embrace adulthood.
Again, the thunderstorm reminds us of the dangers of the real world that the speaker is so eager now to embrace.

Analysis of form and structure

Verse structure

The poem ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ is composed of four stanzas. Verses one and two both contain eight lines, while verses three and four contain seven lines. This uneven verse length suggests something of the uneven and unpredictable nature of growing up.

Eight lines verses (octaves) are common in poetry as poets often use rhyme in pairs. However, there is a destabilising effect in reducing from eight to seven in the second half of the poem, which happens at the same time as there is a shift in the content of the verses. The first half of the poem is safe, secure and childlike. The second half shows how children grow up and are influenced by the world around them, showing a loss of innocence and a sense of change.

Rhyme

In Mrs Tilscher’s Class does not have a regular rhyme scheme, making it irregular or free. While some lines use assonance, consonance and alliteration to create fluency and sound effects, there is no discernible pattern or regularity in the rhyme scheme.

Rhythm

As with the rhyme, there is no regular pattern in the poem’s rhythm or meter. Some lines are longer than others, and many are broken by punctuation, or expended with enjambment. These features create the poem’s fluid and conversational style, allowing for greater emphasis on imagery, symbolism, and themes than on rhythm and rhyme structures.

What symbolism is created in 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'?

The classroom

In “In Mrs Tilscher’s Class” by Carol Ann Duffy, the classroom symbolises the speaker’s journey from childhood innocence to the complexities of adolescence. The classroom is portrayed as a sanctuary of sorts, with the reassuring presence of Mrs Tilscher, who teaches the children about life and the wider world.

However, as the poem progresses, the classroom becomes a microcosm of the outside world, with the children beginning to explore the darker side of life – betrayal, death, and sex. The classroom ultimately symbolizes the crucial role teachers play in guiding their students through the tumultuous journey of growing up, preparing them for the inevitable challenges they will face in the wider world.

The weather

In “In Mrs Tilscher’s Class,” the weather symbolises the change and upheaval of emotions that come with growing up and leaving childhood behind. At the beginning of the poem, the weather is not explicitly described. However, the mention of a “window opened with a long pole” suggests warm, sunny days, reflecting the innocence and wonder of the narrator’s earlier years.

As the poem progresses and the narrator becomes more aware of the realities of the world, the weather becomes more intense and unpredictable, just like the emotions that come with adolescence.

In the final stanza, adolescence is symbolised through pathetic fallacy. The weather reflects the shifts and changes in the speaker’s age and self-understanding. Growing up is presented as a highly charged storm, electric: ‘hot, fractious under the heavy, sexy sky’. The stormy weather at the end of the poem represents the narrator’s growing pains and the uncertainty of what lies ahead as they leave behind the safety and familiarity of Mrs Tilscher’s classroom and enter the unknown world of adulthood.

Ultimately, the weather serves as a powerful symbol of the changes and challenges that come with growing up.

How does Duffy present childhood in 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class'?

The presentation of childhood is initially loving, exciting, and full of playful adventures. Comparing the classroom to a sweetshop appropriately captures the magic of being a kid. Positive words like ‘laugh,’ ‘enthralling,’ ‘better,’ and ‘glowed’ reinforce this positive atmosphere. Another important element is that of safety: the children are safe in the classroom, away from the dangers of serial killers, thunderstorms and older kids.

However, as the poem progresses, there’s a shift into the realisation of the darker aspects of life and the transition into adolescence. The moment when a “rough boy told you how you were born” symbolises the loss of innocence. The speaker confronts the harsh realities of adulthood and sexuality, leaving them disturbed and perplexed. Negative words like ‘rough,’ ‘kicked,’ and ‘appalled’ reinforce the tone of this shift.

Themes in 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class' by Carol Ann Duffy

Childhood innocence

The poem vividly captures the innocence and wonder of childhood experiences within the classroom setting. Through sensory imagery and nostalgic memories, Duffy portrays the classroom as a haven where students have on imaginative journeys and engage in playful learning activities. The themes of security, trust, and unconditional love from the teacher, Mrs Tilscher, contribute to the portrayal of childhood as a time of curiosity and exploration untroubled by adult concerns. A great comparison essay could be written to compare this poem with Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice. MacNeice’s poem sees the world as a dangerous, threatening and unstable place for a child to be born into, while Duffy suggests that structure and support are present, in an age-appropriate way.

Education and growth

Education serves as a central theme in the poem, highlighting the transformative power of learning and intellectual development. Mrs Tilscher’s guidance and encouragement nurture the students’ curiosity and creativity, symbolised by the growth in nature and academic milestones throughout the school year. The poem suggests that education is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about personal growth and self-discovery, as students navigate the complexities of childhood and adolescence.

Loss of innocence

As the school year progresses and the students mature, the poem explores the inevitable loss of childhood innocence. The changing seasons and weather symbolise the passage of time and the transition from childhood to adolescence. The children’s growth is marked by moments of discomfort and revelation. The speaker’s confrontation with adult realities, such as learning about birth, reflects the bittersweet process of growing up and the loss of the carefree innocence of childhood.

Quiz

Quiz on ‘In Mrs Tilscher’s Class’ by Carol Ann Duffy

Test your knowledge of the poem 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class' by Carol Ann Duffy.

Comprehension Questions:

Describe the imagery used to depict the classroom in “In Mrs Tilscher’s Class.” How does Duffy create a vivid picture of the classroom environment?
What role does Mrs Tilscher play in the poem? How does the speaker feel about her?
How does Duffy use the changing seasons to convey the passage of time and the progression of the school year?
Discuss the significance of the gold stars left by Mrs Tilscher next to some of the children’s names. What do they represent?
What themes are explored through the transformation of tadpoles into frogs in the poem?
How does the poem portray the transition from childhood innocence to the complexities of adolescence? Provide examples from the text to support your answer.
What emotions does the speaker experience during the feverish July described in the poem? How does Duffy convey these emotions through imagery and language?
Analyse the symbolism of the thunderstorm at the end of the poem. What does it represent in terms of the speaker’s journey towards adulthood?
Discuss the contrast between the classroom environment and the outside world as portrayed in the poem. How does Duffy use this contrast to convey themes of safety and nostalgia?
Compare and contrast the significance of memory and nostalgia in “In Mrs Tilscher’s Class” to one other poem from your anthology. How do memories of childhood shape our identities in these two poems?

Other poems from the CCEA Identity Anthology to pair with 'In Mrs Tilscher's Class':

Kid by Simon Armitage

Armitage’s poem about the disbanding of the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin also explores the central themes of childhood, growing up and a dawning awareness of adolescence. Both poems offer a reflection on the loss of innocence and the passing of time as we grow older, despite the differences in their tone (Duffy’s is nostalgic while Armitage’s is more cynical and sarcastic) and structure (Duffy’s is broken into stanzas while Armitage’s is one stanza).

I Remember, I Remember by Philip Larkin

Larkin’s poem is an interesting comparison to Duffy’s: Duffy recounts the loving care of a childhood in Mrs Tilscher’s care. Larkin, on the other hand, recounts a list of things he didn’t get to do in his childhood. It is a somewhat bitter reflection on his own childhood.

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