Little Red Cap

Little Red Cap is based on the fairy tale story known as Little Red Riding Hood, but was originally titled Little Red Cap by Wilhelm Grimm. Duffy altered the original storyline to create a dominant female character, but the poem can also be read as an autobiography of an important period of time in her life. Duffy related herself to the story of Little Red Cap to the story of her own first love. This piece of poetry is a version of Duffy herself, as it is inspired by her first relationship, and about a young girl becoming a poet. She used her relationship with poet Adrian Henri to create her version of Little Red Cap. 

Imagery

• The title of the poem grabs your attention and reminds you of Little Red Riding Hood, a children’s story. This is clever, as it sets the readers mind to thinking about the story, which means that the reader can connect all of the similarities in the poem to the children’s story, for example; “What big eyes he had! What teeth!”
• A good example of the imagery Duffy has used in this poem is, “Away from home, to a dark tangled thorny place”. The way she has used these words makes the image very clear for the reader to imagine exactly what the Wolf’s lair must be like, a nasty place, away from the protection and safety of her home.St

Structure 

• The stanzas throughout the poem are irregular. Stanza 5 is the longest one in the poem and the rushed enjambment of the words gives the reader a sense of excitement.