Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan
Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan is a satirical, darkly comic poem that critiques family life, social authority, and the cultural dominance of television. The narrative unfolds in a mock-legal style where a wife, in frustration, destroys the household TV and is punished with imprisonment. For Leaving Certificate Higher Level students, Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan is valuable because it showcases his use of humour, irony, and social commentary. It allows candidates to score marks through analysis of tone, imagery, and the poem’s theatrical presentation of domestic conflict.
Where Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail Fits in the Course
This poem appears in the prescribed Durcan selection on Paper 2, Section B: Poetry. It rewards answers that identify humour, exaggeration, and satire, but also show how Durcan uses comic performance to expose serious issues: family breakdown, consumerism, and gender roles. Strong answers explain not only what happens but why the devices matter for exam discussion.
Line by Line Analysis
Opening declaration
“Judge: She came home, my lord, / and smashed in the television.” The mock-legal format sets a theatrical tone. The formality of “my lord” contrasts comically with the absurdity of smashing a TV. This exaggerated opening allows students to discuss Durcan’s use of parody to expose the seriousness with which society treats trivial issues.
The act of destruction
“We were watching Kojak. / She marched into the living room / and declared war on it.” The reference to “Kojak”, a 1970s American cop show, grounds the satire in popular culture. The wife’s “declared war” phrase heightens the comic exaggeration. For exam use: this quote links to themes of consumerism and rebellion against passive television culture.
Children’s testimony
“My children stared at me in absolute horror / As the television lay broken.” Here, Durcan dramatises the children’s misplaced loyalty to the TV. The exaggeration of “absolute horror” satirises how entertainment becomes more important than relationships. This is examinable as social critique: the family worships the television as a false idol.
The punishment
“She has been sentenced to jail / for smashing in the television set.” The absurdity of jail for breaking a TV mocks legal and social authority. It highlights Durcan’s critique of how society values property and consumer goods above human freedom or family relationships.
Themes in Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan
- Consumerism and Culture: The television symbolises cultural control. The wife’s destruction of it, “declared war on it”, exposes frustration with consumerist passivity.
- Family Conflict: The children’s “absolute horror” shows fractured loyalties, where television matters more than parental authority.
- Authority and Control: The judge’s verdict, sentencing her to prison, parodies the excessive power of institutions in dictating domestic life.
- Gender Roles: The wife is punished for rebellion, while the male authority figures—the husband, judge—control the narrative.
- Humour and Satire: Exaggeration, parody, and comic dialogue allow Durcan to critique without lecturing, a feature students should always highlight.
Mood
The mood of Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan is comic and absurd on the surface, but beneath lies frustration and critique. The humour entertains, but the underlying tone questions family values, institutional authority, and the cultural hold of television.
Poetic Devices
- Parody: Courtroom speech is parodied to mock authority.
- Exaggeration: “Declared war on it” satirises overreactions to domestic conflict.
- Symbolism: The television represents consumerism and false family unity.
- Dramatic Monologue: Characters’ voices, including the judge and husband, create a theatrical narrative.
- Juxtaposition: The triviality of a smashed TV against the gravity of jail highlights absurdity.
Evidence That Scores
“She marched into the living room / and declared war on it”
Strong for discussing rebellion against consumerism and use of exaggeration.“My children stared at me in absolute horror”
Useful for exploring family dynamics and misplaced priorities.“She has been sentenced to jail / for smashing in the television set”
Perfect for satire and critique of authority.
Model H1 Paragraph
In Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan, the poet satirises modern family life through humour and parody. The wife “declared war on it” when smashing the television, a comic exaggeration that symbolises rebellion against consumerist culture. Her children’s reaction, “absolute horror”, is significant evidence in exams as it reveals misplaced loyalties: the television matters more than family unity. Finally, the absurd sentencing, “She has been sentenced to jail / for smashing in the television set”, parodies legal and social institutions that prioritise property over people. Together, these moments demonstrate Durcan’s ability to combine comedy with critique, a style central to his poetic voice and examinable across his work.
Pitfalls
- Summarising the “story” of the wife’s act without analysing devices such as parody and exaggeration.
- Overlooking the social critique in favour of only the humour.
- Failing to explain why the television is symbolic rather than just an object.
Rapid Revision Drills
- How does Durcan use parody in Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan to critique authority?
- What does the television symbolise in the poem, and how does its destruction affect family dynamics?
- Analyse how humour operates in the poem: does it conceal or reveal deeper tensions?
Exam Application
When writing on Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan, centre your essay on satire and symbolism. Always link quotations to consumerism, family dynamics, or authority. Examiners reward precise evidence analysis, not retelling. Connect humour with critique to secure higher-level marks.
Key Takeaways
Wife Who Smashed Television Gets Jail by Paul Durcan uses parody, exaggeration, and symbolism to expose consumer culture, family tension, and institutional authority. It is highly examinable because it combines humour with social critique. The best answers show how Durcan transforms a comic domestic scene into a commentary on Irish life, always tying evidence such as “declared war on it” or “sentenced to jail” to broader themes for marks.
