"Mrs. Midas" is a revisionist version of the story of King Midas told from a female perspective: traditionally, this ancient Greek myth was about a man who could turn everything into gold with just a touch. This poem explores the sadness that Mrs. Midas feels at the thought of not being able to feel her husband's touch - drawing attention to the anguish, annoyance, and disgust she harbors toward him in the face of his greed. This poem is particularly interesting to feminist critics, because it is possible that Midas is a strong-willed person who does not let her spouse ruin her life, because she runs away and lives without him. However, there is another reading which states that her husband is in control of her emotions and all she wants is a loving and rather traditional husband. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay From the beginning, Duffy's favored voice is that of Mrs. Midas, who tells the expected story from her point of view. This tactic would be of interest to feminist critics, because in literature women are sometimes voiceless or heard only behind the men closest to them; however, it is clear that Ms. Midas is in control and tells her story with some autonomy. Through his humor and metaphors, we are able to understand the breakdown of his marriage as well as the idea that "wealth is not everything" in a different way than the usual story of King Midas conveys this idea. We see that Ms. Midas challenges the social demand for “feminine behavior,” as Simone de Beauvoir would say, when she “pours herself a glass of wine.” This action shows a lack of interest in the idea that women are not supposed to drink. The way the poem is introduced so casually: “It was late September. I had just poured myself a glass of wine…” - gives the poem an air of mystery. However, when we realize that she is telling us about a difficult moment in her life, the casualness seems to be a strength, because we can normally assume that a divorce or separation is always a difficult subject to discuss. Although terrified of her husband, she quickly hides her cat, giving her an air of heroism while making her seem funny: this humor allows the reader to realize that Mrs. Midas is an intellectual woman. Feminist critics may find Mrs. Midas' humor and relaxed personality to reflect a typical but unfair treatment of women in history and literature: there are great personalities among women, but these personalities are rarely mentioned in historical facts or in historical legends. This characteristic of Mrs. Midas can be understood as Duffy attempting to highlight this inequality. Mrs. Midas was once very much in love with her husband, but is now terrified that a kiss will turn his lips into a "work of art." On the other hand, feminist critics can open up other meanings behind "Mrs. Midas" by interpreting Duffy's use of gender roles as showing how much a woman can suffer because of her husband, especially if she always desires – suggesting how in our society it is often thought that a woman is happier with a dominant man. We are first introduced to Mr. Midas when he "snaps a twig": the snap has a violent tone and perhaps suggests that the relationship is rather patriarchal. Even if women can have a voice, it remains weaker than that of men in this configuration. Mrs. Midas's money-hungry, emotionally hurting husband still has the stereotype of a woman.