Carol Ann Duffy's poem "Standing Female Nude" is an ambiguous dramatic monologue of an unfulfilled proletarian woman. The poem explores the fight for power between the two characters, the ‘nude’ woman and the male artist. It emphasises the issues of social and gender separation (objectification of women) in France and explores Marxist philosophies. The model prostitute tries to “make a few francs”, which suggests that is all she is worth, while the painter tries to create a piece of art to become a great, “serious” artist. They use each other, but it is the woman who is subordinated to the men who gradually throughout the poem gains triumphant power over the man. “Standing Female Nude” is from Duffy’s first collection, when she was in her thirties, where there was a lot of social injustice, both class and gender injustice. The author as a strong feminist had to, like the poem's narrator, lay her soul bare in a male-led world.

In the course of the poem, Duffy exploits a range of techniques such as alliteration, “six hours for a few francs”, in order to highlight the model’s irritation and contempt of the disempowered situation she’s in. The author also uses imagery technique - through sexual overtones she belittles the artist, even though at first it is the model who seems to be in the thrall of the artist. “Little man / you’ve not got the money for the arts I sell”, where the words choice - “little” insinuates the man’s reduction in status and being sexually dismissive.

In the first stanza, through the relaxed, colloquial language, often filled with sexual overtones i.e. “belly nipple arse”, the slang and lack of possessive determiner show the model’s detachment (in a physical aspect) which is implemented as a survival mechanism. The objectification is highlighted again through the use of enjambments - short directions "Further to the right Madam", where "Madam" is clearly a sarcastic remark, as the model is just a “river-whore” (juxtaposition) who sells her body in many ways. The model has no control, when the painter “drains the colour from” her, he also, metaphorically, drains her of life, of power and truth. She feels irritated and down, however she is also self-aware and amused by the fact that the "river-whore" is being transformed into great art, someone else's art. The onomatopoeic "coo" of the bourgeoisie makes fun of the upper class, as she poses in order to to supplement her income, her assessment doesn’t correspond to that made by people who claim to appreciate art.

In the second stanza the objectification continues as the artist is merely concerned with abstracts ("volume, space”). The model is "too thin" - her appearance and his inhuman expectations affect his art. She sees his superiority over her - "Madame, this is not good". She laughs at the irony of her future, is sceptical about what they call an art and undermines the power the painter had over her. “Little man” belittles the artist, she is the one in power now and he’s presented as an inadequate figure.

In the third stanza the model becomes aware of the sexual power she possesses. ”He stiffens for my warmth” reduces the status of men, it highlights how men can’t contain their sexual urges and consequently rely on women to fulfil their equal desires. This scenario is well known to her, and this is how she gains the control. This possession is expressed with a sexual metaphor - "he possesses me on canvas as he dips the brush repeatedly into the paint". We can clearly see the change in power and attitudes, now she is toying with him. This is still a business deal, they're not that different ("little man”). ‘Both poor, we make our living how we can’ - despite the imbalances of power, they are not that different - they both do that out of necessity.

In the fourth stanza, they both in a system of capitalism just do their jobs. He "takes himself too seriously”, while she is still able to "fill herself with wine and dance around the bars” and escapes from confining society. She's not that object “bourgeoisie” payed to call Art - “It doesn’t look like me” contradicts the point of her standing there “for six hours”. Final “twelve francs” emphasises how a direct sexual contact is not possible, as he can’t afford her sex rates as a commodity. The model denies that the image that has been ascribed to her by men and society, her essence hasn’t been captured.

Carol Duffy brings the objectified and disempowered woman to life by raising her voice through a dramatic monologue, which lets us connect with the character, not only with the presentation of her, but with her true-self. Even though her position in society is objectified and she’s “Standing Nude” vulnerably, she’s confident and assertive and still “Standing” - standing up for her rights. It shows Duffy’s attitude towards the society and the culture’s exploitation of its elements.