Of all the elements combined in the complex of signs labelled Margaret Thatcher, it is her voice that sums up the ambiguity of the entire construct. She coos like a dove, hisses like a serpent, bays like a hound [in a contrived upper-class accent] reminiscent not of real toffs but of Wodehouse aunts.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- This describes Thatcher's voice as ambiguous, combining soft and harsh tones in a contrived upper-class accent.
- In plain terms
- Thatcher's voice sounds like a dove, serpent, and hound in a made-up upper-class accent.
- What can you take from it?
- Voice and accent shape public perception significantly.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does voice affect perception?
- Is this description accurate?
Another view
It is a subjective literary description that may not be factual.
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