Minor declarative sentences such as “Harder.” Suggests dominance in its tone, but the word "harder" also has sexual connotations in the context in which it is used. This is also seen through the structure of her stanza as she breaks the first and second stanza mid-sentence, the first ending with "sex" the second opening with "is better". The way the phrase is divided between the two stanzas is designed by Duffy to emphasize "sex", as sexuality is a central means of dominating the opposite sex in the poem The audience is forced to focus on the single word ". sex" to emphasize her importance in the power dynamic between her and the Beast. Insisting that sex is "better" suggests that she is comparing other members of the opposite sex, which suggests that intrasexual competition does not. is not just between women, as the poker game suggests, but is imposed on men by women based on how they sexually satisfy their desires.