The Farmer's Bride Quotes

mouse (female vulnerability)

like a mouse

• simile makes her appear quiet and timid, ‘mouse’ connotes weak and submissive. This highlights her vulnerability and lack of power as a women

• this imagery could show how the speaker doesn’t view her as a human being but rather another animal he owns as a farmer, she’s just another part of his property not an equal. This can be supported by how he treats her after she runs away

tree (female vulnerability)

Straight and slight as a young larch tree

• sibilance creates a soft tone, reflecting her quietness and beauty, but possibly also creating a malicious tone towards the husband

• the comparison with a ‘young larch tree’ could portray her as young but also fragile like a small tree which can easily topple over, she’s unstable and vulnerable as she might feel unprotected

• adjective ‘straight’ could be used to describe her body and how she’s still young and so doesn’t have curves

• the multiple references to her youth help display the power he has over her, as she’s younger than him but could also create a dislike for the farmer as he has an almost paedophilic obsession with her, mesmerised by her beauty but constantly describes her youth and vulnerability?

chose (patriarchal power)

I chose a maid

• presentation of the patriarchal system, this marriage wasn’t based on mutual love between them, but more an obligation

• verb ‘chose’ displays his power and authority over her, we have no idea if she had a choice in this, but it seems like it was just up to him and she didn’t have a say

• image of a maid makes her seem below him, like she’s his servant who’s dedicated in pleasing him and has no other things to do

key (patriarchal power)

we caught her … turned the key upon her

• pronoun ‘we’ demonstrates how men collectively control women

• active verb ‘caught’ has harsh hunting connotations which helps show how the farmer is dominant in the relationship, he’s like a predator hunting down his wife, who is certainly not his equal

• Treating his wife as if she were prey dehumanises her and makes her seem powerless

• ‘key’ could be a symbol of his control and ownership over her