A farmer's bride

Who wrote it ?

Charlotte Mew

Give 3 pieces of context relationg to the poem ?

• in the 19th centuary marriages were organised for financial gain
• Mew was a homosexual which was against societal tradititions
• She commited suiside at the age of 58

Give context on women’s rights in the 19th centurary ?

• women were seen as property of their male counterparts
• women did not really have ant say
• not much choice in who they married

What are the temes of this poem ?

• unrequited love
• longing
• possesion

What is the meaning of the use of a dramatic monologue in the poem ?

the poem is written in a dramatic monolouge to emphasise how voiceless the wife is, presenting how the speaker dictates his bride and how she is perceived, Putting him in the dominant part of the relationship.

What is the form of the poem ?

What does it show ?

free form

this highlights how the speaker and the bride are not in love or in sync due to the irregularity but instead conflict each other. presenting the absense of love in their relationship

What is the rhyme scheme ?

What does this present ?

there is no fixed rhyme scheme

this is deliberatley crafted to be percieved as uncrafted to portray the farmer’s lack of education on love and romance making him small minded

What does the possesion of the seasons convey ?

The progression of seasons show the passing of time and symoblise the brides fridigity to give into the farmer no matter how long they have been together

What is the syllable count in this (iambic…)

what does this create ?

iambic tetrameter

this is creates a faster pace in the poem which mirrors the farmer’s growing impatience with the bride of not consumating the marriage and meeting all his needs

Where is there syllibancw in the poem ?

what does it show ?

the 4th stanza

it communicates his breathy appreciation of her physical beauty emphasisng his lustful desires

Analyse the title of the poem

“ The famer’s bride”

• she is only identified by her relationship with the farmer, no longer being her own person
• a nameless possesion
• bride - not wife indicating relationship has not been consumated
• Context: 19th centruary women were seen as possesions and tools

What is the first quote and analysis ?

“like the shut of a winters day

her smile went out”

• simile
• plosive t sounds emphasise the speed she became unhappy
• went out - envoked the idea of a light which has now exstingusihed aka her happiness
• winters - cold and icy towards him
• winters - metaphorical winter juxtaposes physical summer emphasising lack of warmth and affection

What is the second quotes and analysis ?

“ We chased her, flying like a hare”

• simile
• at all costs he must keep her
• flying - shows her desperation to leave
• hare - sees her as a wild animal that needs to be hunted
• hare - usually timid and skitish

What is the third quote and analysis ?

“turned the key upon her, fast”

• shes his prisoner
• instead of understanding why she did that his solution is to lock her up showing his lack of intelligence and how he sees her as a possesion
• trapping and keeping her at all costs
• ,fast - emphasised by a comma which demonstrates his determination to keep her

What is the fourth quote and analysis

“sweet as the first wild violets, she”

• comparing her to a violet shows how he is physically attracted
• sexual corrolations of virginity

What is the last quote and analysis

“her eyes, her hair, her hair”

• repetition
• only obbsessed with her physical properties
• comminicates his longing and yearing for a physical relationship with his wife
• him giving in and potentially taking what he feels is rightfully his