No, Thank You John

Title

Direct and firm but polite

Form

• Ballad quatrains → quatrains, conservational feel, ABAB

• Sense someone else is there → “I have no heart? - perhaps I have not” (duologue)

• First person → “don’t call me false” - reacting to what he said

John Brett

Rossetti was involved, but not engaged

Speaker

Frustrate, dominant and has own voice

“You know”

Told him already. Repeating herself. Sense of response

“Always “do” and “pray””

Needy. Pleading for her love. Quote from him

“Do” and “pray” = commanding imperative

“Toast”

Wedding toast. Not my fault you’re loving and celebrating me

“Meg or Moll”

• Margaret and Molly. Unimportant and diminitive

• Anyone would have John

“Perform the task”

Marriage is an act. False/fake. Boring chore

“Use your common sense”

Stupid. Passive aggressive

“Let bygones be bygones”

Something is from an older time. It is what it is

“I’d rather answer “No” to fifty Johns, Than answer “Yes” to you”

Unimportant, definitive, harsh, bitter, sarcastic, hyperbole → emphasises strength of her emotion

“Forget the days before”

Life is too short so don’t waste it

“I’ll wink at your untruth”

Turn a blind eye and ignore it. “Untruth” is him saying she loved him

Enjambment

Sense of pleading. Continuity of emotion

“Open treaty. Rise above”

Agreement. Divorce? Sense of marital and divorce papers

“Friendship”

Emphasise rejection

“No, thank you, John”

Cyclical end. Continual

Tone changes → frustration to maturity

Diffinitive statements dignified