Summary
Summary The Farmer's Bride - Charlotte Mew
AQA GCSE English Literature Poetry for Love and Relationships - The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew
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Possessive tone – sounds likeshe belongs to him
Shows system of patriarchy (male authority
The Farmer’s Bride – domination) – suggests she didn’t have
much choice about their marriage
Simile – Hints that the Farmer had a practical and
shows how Three summers since I chose a maid, unromantic approach to marriage. He also doesn’t
sudden the Too young maybe—but more’s to do want to get to know her as there is a lot of work
change was – At harvest-time than bide and woo. to do – she is a product of the Victorian society.
winter days Sense of genuine for the Bride. She wasn’t afraid until after
When us was wed she turned afraid
go dark very they got married – this could hint that he is responsible for
Of love and me and all things human;
quickly her fear in some way.
Like the shut of a winter’s day
Anticipates the comparisons to animals
Her smile went out, and ’twadn’t a woman—
that follow. It is a strong statement but
More like a little frightened fay. the source of the fear is a mystery
One night, in the Fall, she runned away.
Simile – the Bride was described
The Bride has some power. Dialect of the Farmer – we can
as a fairy – they were seen as
hear his voice and it’s the one he shares with his community
dangerous in the Victorian period
The Farmer “Out ’mong the sheep, her be,” they said,
Simile/Metaphor – her fear is emphasised, by describing
cares what Should properly have been abed;
her as the fastest animal, like a hunted animal. ‘Scare’ is
the society But sure enough she wadn’t there
rhymed with ‘hare’, which emphasises the comparison
say about Lying awake with her wide brown stare.
him So over seven-acre field and up-along across the down Emphasises the hypocrisy – they
are chasing her (un-Christian)
We chased her, flying like a hare
Hunting Before out lanterns. To Church-Town The whole village seems to be involved as they
imagery – All in a shiver and a scare have encourage him to chase her – this adds to
suggests the sense that she is being hunted
We caught her, fetched her home at last
her terror Rhyming couplet – emphasises the
And turned the key upon her, fast.
decisive action of locking her up away like
Simile – she is linked with small prey a prisoner and makes it sound sinister
animals to show her vulnerability
She does the work about the house Watershed moment/Present tense – emphasises his resigned, baffled
tone. She is a good housewife as she listens to him – she does what is
As well as most, but like a mouse:
The Bride is Happy enough to chat and play expected for her in the relationship, apart from loving her husband
terrified of With birds and rabbits and such as they, The Bride is nearly silent and only speaks to
her husband animals – she sounds withdrawn and depressed
So long as men-folk keep away.
and other
“Not near, not near!” her eyes beseech The Bride criticised women as she believes
men they have a part of men domination
When one of us comes within reach.
Simile – shows that the animals trusts the Bride and look for
The women say that beasts in stall
her to care – may suggest that the Farmer is jealous of them
Look round like children at her call.
Rhyming triplet – emphasises the speaker’s frustration at his
I’ve hardly heard her speak at all.
wife’s behaviour even though she has been treated as an animal
Simile – links back to the imagery of the hunt
– she feels under threat and is much weaker Alliteration – emphasises her link with nature. It could reflect
Weak Shy as a leveret, swift as he, the speaker’s growing agitation and his unfulfilled desire for her
and thin Straight and slight as a young larch tree,
Sweet as the first wild violets, she, Rhetorical question – it breaks his happier thoughts of
To her wild self. But what to me? her in springtime and takes him back to the winter scene
Has connotations both of
an unspoilt freedom and The speaker feels sorry for himself
of a rejection of people and has no sympathy for his wife
, Sad, lonely image – symbolises his sinking
hope that she will ever come to him freely
The short days shorten and the oaks are brown,
The blue smoke rises to the low grey sky, Associated with bad luck – suggests
One leaf in the still air falls slowly down, that he feels cursed to be with his wife
A magpie’s spotted feathers lie Winter is used to suggest the decay
On the black earth spread white with rime, and death of the speaker’s hopes
The berries redden up to Christmas-time.
Christmas is about the birth of a child – they have
What’s Christmas-time without there be
no children because of her refusal to be with him
Some other in the house than we! physically. This emphasises the religious hypocrisy
First sign of sympathy but also suggests she is
still a virgin – a ‘maid’ in an unmarried girl The speaker is aware of her physical closeness, adding to his
She sleeps up in the attic there frustration. First act of evil – plans to rape her to give a child
Alone, poor maid. ’Tis but a stair Repetition of ‘her hair’ – the speaker is
Betwixt us. Oh! my God! the down, breaking down and losing control as he
The soft young down of her, the brown, has lost himself into her appearance
The brown of her—her eyes, her hair, her hair!
Animalistic imagery – shows the speaker’s desire
for her – even though these qualities are also the
source of his frustration. Internal rhyme of ‘brown’
and ‘down’ emphasises his desire and frustration
Charlotte Mew
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