Essay
Comparison of ‘An Argument’ and ‘My Pretty Rose Tree’
An essay of approximately 1000 words comparing the poems 'An Argument' and 'My Pretty Rose Tree'
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Comparison of ‘An Argument’ and ‘My Pretty Rose Tree’Nicole Pinborough
Both ‘An Argument’, by Thomas Moore, and ‘My Pretty Rose Tree’, by William Blake, are written
in the first person, giving the reader a biased view from the narrator’s perspective. This creates
a confessional tone, which suits the theme of love, while providing a sense of honesty. The
simplistic language employed permits the reader to understand clearly the narrator’s point of
view, as well as creating a nursery rhyme quality. Furthermore, Moore uses the basic language
in ‘An Argument’ to subtly imply the intelligence of the male speaker and the lack of intelligence
of the woman he is speaking to. The persuasive, argumentative and almost threatening attitude
of the narrator is evident in his patronising tone and language, making the reader sympathetic
with the female character.
On the other hand, Blake offers a much more narrative poem that suggests the narrator is
talking about a woman and not directly to her. This could be implying the unhealthy nature of a
monogamous relationship as the man and his, we presume, wife cannot communicate
effectively. Blake supported open marriages and disliked the restrictive nature of monogamous
relationships. When this is compared to ‘An Argument’ the lack of communication becomes even
clearer. Moore employs personal pronouns ‘you and I’ to illustrate the bond of strength between
the two lovers and how they will be ‘damned’ together, however inaccurate that is. In this sense
the narrator is implying they will be damned in their life after death, but due to the fact that
women are judged according to their sexuality, if society discovered that his lover had slept
with him before marriage she would be outcast from the community. However, the reputation
of a man is based around his wealth and status of his career and thus is free to have sexual
relationships without any consequence.
In order to render his argument more successful, Moore subverts the rules of the Church, using
them as a reason to surrender to their ‘desires.’ Women were taught to maintain their chastity
by the Church, and by society in general, and would become a ‘fallen woman’ if they were to
have sex before marriage. Moore, however, states that the lovers would be punished for their
thoughts ‘as much as if the deed were done’ and uses the threat of their damnation to force the
woman into it, saying they might as well ‘enjoy some pleasure for our punishment!’ The
narrator’s frustration at his lover’s reluctance is evident through this use of plosives and
emphasised by the exclaimity.
This same concept of thoughts being punished as well as actions is also found in Blake’s ‘My
Pretty Rose Tree,’ in which the narrator suffers his wife’s anger despite having resisted the
temptation of a ‘sweet flower.’ The narrator did what was morally right, something that should
be rewarded, but even so he is punished by his wife as if he had acted immorally. In contrast to
‘An Argument’ many could interpret that the narrator in ‘My Pretty Rose Tree’ might as well
have ‘enjoyed some pleasure for [his] punishment’ as the reaction of his wife gains him
sympathy with the reader.
Blake employs a more descriptive technique compared to Moore; in ‘My Pretty Rose Tree’ the
motif of a flower is maintained throughout, acting as an extended metaphor for love. The
woman who flirts with the narrator is depicted as merely ‘a flower’ implying superficiality and
the transient nature of beauty. Supported by the seasonal symbolism of a ‘May’ flower, Blake
portrays the fleeting idea of beauty, how the flower will bloom and die quickly, and how the
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller npinborough. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.09. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
67474 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now
