Cousin Kate

Question 1

Yet I’ve a gift you have not got and seem not like to get’

Answer 1

• Contrast
• Shift in the tone of the poem
• Power shift - realization of leverage
• Personal Attack

Question 2

He lured me to his palace home

Answer 2

• Lure has connotation of trickery and manipulation -exploitation of vulnerability
• Paints the speaker as vulnerable and having been taken advantage of: creates sympathy

Question 3

Your love was writ in sand

Answer 3

• Imagery
• Sand has connotations of unsubstantialality
• No foundation - diminishing relationship - jealousy

Question 4

To lead a shameless, shameful life, his plaything and his love

Answer 4

• oxymoronic
• Juxtaposition - I want to know it’s nomination and the other full of love

Question 5

An unclean thing who might have been a dove

Answer 5

• Corruption
• Impurity and immorality
• Dehumanising herself
• Heard morally transgressed
• Dove has connotations of purity and innocence

Question 6

Choose you and cast me by

Answer 6

• Cast has connotations of carelessness
• Cousin Kate’s lack of power - places blame on the Lord

Question 7

Because you were so good and pure, He bound you with his ring

Answer 7

• bound has connotations of restriction entrapment and lack of autonomy
• Good and pure is repeated, possibly showing jealousy
• After this refers to herself as an outcast thing once again, dehumanising herself

Question 8

You had the stronger wing

Answer 8

It’s a reference to dove, showing the narrators jealousy, and the fact that cousin Kate embodies her hopes for herself

Question 9

I sit and howl in dust, you sit in gold and sing

Answer 9

• Shows the despair
• Gold has connotations of purity and joy and comfort
• Clear juxtaposition