Maude clare

Question 1

Structure

Answer 1

• Ballad stanza
  -rhyming ABCB
• second and fourth lines rhyme
• dialect words - beck for a stream - ballad heritage

Question 2

Summary of the poem?

Answer 2

• story about a wedding
• Attended, not interrupted by Maude Clare
• Groom involved with her before bride
• Nell - generic country girl name
• Thomas - significantly - means Twin - name of disciple of “doubting Thomas” who refused to believe resurrection of Jesus - put fingers into his wounds
• Man in “two minds” split between both women

Question 3

What does Maude Clare aim to do?

Answer 3

• prick Thomas’ conscious with his gift

Question 4

“i have brought my gift…”” To bless the hearth”

Answer 4

• Half the golden chain he wore
• Gives back shared love gift before the new wedding

Question 5

What do the lilies represent?

Answer 5

• Symbol of their relationship
• purity , innocence, new marriage with Nell
• fertility of new relationship

Question 6

“My share of a fickle heart, mine of a paltry love, take it or leave it”

Answer 6

• saying nell can have thomas
• His love is not worth of Maude
• Biblical reference to Pilate washing his hands of the condemnation of christ in gospels (quiet resonance)
• welcomes nell to thomas

Question 7

How does Nell respond to Maude?

Answer 7

-“what you leave, i’ll take”
- “For hes my lord for better or worse”
- Nell says she doesnt care about Maude Clare
- Doesnt care about previous relationship
- Welcome thomas
- “I’ll love him TILL he loves me best”
- Different view of marriage - Nell loves Thomas in anticipation of him learning to love her