Poem 6 - Charlotte Mew - The Farmer's Bride

Question 1

When was the poet alive?

Answer 1

1869-1928

Question 2

When was the poem published?

Answer 2

1912

Question 3

What is the poem written?

Answer 3

A farmer who has been married for three years, but his bride is frightened of him and other men. He tells the story of how his relationship went wrong, he finds her rejection unbearable, and has to resist taking her by force.

Question 4

Describe the form of the poem.

Answer 4

The poem follows a dramatic monologue, in mostly iambic tetrameter, with a varying rhyme scheme, which gives the poem a strong rhythmic drive that pushes the narrative forward.

Question 5

Describe the structure of the poem.

Answer 5

The first two stanzas tell the story of how his marriage fell apart, and the rest of the poem goes on to describe how she is now, his feelings towards her, such as his sadness and desire.

Question 6

Describe the use of dialect in the poem.

Answer 6

The poem is written in a farmer’s stereotypical dialect, which helps build the farmer’s character and allows us to read the poem imagining the character’s voice.

Question 7

How language about nature used in the poem?

Answer 7

Most of the imagery used by the farmer follows a natural theme, this reflects his identity, meanwhile his descriptions of his wife liken her to being wild, and a hunted animal.

Question 8

What is implied through the use of “I chose” (Line 1)?

Answer 8

It suggests that she didn’t have much choice in marrying him, which is reflected in the title, suggesting in some way she belonged to him. This was common at the time of its writing due to the patriarchal nature of early nineteenth-century society.

Question 9

What does “more’s to do// At harvest-time than bide and woo.” (Lines 2 and 3) show about the narrator’s view towards marriage?

Answer 9

The farmer seems to have a practical and unromantic approach to marriage.

Question 10

What is suggested by “When we was wed she turned afraid” (Line 4)?

Answer 10

The fact that she wasn’t afraid until the wedding suggests that it may have been the narrator’s fault in some way.

Question 11

What is the purpose of “all things human;” (Line 5)?

Answer 11

The strong statement leaves the cause of the maid’s fear a mystery, which builds a sense of intrigue for the reader, similarly, the mention of her being afraid of humans leads the reader to anticipate the animal imagery that follows.

Question 12

What does “Like the shut of a winter’s day” (Line 6) show the reader?

Answer 12

The simile shows how sudden the change was, winter days go dark very quickly, the maid became afraid very quickly too.

Question 13

What is the significance of “she runned away.” (Line 8) and “‘Out ‘mong the sheep, her be,’ they said,// Should properly have been abed;” (Lines 9 and 10)?

Answer 13

The use of dialect allows the reader to better picture the farmer’s voice, as it is one he shares with his community.

Question 14

What is the significance of “We chased her,” (Line 15)?

Answer 14

The hunting imagery reflects how terrified the maid was.

Question 15

What does “hare” (Line 15) and “shiver and a scare” (Line 17) show the reader?

Answer 15

They express the maid’s fear physically, she is likened a hunted animal, “scare” and “hare” are rhymed to make this comparison more evident.

Question 16

What is the effect of “We” (Line 18)?

Answer 16

It seems as though the whole village is involved in finding the maid, which adds to the idea that she’s being hunted.

Question 17

What is the significance of “last” (Line 18) and “fast” (Line 19)?

Answer 17

The rhyming couplet emphasises the decisive action of locking her away and makes it seem sinister.

Question 18

What is the significance of “She does the work about the house// As well as most,” (Lines 20 and 21)?

Answer 18

The tense changes to present tense, which emphasises the farmer’s resigned, baffled tone. The maid does all that is expected of her as a housewife, except love her husband.

Question 19

What is the effect of “mouse:” (Line 21)?

Answer 19

The link to small prey animals shows the maid’s vulnerability.

Question 20

What does “birds and rabbits” (Line 23) show the reader?

Answer 20

The maid is nearly silent and only talks to animals, she sounds socially withdrawn and possibly depressed.

Question 21

What is the effect of “beasts in stall// Look round like children at her call.” (Lines 27 and 28)?

Answer 21

The simile shows the reader how the farm animals trust her and look to her for care, it’s possible that, as a farmer, he’s jealous of her connection to the animals.

Question 22

What is the significance of “stall” (Line 27), “call.” (Line 28) and “all.” (Line 29)?

Answer 22

The rhyming triplet emphasises the narrator’s frustration at his wife’s behaviour.

Question 23

What effect does the sibilance in stanza 4 have on the reader?

Answer 23

The repeated use of sibilant sounds seems natural and soft, it emphasises her link with nature. The irregularity of this short stanza could reflect the farmer’s growing agitation by this link and his unfulfilled desire for her.

Question 24

What is the significance of “leveret” (Line 30)?

Answer 24

It links back to the hunting imagery of the hunt, it shows the maid still feels under threat.

Question 25

What is the significance of “wild” (Line 33)?

Answer 25

It has connotations with both her unspoilt freedom and rejection of people.

Question 26

What effect does “But what to me” (Line 33) have on the reader?

Answer 26

The rhetorical question breaks his happier thoughts of the maid in the springtime and takes the farmer back to the winter scene.

Question 27

What is the significance of “One leaf in the still air falls slowly down” (Line 36)?

Answer 27

The sad, lonely image is a reflection of the farmer and symbolises his sinking hope that she will ever choose to come to him.

Question 28

Why does the poet use “black earth spread white with rime,” (Line 38)?

Answer 28

Winter is used to imply the death and decay of his hopes.

Question 29

What is the significance of “What’s Christmas-time without there be// Some other in the house than we!” *(Lines 40 and 41)?

Answer 29

Christmas is about the birth of a child, this is sad for the farmer since the maid’s refusal of him means he has no children.

Question 30

What is the effect of “poor maid.” (Line 43)?

Answer 30

It sounds sympathetic, but also, the use of “maid” implies she’s still a virgin- a maid is a young, unmarried girl.

Question 31

What is the significance of “but a star// Betwixt us.” (Lines 43 and 44)?

Answer 31

It reminds the reader and the farmer of the maid’s physical closeness, which adds to his frustration.

Question 32

What is the significance of “soft young down of her; the brown,// The brown of her” (Lines 45 and 46)?

Answer 32

The animal-like descriptions are similar to the animal references earlier in the poem, then it showed the source of his irritation, but here it also displays his desire for the maid. The internal rhyme of “down” and “brown” mimics how he desires her and is irritated by her.

Question 33

What is the effect of “her eyes, her hair, her hair!” (Line 46)?

Answer 33

The frantic sounding repetition of the half rhyme “her hair” seems to show the farmer having a breakdown and losing control.