Ruined maid Flashcards
Who wrote this poem?
Thomas Hardy
What historical period was this poem written in and why is it significant
-Victorian period where there was a huge division between the rich and the poor.
-Favored industrial development and discouraged agriculture
What is the structure of the poem, the rhyme scheme
6 quatrains, AABB rhyme structure, the BB are couplets
What is the time period of the Victorian era
1837-1901
What themes can be found in this poem
- Love and gender
- Social class and love
- Appearance
- Woman hood
- The natural world
What was a prominent double standard in Victorian society
Women were unable to express their sexuality outside of the confines of marriage whereas men were allowed to do as they pleased
What is the meaning of the title of the poem
Which woman in truly ruined, Amelia who labels herself as ruined despite looking comfortable or the rural woman who is physically ruined from labour but not ruined by Victorian societal sense
What metre does most of the poem cover, give examples and it meaning
• Anapestic trimeter
• “ My dear, a raw country girl, such as you be/ cannot quite expect that”.
• Give the reader a strong sense of the formal accent put on by Amelia
• Emphasises the difference between Amelia and the ruined woman
What voice is the poem written in?
A dialogue which creates a clear sense of dichotomy and contrasts between the town and the country they represent
What is the function of caesura in the poem and give examples
• Lines broken by caesura puts greater emphasis on the ideas explored
• Lines 3-4
What figure of speech is used in this sentence and state it’s significance
“ And thik oon and theas oon and t’other but now Your talking quite fits ee for high compa-ny”
Enjambment here elongates the emphasis on “now”, which emphasis the great differences between the City Amelia and the Country Amelia
What figure of speech is used in this sentence and give its significance
“You left us in tatters, without shoes or socks, Tired of digging potatoes, and sounding up docks”
Assonance, the heavy sound emphasises the difficulties of country life
Which stanza contains prominent alliterations and what is it purpose
Stanza 2, gives a sense of the bubblines and chattery nature of Amelia’s friend
Give a quotation in the poem that is prominent in repetition and state the meaning of its use
• “ Ruined said she”
• Represented as climbing the social ladder
• Makes ruined seem desirable rather than isolating
What figure of speech is used in the following sentence and state it’s use
“And you sigh, and you’d sock, but at present you seem”
The subtle sound changes indicates a dislike for the woman Amelia has become
