The Eve of St Agnes

Question 1

What style is the poem?

Answer 1

Spenserian

Question 2

What does a Spenserian poem suggest?

Answer 2

Initiates thoughts of romance - 16th century

Question 3

Quote to show Porphyro’s villainy?

Answer 3

“stratagem”

Question 4

Quote to show Madeline’s vulnerability?

Answer 4

“regardless eye”

“faery fancy”

Question 5

Quotes which foreshadow the events to come?

Answer 5

“frosted grass” - beginning

“storm” - end

Question 6

What does the pathetic fallacy of “frosted grass” infer?

Answer 6

That reality is cold and harsh, there love cannot exist within this current society

Question 7

What quote demonstrates Porphyros exploitation?

Answer 7

“he might gaze”

Question 8

What does “he might gaze” suggest?

Answer 8

Through a feminist lens, the male gaze is a theory which illustrates women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the male viewer

Question 9

Quote to show the patriarchy of society?

Answer 9

“And win perhaps that night a peerless bride,”

Question 10

What does the quote “and win perhaps that night a peerless bride” suggest?

Answer 10

The verb “wins” indicates that Porphyro is a symbol of the patriarchy, entrapping Madeline as his wife to be “won”

Question 11

What does “peerless bride” suggest?

Answer 11

Porphyro’s superficial reasoning for his admiration of Madeline based wholly on her beauty

Question 12

Quote to demonstrate an eerie setting?

Answer 12

“Out went the taper as she hurried in”

Question 13

What quote further objectifies Madeline?

Answer 13

“so pure a thing”

Question 14

How does the quote “so pure a thing” objectify Madeline?

Answer 14

Through the noun “thing”

Question 15

What is the Madonna Whore dichotomy?

Answer 15

Denotes polarised perceptions of women as either good, chaste and pure or as bad, promiscuous whores

Question 16

What do feminist suggest about the Madonna Whore dichotomy?

Answer 16

That is stems from a desire to reinforce patriarchy

Question 17

What is important about the quote “so pure”?

Answer 17

Porphyro is centrally concerned with Madeline being “pure”, through the Madonna Whore dichotomy, this suggests he can respect Madeline because of her innocence - shows the patriarchy of society

Question 18

Quote which reinforces the sense of a dream state being unlike the real world?

Answer 18

“my Porphyro”

Question 19

What is important about the quote “my Porphyro”?

Answer 19

It indicates that in the dreamworld patriarchy is non-non-existant

Question 20

What are the main themes in The Eve of St Agnes?

Answer 20

Innocence 
Gender
Exploitation 
Love/lust 
Dreams vs reality

Question 21

Quotes to show innocence

Answer 21

“so pure”

Question 22

Quotes to show gender

Answer 22

“Now tell me where is Madeline”

Question 23

Quotes to show exploitation

Answer 23

“he might gaze”

Question 24

Quotes to show love/lust

Answer 24

“he might gaze and worship all unseen”

Question 25

How does “he might gaze and worship all unseen” demonstrate love/lust

Answer 25

It demonstrates his true intentions of taking Madeline’s virginity - not typically qualities of one in love