"The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew is a narrative poem... Show more
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14
0
Lilia ๐ซ
29/03/2023
English Literature
Love and relationships poetry
517
โข
29 Mar 2023
โข
Exploring 'The Farmer's Bride' Poem: Themes and Analysis
Lilia ๐ซ
@lilia_.
The Farmer's Bride: Page 2 Analysis
The second page of the GCSE poetry anthology interpretation of "The Farmer's Bride" delves deeper into the characterization of the bride and the farmer's conflicted feelings towards her. The bride is repeatedly compared to animals and elements of nature, emphasizing her connection to the natural world and her distance from human society.
A series of similes paint a vivid picture of the bride's character: "Shy as a leveret, swift as he, / Straight and slight as a young larch tree, / Sweet as the first wild violets." These comparisons to young animals and delicate plants underscore her youth, fragility, and wild nature. The phrase "To her wild self. But what to me?" highlights the fundamental disconnect between the bride's true nature and the farmer's desires.
The poem then shifts to describe the changing seasons, creating a melancholic atmosphere that mirrors the farmer's loneliness and frustration. The imagery of shortening days, brown oaks, and the approach of Christmas emphasizes the passage of time and the continued isolation within the household.
Quote: "What's Christmas-time without there be / Some other in the house than we!"
This exclamation reveals the farmer's deep longing for companionship and his resentment of the current situation. The description of the bride sleeping alone in the attic, separated from the farmer by just a staircase, creates a palpable sense of tension and unfulfilled desire.
Highlight: The repeated use of "the down, / The soft young down of her, the brown, / The brown of her - her eyes, her hair, her hair!" demonstrates the farmer's obsessive focus on the bride's physical attributes, objectifying her and reducing her to her appearance.
This page of the poem builds on the themes in The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew, particularly the conflict between human desires and the natural world, as well as the objectification and isolation of the young bride.
Walking Away: Page 3 Analysis
The third page of the transcript shifts to a different poem, "Walking Away" by Cecil Day-Lewis, which explores themes of parental love, loss, and the process of letting go. This poem provides an interesting contrast to "The Farmer's Bride" while still dealing with themes of separation and emotional struggle.
The speaker in "Walking Away" is a father recalling a significant moment from eighteen years ago when he watched his young son play his first game of football. The vivid imagery of the "sunny day with leaves just turning" and "touch-lines new-ruled" creates a precise snapshot of this memory, emphasizing its lasting impact on the father.
Highlight: The use of cosmic imagery in the simile "like a satellite / Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away" powerfully conveys the sense of separation and loss of control the father feels as his son begins to gain independence.
The poem employs several similes to describe the son's departure, each emphasizing his vulnerability and the father's anxiety. The son is compared to "a half-fledged thing set free / Into a wilderness" and "a winged seed loosened from its parent stem," highlighting the natural yet potentially dangerous process of growing up and leaving the safety of parental care.
Vocabulary: Eddying - moving in a circular motion, used here to describe the son's uncertain movements away from the father.
The final stanza reflects on the lasting impact of this memory, with the speaker admitting that this parting "Gnaws at my mind still." The poem concludes with a powerful statement about the nature of love and individuality:
Quote: "How selfhood begins with a walking away, / And love is proved in the letting go."
This ending encapsulates the central theme of the poem: that true parental love involves accepting and supporting a child's journey towards independence, even when it causes pain and anxiety for the parent.
The Farmer's Bride: Page 1 Analysis
The opening stanza of "The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew introduces the central conflict of the poem through the farmer's perspective. The speaker, a farmer, recounts choosing a young bride three summers ago, acknowledging she may have been too young but justifying his haste due to the demands of harvest time. This sets up the power imbalance and lack of courtship that characterizes their relationship.
The bride's fear and withdrawal are vividly depicted through similes and imagery. Her smile disappearing is compared to "the shut of a winter's day," emphasizing the coldness and darkness that has come over her. The description of her as "a little frightened fay" rather than a woman dehumanizes her, highlighting her otherworldly nature and disconnect from human society.
The dramatic event of the bride running away "in the Fall" is recounted, with the farmer and other men chasing her "like a hare / Before our lanterns." This hunting imagery reinforces the bride's vulnerable position and her desperate attempt to escape.
Highlight: The use of non-standard English and rural dialect creates an authentic voice for the farmer narrator and grounds the poem in its rustic setting.
Vocabulary: Fay - an archaic term for fairy, emphasizing the bride's otherworldly and elusive nature.
The stanza ends with the disturbing image of the bride being caught, brought home, and locked up "fast," treating her more like a captured animal than a human being. This confinement sets the stage for the rest of the poem's exploration of her isolation and the farmer's frustrated desire.
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4.8/5
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Exploring 'The Farmer's Bride' Poem: Themes and Analysis
Lilia ๐ซ
@lilia_.
"The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew is a narrative poem exploring themes of unrequited love, isolation, and the clash between human desires and nature. The poem is told from the perspective of a farmer who marries a young woman who... Show more
The Farmer's Bride: Page 2 Analysis
The second page of the GCSE poetry anthology interpretation of "The Farmer's Bride" delves deeper into the characterization of the bride and the farmer's conflicted feelings towards her. The bride is repeatedly compared to animals and elements of nature, emphasizing her connection to the natural world and her distance from human society.
A series of similes paint a vivid picture of the bride's character: "Shy as a leveret, swift as he, / Straight and slight as a young larch tree, / Sweet as the first wild violets." These comparisons to young animals and delicate plants underscore her youth, fragility, and wild nature. The phrase "To her wild self. But what to me?" highlights the fundamental disconnect between the bride's true nature and the farmer's desires.
The poem then shifts to describe the changing seasons, creating a melancholic atmosphere that mirrors the farmer's loneliness and frustration. The imagery of shortening days, brown oaks, and the approach of Christmas emphasizes the passage of time and the continued isolation within the household.
Quote: "What's Christmas-time without there be / Some other in the house than we!"
This exclamation reveals the farmer's deep longing for companionship and his resentment of the current situation. The description of the bride sleeping alone in the attic, separated from the farmer by just a staircase, creates a palpable sense of tension and unfulfilled desire.
Highlight: The repeated use of "the down, / The soft young down of her, the brown, / The brown of her - her eyes, her hair, her hair!" demonstrates the farmer's obsessive focus on the bride's physical attributes, objectifying her and reducing her to her appearance.
This page of the poem builds on the themes in The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew, particularly the conflict between human desires and the natural world, as well as the objectification and isolation of the young bride.
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Walking Away: Page 3 Analysis
The third page of the transcript shifts to a different poem, "Walking Away" by Cecil Day-Lewis, which explores themes of parental love, loss, and the process of letting go. This poem provides an interesting contrast to "The Farmer's Bride" while still dealing with themes of separation and emotional struggle.
The speaker in "Walking Away" is a father recalling a significant moment from eighteen years ago when he watched his young son play his first game of football. The vivid imagery of the "sunny day with leaves just turning" and "touch-lines new-ruled" creates a precise snapshot of this memory, emphasizing its lasting impact on the father.
Highlight: The use of cosmic imagery in the simile "like a satellite / Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away" powerfully conveys the sense of separation and loss of control the father feels as his son begins to gain independence.
The poem employs several similes to describe the son's departure, each emphasizing his vulnerability and the father's anxiety. The son is compared to "a half-fledged thing set free / Into a wilderness" and "a winged seed loosened from its parent stem," highlighting the natural yet potentially dangerous process of growing up and leaving the safety of parental care.
Vocabulary: Eddying - moving in a circular motion, used here to describe the son's uncertain movements away from the father.
The final stanza reflects on the lasting impact of this memory, with the speaker admitting that this parting "Gnaws at my mind still." The poem concludes with a powerful statement about the nature of love and individuality:
Quote: "How selfhood begins with a walking away, / And love is proved in the letting go."
This ending encapsulates the central theme of the poem: that true parental love involves accepting and supporting a child's journey towards independence, even when it causes pain and anxiety for the parent.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The Farmer's Bride: Page 1 Analysis
The opening stanza of "The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew introduces the central conflict of the poem through the farmer's perspective. The speaker, a farmer, recounts choosing a young bride three summers ago, acknowledging she may have been too young but justifying his haste due to the demands of harvest time. This sets up the power imbalance and lack of courtship that characterizes their relationship.
The bride's fear and withdrawal are vividly depicted through similes and imagery. Her smile disappearing is compared to "the shut of a winter's day," emphasizing the coldness and darkness that has come over her. The description of her as "a little frightened fay" rather than a woman dehumanizes her, highlighting her otherworldly nature and disconnect from human society.
The dramatic event of the bride running away "in the Fall" is recounted, with the farmer and other men chasing her "like a hare / Before our lanterns." This hunting imagery reinforces the bride's vulnerable position and her desperate attempt to escape.
Highlight: The use of non-standard English and rural dialect creates an authentic voice for the farmer narrator and grounds the poem in its rustic setting.
Vocabulary: Fay - an archaic term for fairy, emphasizing the bride's otherworldly and elusive nature.
The stanza ends with the disturbing image of the bride being caught, brought home, and locked up "fast," treating her more like a captured animal than a human being. This confinement sets the stage for the rest of the poem's exploration of her isolation and the farmer's frustrated desire.
We thought youโd never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help โ all at your fingertips.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us โ and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because itโs too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didnโt even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as Iโm sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH ๐๐๐ฒ๐ค๐โจ๐๐ฎ
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user