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24 May 2023
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The Farmer's Bride Poem and Themes for Kids - Key Quotes & Analysis
E
Elizabeth
@elizabethpm
Hunting Imagery and Female Oppression
In "The Farmer's Bride," Charlotte Mew employs powerful hunting imagery to illustrate the terror and oppression experienced by the young bride. This imagery serves to highlight the predatory nature of the husband and the vulnerability of the wife.
Quote: "We chased her, flying like a hare / Before our lanterns. To Church-Town / All in a shiver and a scare / We caught her, fetched her home at last"
This vivid description portrays the wife as prey, desperately trying to escape her husband's clutches. The simile "flying like a hare" emphasizes her fear and desperation, while also dehumanizing her in the eyes of her pursuer.
Example: The hunting imagery continues with phrases like "We chased her" and "We caught her," further reinforcing the idea of the wife as an animal being hunted.
The use of such barbaric imagery serves multiple purposes:
- It illustrates the wife's terror and her desperate need to escape the marriage.
- It reveals the husband's possessive and controlling nature.
- It criticizes the patriarchal society that allows such treatment of women.
Highlight: The hunting imagery in "The Farmer's Bride" is a powerful tool used by Mew to critique the oppressive nature of marriage for women in early 20th century society.
This imagery, combined with the poem's structure and language choices, creates a chilling portrait of a woman trapped in an abusive and controlling relationship, unable to voice her own desires or fears.
Themes of Patriarchy and Female Voicelessness
"The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew is a powerful exploration of patriarchal themes and the silencing of women in early 20th century society. The poem's structure and content work together to highlight the oppressive nature of marriage for women during this period.
Key themes of patriarchy in the poem include:
- Female Objectification: The farmer's obsession with his wife's physical attributes, particularly her hair, reduces her to an object of desire rather than a person with agency.
- Loss of Identity: The bride remains unnamed throughout the poem, symbolizing her loss of individual identity within the marriage.
- Voicelessness: The poem is told entirely from the farmer's perspective, leaving the bride without a voice to express her own thoughts and feelings.
Quote: "I've hardly heard her speak at all."
This line emphasizes the bride's silence and withdrawal, highlighting her lack of agency within the marriage.
Definition: Patriarchy refers to a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
The poem's structure as a dramatic monologue further reinforces these themes by allowing only the farmer's perspective to be heard. This narrative choice mirrors the societal norms of the time, where women's voices were often silenced or ignored.
Highlight: The themes of patriarchy in "The Farmer's Bride" serve as a critique of the unequal power dynamics in marriage and the broader societal structures that perpetuated female oppression.
By exploring these themes, Mew challenges readers to question the accepted norms of her time and consider the devastating impact of patriarchal systems on women's lives and identities.
Page 4: Concluding Analysis
The final page examines the poem's closing imagery and symbolism.
Highlight: The simile comparing the bride to natural elements emphasizes her wild nature and desire for freedom.
Quote: "Straight and slight as a young larch tree"
The page concludes with analysis of the rhetorical question "But what to me?" which reveals the farmer's frustration and inability to understand his wife's perspective.
The Farmer's Bride: Context and Structure
The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew is a poignant exploration of marriage and female oppression in early 20th century society. This poem, written from the perspective of a possessive farmer husband, provides a stark commentary on the patriarchal norms of the time.
Charlotte Mew, despite her tragic personal life, emerged as an influential female voice in poetry. The poem's structure reflects the deteriorating relationship between the farmer and his bride:
- First two stanzas: Depict the failing marriage
- Last stanzas: Convey the husband's sadness and desire
Highlight: The poem is structured as a dramatic monologue, primarily in iambic tetrameter with varying rhyme schemes, giving it a strong rhythm that drives the narrative forward without becoming predictable.
The title itself, "The Farmer's Bride," with its possessive apostrophe, immediately suggests the wife's lack of agency in the relationship.
Quote: "Three Summers since I chose a maid / Too young maybe - but more's to do / At harvest-time than bide and woo."
This opening stanza sets the tone for the entire poem, highlighting the farmer's practical approach to marriage and his disregard for his young bride's feelings.
Vocabulary:
- Bide: To wait or remain
- Woo: To seek the affection or love of someone
The poem's structure and language choices effectively convey the unequal power dynamics in the marriage, emphasizing the bride's voicelessness and the farmer's control.
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Anna
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Best app on earth! no words because it’s 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 didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m 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 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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 it’s 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 didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m 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 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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 Farmer's Bride Poem and Themes for Kids - Key Quotes & Analysis
E
Elizabeth
@elizabethpm
The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew explores themes of patriarchy, marriage, and female oppression through a dramatic monologue. The poem presents a disturbing narrative of a controlling farmer and his young, frightened bride.
Key aspects:
- Told from the farmer's perspective... Show more
Hunting Imagery and Female Oppression
In "The Farmer's Bride," Charlotte Mew employs powerful hunting imagery to illustrate the terror and oppression experienced by the young bride. This imagery serves to highlight the predatory nature of the husband and the vulnerability of the wife.
Quote: "We chased her, flying like a hare / Before our lanterns. To Church-Town / All in a shiver and a scare / We caught her, fetched her home at last"
This vivid description portrays the wife as prey, desperately trying to escape her husband's clutches. The simile "flying like a hare" emphasizes her fear and desperation, while also dehumanizing her in the eyes of her pursuer.
Example: The hunting imagery continues with phrases like "We chased her" and "We caught her," further reinforcing the idea of the wife as an animal being hunted.
The use of such barbaric imagery serves multiple purposes:
- It illustrates the wife's terror and her desperate need to escape the marriage.
- It reveals the husband's possessive and controlling nature.
- It criticizes the patriarchal society that allows such treatment of women.
Highlight: The hunting imagery in "The Farmer's Bride" is a powerful tool used by Mew to critique the oppressive nature of marriage for women in early 20th century society.
This imagery, combined with the poem's structure and language choices, creates a chilling portrait of a woman trapped in an abusive and controlling relationship, unable to voice her own desires or fears.
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Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Themes of Patriarchy and Female Voicelessness
"The Farmer's Bride" by Charlotte Mew is a powerful exploration of patriarchal themes and the silencing of women in early 20th century society. The poem's structure and content work together to highlight the oppressive nature of marriage for women during this period.
Key themes of patriarchy in the poem include:
- Female Objectification: The farmer's obsession with his wife's physical attributes, particularly her hair, reduces her to an object of desire rather than a person with agency.
- Loss of Identity: The bride remains unnamed throughout the poem, symbolizing her loss of individual identity within the marriage.
- Voicelessness: The poem is told entirely from the farmer's perspective, leaving the bride without a voice to express her own thoughts and feelings.
Quote: "I've hardly heard her speak at all."
This line emphasizes the bride's silence and withdrawal, highlighting her lack of agency within the marriage.
Definition: Patriarchy refers to a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
The poem's structure as a dramatic monologue further reinforces these themes by allowing only the farmer's perspective to be heard. This narrative choice mirrors the societal norms of the time, where women's voices were often silenced or ignored.
Highlight: The themes of patriarchy in "The Farmer's Bride" serve as a critique of the unequal power dynamics in marriage and the broader societal structures that perpetuated female oppression.
By exploring these themes, Mew challenges readers to question the accepted norms of her time and consider the devastating impact of patriarchal systems on women's lives and identities.
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Page 4: Concluding Analysis
The final page examines the poem's closing imagery and symbolism.
Highlight: The simile comparing the bride to natural elements emphasizes her wild nature and desire for freedom.
Quote: "Straight and slight as a young larch tree"
The page concludes with analysis of the rhetorical question "But what to me?" which reveals the farmer's frustration and inability to understand his wife's perspective.
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: Context and Structure
The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew is a poignant exploration of marriage and female oppression in early 20th century society. This poem, written from the perspective of a possessive farmer husband, provides a stark commentary on the patriarchal norms of the time.
Charlotte Mew, despite her tragic personal life, emerged as an influential female voice in poetry. The poem's structure reflects the deteriorating relationship between the farmer and his bride:
- First two stanzas: Depict the failing marriage
- Last stanzas: Convey the husband's sadness and desire
Highlight: The poem is structured as a dramatic monologue, primarily in iambic tetrameter with varying rhyme schemes, giving it a strong rhythm that drives the narrative forward without becoming predictable.
The title itself, "The Farmer's Bride," with its possessive apostrophe, immediately suggests the wife's lack of agency in the relationship.
Quote: "Three Summers since I chose a maid / Too young maybe - but more's to do / At harvest-time than bide and woo."
This opening stanza sets the tone for the entire poem, highlighting the farmer's practical approach to marriage and his disregard for his young bride's feelings.
Vocabulary:
- Bide: To wait or remain
- Woo: To seek the affection or love of someone
The poem's structure and language choices effectively convey the unequal power dynamics in the marriage, emphasizing the bride's voicelessness and the farmer's control.
We thought you’d 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 – all at your fingertips.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — 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 it’s 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 didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m 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 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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 it’s 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 didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m 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 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
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