The Farmer's Bride

Context

• Charlotte Mew was an English poet who wrote during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her poetry often deals with themes of unrequited love, isolation, and mental illness. "The Farmer's Bride," published in 1916, explores the dynamics of a rural marriage where the wife is emotionally distant and fearful of her husband, highlighting themes of power, control, and unfulfilled desire.

The Poem

Three summers since I chose a maid,

Too young maybe—but more's to do

At harvest-time than bide and woo.

When us was wed she turned afraid

Of love and me and all things human;

Like the shut of a winter's day

← Simile

Her smile went out, and 'twadn't a woman—

More like a little frightened fay.

One night, in the Fall, she runned away.

"Out 'mong the sheep, her be," they said,

'Should properly have been abed;

But sure enough she wadn't there

Lying awake with her wide brown stare.

So over seven-acre field and up-along across the down

We chased her, flying like a hare

← Imagery

Before our lanterns. To Church-Town

All in a shiver and a scare

We caught her, fetched her home at last

And turned the key upon her, fast.

She does the work about the house

As well as most, but like a mouse:

Happy enough to chat and play

With birds and rabbits and such as they,

So long as men-folk keep away.

"Not near, not near!" her eyes beseech

When one of us comes within reach.

The women say that beasts in stall

Look round like children at her call.

I've hardly heard her speak at all.

Shy as a leveret, swift as he,

← Metaphor

Straight and slight as a young larch tree,

Sweet as the first wild violets, she,

To her wild self. But what to me?

The short days shorten and the oaks are brown,

The blue smoke rises to the low grey sky,

One leaf in the still air falls slowly down,

A magpie's spotted feathers lie

On the black earth spread white with rime,

The berries redden up to Christmas-time.

← Symbolism

What's Christmas-time without there be

Some other in the house than we!

She sleeps up in the attic there

Alone, poor maid. 'Tis but a stair

Betwixt us. Oh! my God! the down,

The soft young down of her, the brown,

The brown of her—her eyes, her hair, her hair!

← Repetition

5 quotes + analysis to achieve a grade 9

1. Language Device = Simile. "Like the shut of a winter's day / Her smile went out"

• Analysis: The simile compares her sudden withdrawal to the abrupt end of daylight in winter. This emphasises the stark change in her demeanour and the cold, distant nature of her relationship with her husband.

2. Language Device = Imagery. "We chased her, flying like a hare"

• Analysis: The imagery of chasing her "like a hare" suggests fear and desperation. It depicts her as a hunted animal, emphasising her terror and the lack of freedom in her marriage.

3. Language Device = Metaphor. "Shy as a leveret, swift as he"

• Analysis: The metaphor likens her to a young hare, highlighting her timidity and quick movements. This comparison underscores her vulnerability and fearfulness in the presence of men.

4. Language Device = Symbolism. "The berries redden up to Christmas-time"

• Analysis: The imagery of berries ripening symbolises the passage of time and the cycle of seasons. It reflects the ongoing, unchanging nature of the farmer's unfulfilled desire and the growing sense of isolation and melancholy.

5. Language Device = Repetition. "Her hair, her hair!"

• Analysis: The repetition emphasises the farmer's obsession with her physical appearance, particularly her hair. This fixation highlights his longing and frustration over her emotional distance and the lack of intimacy in their relationship.

Form & Structure Points to Mention for Top Grades

• Dramatic Monologue: The poem is written as a dramatic monologue from the farmer's perspective.
  • Effect: This form allows readers to understand the farmer's thoughts and feelings intimately, revealing his frustration and longing, as well as his lack of understanding of his wife's perspective.
• Rhyme Scheme: The poem uses a varied rhyme scheme, contributing to a conversational tone.
  • Effect: The irregular rhyme scheme mirrors the disjointed and troubled nature of their relationship, reflecting the unpredictability and tension within the marriage.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment creates a flowing, continuous narrative.
  • Effect: This technique enhances the sense of ongoing struggle and unresolved tension, reflecting the farmer's continuous preoccupation with his wife's behaviour and their relationship.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "The Farmer's Bride," Charlotte Mew presents ideas about unfulfilled desire and isolation through vivid imagery and a dramatic monologue. The poem opens with the simile, "Like the shut of a winter's day / Her smile went out," capturing the sudden and stark withdrawal of the wife from the relationship. This imagery emphasises the emotional coldness and distance that characterises their marriage. The imagery of "We chased her, flying like a hare" depicts the wife as a hunted animal, highlighting her fear and desperation, which further isolates her within the marriage. The metaphor "Shy as a leveret, swift as he" reinforces her vulnerability and timidity, contrasting sharply with the farmer's desire for a more intimate connection. The symbolic imagery of "The berries redden up to Christmas-time" reflects the passage of time and the farmer's ongoing, unfulfilled longing, enhancing the sense of isolation and melancholy. Finally, the repetition of "Her hair, her hair!" underscores the farmer's obsession with her physical appearance, highlighting his frustration over their lack of intimacy. Through these literary devices, Mew effectively captures the themes of unfulfilled desire and isolation, illustrating the profound emotional disconnect within the marriage.