Maude clare (final) Flashcards
(21 cards)
STRUCTURE
12 quatrains
narrative form
‘with a lofty step and mien’
CONFIDENCE, ASSERTS MAUDE’S POWER AND DOMINANCE - CHALLENGE THE NOTION OF THE FEMALE ROLE AS WEAK AND PASSIVE IN VICTORIAN SOCIETY
HIS BRIDE WAS LIKE A VILLAGE MAID, MAUDE WAS LIKE A QUEEN
-contrast between two women (comparison of the female experience)
MAID CONNOTES INNOCENCE- MORE DESIREABLE
QUEEN- conntotes vanity of unattainability, less deireable as a bride as more assertive- victorians valued more passive purer maids
almost in tears
unclear emotions, SUGGESTS GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OF WOMEN BEING POSSESSED CONTINUEING
MAY NELL AND YOU LIVE AS TRUE AS WE HAVE DONE FOR YEARS
Inconsistent rhyme scheme- perhaps yearning to break from tradition of marriage
your father thirty years ago had just your tale to tell
connotes expectations of men in society
repetition of the word pale
ambiguois repetition of pale, shows paralleled nervousness (sense of repetitive cycle)
‘My lord was pale with inward strife’
And nell was pale with pride
Ambiguous narrator, possessive pronoun, implies her everlasting power over him despite the contraints of marriagre
sense of disparity in emotions (lack of connection between them)
MY LORD GAZED LONG ON PALE MAUDE CLARE
USE OF WORD LONG INTENSIFIES/ ELONGATES GAZE
‘Lo i have brought my gift my lord’
exclamatory declaration, asserts herself- rare for female (conflicting femininst views)
MY LORD- sense of possession repeated
‘TO BLESS THE HEARTH, TO BLESS THE BOARD, TO BLESS THE MARRIAGE BED’
isolated line of to bless the marriage bed
sexual connotations alludes to their past
repeated blessings- insincere
‘Here’s my half of the golden chain yOU WORE AROUND YOUR NECK”
half- suggestive of seperation
golden chain worn around neck- perhaps held her innocence around his neck- alludes to element of possession, PATRIARCHAL CONTROL OVER WOMEN
‘that day we waded ankle deep for lillies in the beck’
-ONLY ANKLE DEEP- metaphor for the superficiality of the relationship and unfufilled commitment
lilies- death or purity- connotes loss of purity or e d of relationhsip due to lack of commitment
‘here’s my half of the fading leaves we plucked from the budding bough’
ALLITERATION BRINGS ATTENTION TO THE PREMATURITY
faded leaves- faded nature of their relationship and decay of purity
plucked- suggestive of premature sexual relations- virginity and plucking too soon (link to apple gathering)
‘WITH FEET AMONGST THE LILY LEAVES’
trampled upon her chastity
‘he strove to match her with scorn for scorn’
‘he faltered in his place’
‘and hid his face’
MAUDES DOMINANCE CHALLENGES THE NOTION OF THE FEMALE ROLE IN SOCIETY
INFERIORITY/ IMMASCULATED
ASHAMED SHOWS PATRIARCHAL REPONSIBILITY
‘My lady nell- i have brought a gift for you; though were it fruit the blooms were gone, Or were it flowers ], the dew’
RESPECTFUL/ PITYING TONE
FRUIT- METAPHOR FOR LOSS OF PURITY AND SEXUAL TRANSGRESSION
‘TAKE MY SHARE OF A FICKLE HEART,
MINE OF PALTRY LOVE’
feminist perspective- insinuating that women should have more choice
shows inadequate nature of thomas’s affections
‘take it or leave it as you will’
feminist insinuates women shld have more choice - shows tradition of women and society
‘FOR HE’S MY LORD FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE’
possesion of husband over wife
shopws naievity of nell
women forced to conform to societal expectations
link to angel 0f the house
REFERENCE TO MARRIAGE VOWS SHOWS INESCAPABLE SOCIAL SYSTEM
‘though your taller by head and much more fair’
BEAUTY STANDARDS AND IDEAL FEMININITY , SHOWS TEMPTING FEATURES OF MAUDE CLARE VS CHASTITY OF NELL.
