The Farmer's Bride - Charlotte Mew

• Context


  Mew (1869-1928) published this poem in 1912. She is thought to have been gay, at a time when this wasn't accepted by society. Much of her poetry deals with themes of loneliness, yearning and restriction.
• What the poem's about

  1. A farmer has been married for three years but his bride is frightened of him and other men.

  2. In the poem he tells the story of how the relationship went wrong. He doesn't question whether he has any responsibility for his wife's fear.

  3. He finds her rejection of him almost unbearable, but he expresses his thoughts in a fairly matter-of-fact way. He desires his wife, and by the end it seems he may be struggling to resist taking her by force.
• Feelings and attitudes in the poem

  1. Frustration - He wants to have a sexual relationship with her and have children, but she's unwilling and uncommunicative.

  2. Desire - The farmer is clearly attracted to his wife. This is expressed both in the imagery he uses to describe her and the way he breaks down at the end of the poem.

  3. Fear - The farmer's wife is clearly afraid. There is also a sense of foreboding - the farmer is struggling to control his desire for her, and there is little to suggest that there will be a happy ending for the married couple.
• Form

  The poem is a dramatic monologue, mostly in iambic tetrameter, with a rhyme scheme that varies throughout the poem. This helps give the poem a strong rhythm that drives the narrative forward without becoming predictable. It's written entirely from the farmer's point of view - his wife has no voice.

  "last", "fast." - The rhyming couplet emphasises the decisive action of locking her away and makes it sound sinister.

  "stall", "call.", "all." - Rhyming triplet emphasises the narrators frustration at his wife's behaviour
• Structure

  The farmer tells the story of the marriage failing through the first two stanzas, then goes on to discuss how his wife is now, how he feels towards her, his sadness and desire.
• Dialect


  The poem contains many dialect words, which help to give a strong sense of the farmer's character. We can hear his voice in his language and in his grammar - this adds to the drama as it helps us picture the people involved.

  "When us was wed she turned afraid" - She wasn't afraid until after they were married - this could hint that he's responsible for her fear in some way.

  "she runned away.", "Out 'mong the sheep, her be,' they said, Should properly have been abed;" - Dialect of the farmer - we can hear his voice, and it's one he shares with his community
• What type of imagery does the farmer mainly use?

  Imagery from the natural world
• How does the farmer's use of nature imagery reflect his identity?

  It connects him to his environment and experiences
• What does linking the wife to nature and wildness suggest?

  Her connection to freedom and untamed aspects
• What does the phrase "like the shut of a winter's day" illustrate?

  A sudden change in circumstances
• What does the hunting imagery in "We chased her" suggest about the wife's feelings?

  It suggests her terror and vulnerability
• How does the rhyme of "scare" and "hare" emphasize the wife's fear?

  It highlights her comparison to hunted animals
• What does linking the wife to a "mouse" signify?

  It shows her vulnerability and smallness
• What does the phrase "nearly silent and only speaks to animals" imply about the wife?

  It suggests she is withdrawn and depressed
• What does the simile "beasts in stall look round like children at her call" convey?

  It shows the animals' trust in her care
• What does the mention of "leveret" link back to in the poem?

  It links back to the imagery of the hunt
• What connotations does the word "wild" carry in the context of the poem?

  Unspoilt freedom and rejection of people
• What does the imagery of "One leaf in the still air falls slowly down" symbolize?

  His sinking hope for her return
• How does "black earth spread white with rime" relate to the farmer's emotions?

  It suggests decay and death of his hopes
• What do the animal-like descriptions of the wife reveal about the farmer's feelings?

  His desire for her and frustration
• What does the internal rhyme of "brown" and "down" emphasize?

  His desire and frustration towards her
• What does the word "chose" suggest about the woman's marriage?

  It indicates a system of patriarchy.
• How does the title of the poem reflect the woman's situation?

  It suggests she belongs to her husband.
• What does the phrase "more's to do At harvest-time than bide and woo" imply about the farmer's view on marriage?

  He has a practical and unromantic approach.
• What does the use of "We" in the poem suggest?

  The whole village is involved in her situation.
• What does the line "She does the work about the house As well as most" reveal about the woman?

  She fulfills her expected role as a housewife.
• How does the change to present tense affect the tone of the poem?

  It emphasizes the farmer's resigned, baffled tone.
• What do the repeated sibilant sounds in "Shy", "swift", "Straight", "slight", "Sweet", "she" signify?

  They emphasize her connection with nature.
• What does the irregularity of the stanza suggest about the farmer's feelings?

  It reflects his growing agitation and unfulfilled desire.
• What does the rhetorical question "But what to me?" signify in the poem?

  It interrupts his happier thoughts about her.
• What does the line "What's Christmas-time without there be Some other in the house than we!" imply?

  Christmas symbolizes the absence of children.
• What does the term "poor maid" suggest about the woman?

  It implies she is still a virgin.
• What does the phrase "but a stair Betwixt us" convey about their relationship?

  It highlights her physical closeness and his frustration.
• Definitions


  bide - wait

  woo - try to win someone's love

  fay - a fairy

  leveret - a young hare

  rime - frost
• What does the repetition in "her eyes, her hair, her hair!" indicate about the farmer's state of mind?

  He is breaking down and losing control.