The Farmer's Bride

• three summers since I chose a maid

  • ownership - patriarchal. woman = powerless
  • no love to begin with - marriage didn't occur naturally
  • maid = young woman, innocent
• like the shut of a winter's day her smile went out

  • simile
  • winter - plants decay/die. cold weather.
  • reflects marriage, no joy, no happiness, no love
• we chased her, flying like a hare

  • animal imagery. nature imagery. predator-prey imagery
  • man = predator. frustrated, angry, longing.
  • woman = prey. innocent, small
• we caught her

  • men have power over women
  • patriarchy = dominant
  • use as supporting quote to "we chased her"
• the berries redden up to Christmas-time. What's Christmas-time without there be some other in the house than we

  • virginity/chastity - no sex
  • man wants to start a family with wife
  • family expectations
  • male lust unsatisfied -> anger
• oh! my god! the down, the soft young down of her, the brown, the brown of her- her eyes, her hair, her hair!

  • exclamatory
  • caesura
  • repetition
  • foreboding - no control of feelings or her -> outburst where male forces what he wants
• Summary - The Farmer's Bride:

  A farmer marries a younger woman, she fears him so disobeys and runs, but is captured and locked in her room. Ending hints at male's lust taking over
• Concepts:

  • obsessive love leads to a deadly need to control (unhealthy relationship)
  • female innocence is alluring to male dominance
  • unreciprocated love is unfulfilling. love must be consensual and reciprocal
  • patriarchal attitudes are harmful to romantic love (men do it for status over true love)
  • objectification of women demonstrates the masculine need for control in a relationship