Farmers Bride

• What is the main theme of "The Farmer's Bride"?

  A farmer's troubled marriage
• Why does the farmer's bride run away?

  She is fearful of her husband
• How long ago did the farmer choose his bride?

  Three years ago
• What does the farmer do when he catches his bride?

  He locks her in the house
• How does the farmer describe his bride's demeanor after marriage?

  She is fearful and miserable
• What does the farmer lament about in winter?

  His bride will not give him a child
• What does the farmer's bride do around the house?

  She does the housework
• How does the farmer's bride interact with nature?

  She is happy to be part of it
• What does the farmer's use of idiolect reveal about him?

  His lack of education and social status
• What does the term "maid" imply about the bride's age?

  She is young and vulnerable
• How does the farmer view his bride throughout the poem?

  As an object rather than a person
• What literary device is used in "shy as a leveret"?

  Simile
• What does the farmer's lament about Christmas signify?

  His loneliness and desire for family
• How does the poem's structure reflect the farmer's feelings?

  It shows his growing despondency
• What does the use of sibilance in the poem create?

  An ominous tone
• What does the farmer's perspective prevent?

  His bride from having a voice
• What does the phrase "temporal deixis" refer to in the poem?

  Indication of time passing
• How does the farmer's obsession with his bride manifest?

  Through infantilization and objectification
• What does the farmer's use of harsh language suggest?

  His lack of empathy towards his bride
• What does the farmer wish for at the end of the poem?

  A child
• How does the poem reflect societal views on marriage during Mew's time?

  It critiques the possession of women by men
• What does the farmer's attitude towards his bride reveal about gender roles?

  He sees her as subordinate to him
• What does the farmer's bride symbolize in the poem?

  The oppression of women
• How does the imagery of nature relate to the bride's character?

  It reflects her vulnerability and innocence
• What does the farmer's lack of emotional insight indicate?

  His functional view of relationships
• How does the poem's ending contribute to its overall message?

  It emphasizes the bride's continued isolation
• What does the farmer's bride's "wide brown stare" symbolize?

  Her vulnerability
• How does Mew's background influence the poem's themes?

  It reflects her views on mental illness and gender
• What does the farmer's perspective reveal about societal norms?

  It shows the expectation of male dominance
• What literary technique does Mew use to show the farmer's emotional state?

  Punctuation manipulation
• How does the farmer's view of his bride change throughout the poem?

  It becomes more possessive and obsessive
• What does the farmer's relationship with his bride suggest about marriage?

  It critiques the lack of emotional connection
• What does the phrase "the soft young down of her" imply?

  Her youth and innocence
• How does the poem illustrate the theme of isolation?

  Through the bride's physical and emotional distance
• What does the farmer's obsession with his bride reveal about his character?

  His inability to empathize with others
• What does the imagery of winter symbolize in the poem?

  The bleakness of the farmer's relationship
• What does the farmer's bride's behavior around animals suggest?

  Her affinity with nature
• How does the poem's title reflect its content?

  It emphasizes the farmer's ownership of his bride
• What does the farmer's lack of questioning about his bride's feelings indicate?

  His self-centeredness and emotional detachment
• How does Mew's use of nature imagery affect the poem?

  It contrasts the bride's innocence with her situation