No, Thank you, John

• In No thank you John there is unrequited love from the male side
• In No thank you John masculinity is presented as weakness and the roles are juxtaposed as she is masculine and he is feminine
• There is a sense of male persistence as John "always" asking in hope she will relent and accept like a classic Victorian relationship
• The speaker In No thank you John is authoritative and doesn't take the blame
• The speaker In No thank you John can't return his affection, could link to her religion
• "I have no heart" is reported speech on behalf of John and the male view is silenced as his frustration is seen
• "Let us strike hands as hearty friends" presents their relationship as transactional and paints the speaker in a masculine light
• "open treaty" calls a truce on wider male and female relationships
• Rosetti show she has a choice In No thank you John whereas Nora didn't have a choice
• A03: link to new woman
• What themes does No thank you John link to?

  Love and marriage

  gender and power

  Truth, lies and secrets
• A03: in the 19th century, whether in Norway or England, the patriarchy held a tight grip on women's lives. This was shown in marriage, domesticity, law, work, education and maternity
• The speaker in No thank you John asserts her right not to marry and is not coerced into doing so because of her gender
• by saying she would "rather answer "no" to fifty Johns" the speaker fights the system whereby there is a gender-based power disparity
• By saying "I never said i love you" it suggests that John acts like the speaker isn't entitled to say not, Rosetti speaking truthfully and he's lying if he says she led him on
• Can link Nora's anagnorisis to when the speaker says "I'd rather answer "no" to fifty Johns"
• A03: Societal standards, Rosetti turned down 2/3 suitors for marriage because of religion
• A03: Women were expected to accept any man for marriage to climb up the social ladder
• "wan" and "ghost" suggests John haunts the speaker or his love has made him unwell