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Year 11 - English

Understanding the poem 'The Farmer's Bride' by Charlotte Mew

Love and relationships poetry continued

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupis read and analyse three poems from the 'Love and Relationships' anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. At the end of the unit, pupils analyse themes from the anthology and analyse the modern and Victorian poems as groups.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand how Mew presents a dysfunctional relationship.

Key Notes

  • The bride is forced to marry the farmer at a young age and is scared of her husband.
  • The bride attempts to run away and then is chased and captured by a group of men.
  • When the bride returns she is locked up by her husband and becomes reclusive.
  • Despite her refusal to speak, the farmer still fantasises about his wife.
  • Mew was writing at a time when women's position in society was often restrictive.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • autonomy: independence over one's thoughts and actions
  • suffrage: the right to vote- in the early 20th century women's suffrage was an important political issue
  • dramatic monologue: a poem written in the form of a speech from an individual character
  • dysfunctional: not operating properly; broken

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The farmer is simply trying to care for his wife, his actions are well-intentioned and innocent.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The bride is forced to marry the farmer at a young age and is scared of her husband. The bride attempts to run away and then is chased and captured by a group of men.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'autonomy'

independence over one's thoughts and actions.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: The farmer is simply trying to care for his wife, his actions are well-intentioned and innocent. Correction: The farmer's attempts to care for his wife may initially seem genuine, but the poem suggests a deeper complexity to their relationship. The bride's evident distress and desire to escape challenge the notion of the farmer's benevolence.

More Lessons In This Unit

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