'Three Summers since I chose a maid' - Shows the system of patriarchy (male authority over women) -
suggests she didn't have much choice over this marriage. It sounds like he owns her as he 'chose' her. The
fact that he calls his wife a 'maid' shows the disrespect he has for her.
It also hints that the farmer had an unromantic approach to the marriage and
would rather be doing more practical things on his farm than try to seduce her.
'Like the shut of a winter's day' - This simile shows how sudden this change was as winter days go dark very
quickly. Also, it shows how she shut him out immediately as he brings coldness into her life.
'Too young maybe - but more's to do at harvest time than bide and woo' - The fact she was
'too young' highlights how she was not ready for this relationship and is not ready to be a
wife and fulfill those duties which is probably why she turns 'afraid' of him later on.
'she runned away' - The dialect of the farmer makes the poem sound more
personal and realistic as this is how he would talk to his community.
'We chased her, flying like a hare' - The hunting imagery suggests her terror and links to her as a wild animal gone
astray that needs to be captured.
The verb 'fetched' suggests she's treated like an object or an
animal who has just been caught. 'Home' highlights it is where
she belongs.
'Happy enough to chat and play with birds and rabbits along the way' - she gets along with animals -
is comfortable with nature and peaceful environment. She sees humans almost like predators.
'Beasts in stall Look around like children at her call. I've (in italics) hardly heard her speak at all' - The use
of the rhyming triplet reflects the narrator's frustration at his wife's behaviour. Also, the simile shows
that the farm animals trust her and look to her for care - could suggest he's jealous of them as they are
getting more affection than he ever does.
The use of italics in 'I've' show his frustration at her as she speaks to farm animals more than
him; he has barely heard her voice.
'We caught her, fetched her home at last And turned the key upon her, fast' - The rhyming
couplet emphasises the decisive action of locking her away and makes it sound sinister.
'She does the work about the house As well as most but like a mouse' - The change to the
present tense emphasises his baffled tone. She's a fairly good housewife - she does what
is expected of her in the relationship, apart from loving her husband.
She's linked with small prey animals to make her seem weak and vulnerable. Also, this line
comes first in this stanza, like he thinks this is the most important thing to consider.
'Sweet as the first wild violets, she, To her wild self. But what to me?' - Repeated use
of sibilant sounds emphasises her link with nature. The irregularity of this short
stanza could reflect the farmers growing agitation and unfulfilled desire for her.
The rhetorical question almost highlights his selfishness and he is questioning if
she feels anything towards him. The adjective 'wild' shows he may view her this
way because she spends so much time with animals.
'Alone, poor maid. 'Tis but a stair Betwixt us' - Sounds like he's mocking her; she has no value
to him, 'maid'. He's aware of her physical closeness which adds to frustration.
'One leaf in the still air falls slowly down' - sad, lonely image - symbolises his
sinking hope that she will ever come to him freely.
'her eyes, her hair, her hair!' - Repetition of commas show his
distance getting smaller; he is closing in, and the frantic sounding
repetition of 'hair' shows he's breaking down and losing control.
Form - The poem is a dramatic monologue with a varying rhyme scheme
throughout. It's entirely written from the farmer's point of view - his wife has
no voice.
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 and his
desire.
Language about nature - The farmer mainly uses imagery taken from the natural world. This reflects
his identity, whilst his descriptions of his wife link her to images of nature and wildness.
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.