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Year 11
AQA

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

I can write about the dysfunctional relationship in 'The Farmer's Bride'.

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Year 11
AQA

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

I can write about the dysfunctional relationship in 'The Farmer's Bride'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Mew uses a simile to convey the fear the wife feels towards her husband.
  2. Mew uses a semantic field of natural imagery to reveal how the husband infantilises and others his wife.
  3. Mew uses a collective pronoun to show how the wife is forced into submission.
  4. Mew uses natural imagery to convey the wife's growing emotional distance.
  5. Mew uses exclamation in the resolution to suggest the husband continues to fantasise about his wife.

Keywords

  • Dysfunctional - not operating properly; broken

  • To (other) - to treat someone as alien to one's self or one’s group

  • Infantilise - to treat someone as a child or in a way that denies their maturity

  • Semantic field - a group of words related in some way- they can be related by meaning or in a more abstract way

  • Submission - the act of allowing someone or something to have power over you

Common misconception

Analysis should focus on the bride.

Although there is lots to say about the bride - and her treatment in the relationship - the farmer also presents a rich source of analysis through his often contradictory actions throughout the poem (explored in the written task in Learning Cycle 2).

The poem is rich in techniques - particularly with techniques that support the poem's main ideas. You may wish to undertake some group annotation (particularly in Learning Cycle 1).
Teacher tip

Equipment

Students will need access to a copy of 'The Farmer's Bride' by Charlotte Mew which can be found in the AQA 'Love and Relationships' anthology and the additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the below are reasonable synonyms of the word 'dysfunctional'?
Correct answer: defective
Correct answer: broken
Correct answer: flawed
unique
despised
Q2.
'The Farmer's Bride' is a 20th century poem. Which year below must it have been written in?
Correct answer: 1916
1816
1716
2016
Q3.
Who wrote 'The Farmer's Bride'?
Correct answer: Charlotte Mew
Emily Brontë
Jane Austen
Mary Shelley
Q4.
The poem 'The Farmer's Bride' is a dramatic monologue written from the perspective of ...
Correct answer: the farmer.
the bride.
both the farmer and the bride.
neither. It is written in third person limited.
Q5.
Throughout the poem 'The Farmer's Bride', Mew uses similes to compare the bride to several things in nature. Which of the below form part of those similes?
Correct answer: mouse
Correct answer: hare
sheep
rabbit
Q6.
Starting with the first, put these events from 'The Farmer's Bride' in chronological order.
1 - The farmer relates how three years ago he married a bride that was too young.
2 - Once married she becomes fearful of her husband and eventually runs away.
3 - The farmer and others go after her and eventually 'catch' her.
4 - She is brought back to the farm and locked away.
5 - She spends her time at home doing housework.
6 - The farmer complains of the relationship and laments the distance between them.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 'The Farmer's Bride', the farmer treats his bride as a child and in a way that denies her maturity. As such he __________ her.
Correct answer: infantilises
submits
dysfunctions
banishes
Q2.
In the poem 'The Farmer's Bride', arguably the farmer 'others' his wife. What does this mean?
he ignores her
Correct answer: he treats her as alien to himself
he mistreats her
he confuses her with someone else
Q3.
In 'The Farmer's Bride', the bride is often described using similes. Complete them below.
Correct Answer:"like a ,mouse"

mouse"

Correct Answer:"flying like a ,hare"

hare"

Correct Answer:"shy as a ,leveret"

leveret"

Correct Answer:"as a young ,larch tree"

larch tree"

Correct Answer:"like a frightened little,fay"

fay"

Q4.
In 'The Farmer's Bride', Mew often compares the bride to elements of nature using similes. Why?
Correct answer: to highlight her fragility, otherworldliness, and wildness
the poem is set in the countryside - it is to be expected
it is a romantic poem written before industrialistion
to contrast with the stronger similes used to describe the farmer
Q5.
Throughout the poem 'The Farmer's Bride', Mew uses a semantic field of ...
Correct answer: nature.
love.
power.
weather.
Q6.
Which of these statements about the marriage in 'The Farmer's Bride' are correct?
Despite the age gap there is respect between them.
Correct answer: The bride feels fear towards her husband.
Correct answer: The husband infantilises and others his wife.
Correct answer: The bride is forced into submission.
Although initially unhappy, they eventually reconcile.

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