The Ruined Maid: Thomas Hardy

Subject
1. An unnamed farm worker meets a friend called Melia
2. The farm worker is surprised at how well Melia looks
3. The irony is that Melia makes it clear that she is a prostitute e.g. every time she says ruined
Structure and Language
1. This poem is a dramatic dialogue conversation between two people which tells a story
2. Its set out as six, four line stanzas with a regular aabb rhyme scheme
3. Sound
  1. The rhyme scheme also has full rhymes, the regular rhythm and rhyme make it sound like a playful nursery rhyme
Imagery
1. A pattern arises-the farm worker reminds Melia how things used to be and then comments on how much better things are now
2. A more obvious pattern in language is in the last line of each stanza where Melia tells her friend she's ruined
Attitudes, Themes and Ideas
1. The farm worker admires the obvious change in Melia, its thought that she is very naïve and doesn't understand what she is being told
2. Hardy's attitude is not one of disapproval to Melia he portrays her as being very knowing
3. Role of women in society
  1. Is this the only way a maid could achieve independence at this time
4. Money isn't everything
  1. Melia knows that the price she has had to pay outweighs the material wealth
5. Morals
  1. The poem throws up a lot of questions about right and wrong
Comparison
1. River God
2. The Hunchback in the Park

Resource summary

	Created by lldriftinglegend almost 10 years ago