The Language of the Country
In some ways, this poem is a primer in the rural dialect of nineteenth-century England. 'Melia's friend uses all kinds of bizarre phrases, from "spudding up docks" and "barton," to "megrims" and "s...
Nice Clothing
This poem is a lesson in Victorian fashion—well, sort of. There are references to clothing in just about every stanza, largely because the other woman is completely dazzled by 'Melia's killer out...
Rags, Dirt, and Grime
Juxtaposed with 'Melia's "fair garments" and pretty face is all the dirt and grime associated with country life, the life 'Melia used to have and which the other woman likely still has. Just as the...