Stanzas to a Husband Recently United
In vain upon that hand reclined,
(trusted you in vain)
I call each plighted worth my own,
(plighted worth - oxymoron; must face consequences alone)
Or rising to thy sovereign mind
(rising to YOUR expectations, but I cannot have any because women do not have a sovereign mind)
Say that it reigns for me alone.
(her fault she trusted him, his mind supposedly reigns over her alone)
Since, subject to its ardent sway,
(ardent sway - oxymoron since devoutly passionate but unfaithful, unstable)
How many hearts were left to weep,
(how many wives and lovers have been left at home, weak and alone, so you may go love another; speaking of cheating husbands in general)
To find the granted wish decay,
(granted wish - wedding vow)
And the triumphant passion sleep!
(momentary beauty, affection, devotion, excitement - "love")
Such were of love the transient flame,
Which by the kindling senses led,
(if any sensual pleasures kindle this "love")
To every new attraction came,
And from known allurement fled.
(Like in Someone New (Hozier) - Some like to imagine/ The dark caress of someone else/ I guess any thrill will do"
Unlike the generous care that flows,
With all the rich affections give,
(rich affections - transfered epithet; also, money can't buy love
Unlike the mutual hope that knows
(mutual hope is lost though)
But for a dearer self to live.
(dearer self - Fanny.
Will be with Perez but is sad. Lost hope, faith and trust)
Was theirs the tender glance to speak
Timid, through many a sparkling tear
The ever changing hue of cheek,
Its flush of joy, its chill of fear?
(Fear of getting caught, of her sister seeing how she's betrayed her)
(Perez and Fanny's conversation as imagined by Sarah - Perez explaining, Fanny flushing, paling, her eyes brimming with tears at her guilt and remorse but als the joy of being with Perez)
Of theirs the full expanded thought,
By taste and moral sense refined,
Each moment with instruction fraught,
The tutor'd elegance of mind?
(Tutor'd elegance - to pretend, to not express love, to lay low, to hush)
(Has Fanny been groomed, has she learned to expand in thought and mind, to suit Perez's tastes and needs?)
Be mine the sacred truth that dwells
(sacred truth - fidelity in marriage)
On One bye kindred virtues known
(One - isolation, she holds onto her vows while he drifts away)
(kindred virtues - family upbringing, would not do what the other did)
And mine the chastened glance which tells
That sacred truth to Him alone.
(Him - God. Vows at altar said before god; can cry to Him alone now) ( </3 )
No sordid hope's insidious guise,
(False hope; cunning guise)
No venal pleasure's serpent twine
(Can't bribe me with the trappings of little affections. Don't mollify me now with that - you broke your promise)
Invites those soul-illumined eyes,
(soul-illumined - awakened to the reality of the situation - Fanny is pregnant, everyone knows of your infdelity)
And blends this feeling heart with thine.
(Feeling heart - still in pain, unlike yours, you heartless scum)
(I will live with you as your wife but you can't have me back with your meaningless broken promises. My eyes do not seek yours. My heart wants nothing to do with yours)
Context:
Englishwoman settled in America
Her personal life (the story)
Questions on:
Figures of speech, stylistic devices, themes within the poem, correlation, husband and wives' roles - women subjugated anyway, explain lines given
About the poet
Sarah Wentwood Merton born to a very rich merchant; married to Perez Merton- also very rich merchant. Price she pays is a life of luxury but not love.
read 2nd para
skip to biography
random
(trusted you in vain)
I call each plighted worth my own,
(plighted worth - oxymoron; must face consequences alone)
Or rising to thy sovereign mind
(rising to YOUR expectations, but I cannot have any because women do not have a sovereign mind)
Say that it reigns for me alone.
(her fault she trusted him, his mind supposedly reigns over her alone)
Since, subject to its ardent sway,
(ardent sway - oxymoron since devoutly passionate but unfaithful, unstable)
How many hearts were left to weep,
(how many wives and lovers have been left at home, weak and alone, so you may go love another; speaking of cheating husbands in general)
To find the granted wish decay,
(granted wish - wedding vow)
And the triumphant passion sleep!
(momentary beauty, affection, devotion, excitement - "love")
Such were of love the transient flame,
Which by the kindling senses led,
(if any sensual pleasures kindle this "love")
To every new attraction came,
And from known allurement fled.
(Like in Someone New (Hozier) - Some like to imagine/ The dark caress of someone else/ I guess any thrill will do"
Unlike the generous care that flows,
With all the rich affections give,
(rich affections - transfered epithet; also, money can't buy love
Unlike the mutual hope that knows
(mutual hope is lost though)
But for a dearer self to live.
(dearer self - Fanny.
Will be with Perez but is sad. Lost hope, faith and trust)
Was theirs the tender glance to speak
Timid, through many a sparkling tear
The ever changing hue of cheek,
Its flush of joy, its chill of fear?
(Fear of getting caught, of her sister seeing how she's betrayed her)
(Perez and Fanny's conversation as imagined by Sarah - Perez explaining, Fanny flushing, paling, her eyes brimming with tears at her guilt and remorse but als the joy of being with Perez)
Of theirs the full expanded thought,
By taste and moral sense refined,
Each moment with instruction fraught,
The tutor'd elegance of mind?
(Tutor'd elegance - to pretend, to not express love, to lay low, to hush)
(Has Fanny been groomed, has she learned to expand in thought and mind, to suit Perez's tastes and needs?)
Be mine the sacred truth that dwells
(sacred truth - fidelity in marriage)
On One bye kindred virtues known
(One - isolation, she holds onto her vows while he drifts away)
(kindred virtues - family upbringing, would not do what the other did)
And mine the chastened glance which tells
That sacred truth to Him alone.
(Him - God. Vows at altar said before god; can cry to Him alone now) ( </3 )
No sordid hope's insidious guise,
(False hope; cunning guise)
No venal pleasure's serpent twine
(Can't bribe me with the trappings of little affections. Don't mollify me now with that - you broke your promise)
Invites those soul-illumined eyes,
(soul-illumined - awakened to the reality of the situation - Fanny is pregnant, everyone knows of your infdelity)
And blends this feeling heart with thine.
(Feeling heart - still in pain, unlike yours, you heartless scum)
(I will live with you as your wife but you can't have me back with your meaningless broken promises. My eyes do not seek yours. My heart wants nothing to do with yours)
Context:
Englishwoman settled in America
Her personal life (the story)
Questions on:
Figures of speech, stylistic devices, themes within the poem, correlation, husband and wives' roles - women subjugated anyway, explain lines given
About the poet
Sarah Wentwood Merton born to a very rich merchant; married to Perez Merton- also very rich merchant. Price she pays is a life of luxury but not love.
read 2nd para
skip to biography
random
Perez's new attraction now is Fanny
addressing someone is known as apostrophe.
personification of love.
metaphor, simile, oxymoron
deliberate choice of diction
transferred epithet( rich affections, plighted with generous care)
rhyme scheme-- abab
elevating thought (questioning)- sovereign mind (accepting)
superiority of men
twine = intertwine like if one tendril coiled around another
chiasmus
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