Maude Clare lesson notes

The poem 'Maude Clare' highlights the topic of social class. The main purpose of the poem is to express Rossetti's views on love and marriage in the 19th century. 'Maude Clare' is a woman of lower class who is rejected by the man she loves (Lord Thomas) for a woman called 'Lady Nell' who is of higher class. Lord Thomas has married for reputation and wealth rather than for love.

Key Quotes:

• "His bride (Lady Nell) was like a village maid.                                                                        Maude Clare was like a queen." - Narrator/Similes/Lord Thomas believes nothing can compare to Maude Clare not even the Lady Nell who he is forced to marry.
• "Your father thirty years ago                                                                                                        Had just the tale to tell;"- The mother/Enjambment/implies Lord Thomas' father was forced into marriage as well/ Forced marriage was normal in the 19th century.
• "Maude Clare, - and hid his face." - Lord Thomas/End stop/ashamed of his behavior towards Maude Clare.
• "Take my share of a fickle heart,                                                                                                 Mine of paltry love:"- Maude Clare/Paltry=Small/ little/ This quote may be considered as two different interpretations, 1) Maude Clare is giving up her love for Lord Thomas to ensure he will always feel loved. That even though her heart has been broken and is small her heart will always belong to him. 2) The other interpretation is that Maude Clare is being cruel towards Lady Nell and telling her to take her heart because she doesn't have one of her own. It is clear that Lord Thomas loves Maude Clare but is unable to be with her. This quote may be seen as Maude Clare mocking Lady Nell.

Character Notes:

Lord Thomas

• Guilty
• In love with Maude Clare
• Lord Thomas is just a title (Social status)
• Awkward
• Selfish
• Class/power
• Ruthless
• Affairs

The Mother

• Proud
• Greedy
• Unimpressed with Maude Clare
• Happy her son's renewing their social status
• Hints her husband loves someone else

Lady Nell

• In the last stanza she's gloating towards Maude Clare
• She has the last word of the poem which shows her power over Maude Clare as she gets to marry Lord Thomas
• Brutality of society 
• Believes she can force Lord Thomas to love her

Nell-"I'll love him till he loves me best"

Rossetti creates the persona of Nell by giving her characteristics such as bitterness and pride. This is shown through the line 'I'll love him till he loves me best,' as Nell is a woman of high class she automatically wins the Lord. Marriage in the 19th century was based upon social status instead of love. Nell knows the Lord will stay with her over Maude Clare due to financial and social matters. Even though Nell understands that the Lord doesn't love her while they are forced into marriage, she thinks due to her reputation and wealth he will learn to. 

Maude Clare

• Not bitter towards the Lord of Lady Nell
• Does not seek revenge 
• fights against society's image/rules
• Lower class
• Memorable 
• Powerful

The order in which the characters speak in:

• The Narrator
• The Mother
• Maude Clare
• The Lord
• Maude Clare
• Lady Nell

The last word

• Nell

The fact Nell has the last word is important as at illuminates the power she has over Maude Clare. The aspect of the last word seems childish, as if Lady Nell and Maude Clare are bickering but by having the last word Nell wins in many ways; she marries the Lord, empowers Maude Clare and empathizes her power and social status.   

Mother - Status/Controlling

Maude Clare - Disturbs social order/Rossetti's self image

Lord Thomas - Just a title/ Linguistically redundant 

Nell - Social and wealth empowerment/She wins in life