Another reason this poem has main interest on Nell and Maude Clare is because of their rivalry. Rossetti immediately informs the readers that this poem is based on love and jealousy as she mentions that ‘out of the church’ Maude Clare followed the two couples taking ‘lofty steps’. The theme of rivalry is immediately shown in the first stanza of the poem as Rossetti mentions the contrast between two women. Even though this poem is written in third person narrative, Rossetti fully describes the characters feelings through their dialogue and their conflict.
As the couple come out of the church, Maude Clare immediately tries to ruin their wedding, this could be another reason which this poems only interest is on Nell and Maude Clare. As Maude Clare throws back the gifts that her lord once gave her out of love, she says a few words to Nell too ‘take my share of a fickle heart’ which could mean that she’s kind of in a way warning Nell about her new husband who has also betrayed her, this could be because she then carries on saying “take it or leave it’.
Furthermore, Rossetti shows the readers in this poem that Maude Clare has a lot of courage and power mainly because she is from upper class. The power of Maude Clare is shown when she throws her gifts in her lovers face and tells him she doesn’t want any of it even their memories however Rossetti at the end of the poem shows the readers the power of Nell as she replies to Maude Clare, because the power of both women is shown in this poem, this could be another reason that the main interest of the poem Maude Clare is the contrast between Clare and Nell as throughout the poem Sir Thomas remains passive.
However, some reader may disagree that this poems only main interest is the contrast between Maude Clare and Nell because they believe that this poem also looks at the fact that the power Sir Thomas had on Maude Clare when he was with him and how he also controlled Maude Clare. Also to show his power to the society he married a woman who he didn’t love and possibly to show Maude Clare his power too that he can do whatever he likes as he is a man.
Another reason this poem doesn’t only focuses on Maude Clare and Nell is because of the different social classes they all are from. In this poem Rossetti has shown the readers that whoever has the highest class they get to decide what they want to do or what they want to say, for example Sir Thomas who is from upper social class then Nell and Maude Clare, he decides to show his power by marrying the lady of his choice. At the beginning of the poem, Rossetti portrays the image that maybe Maude Clare is from higher class then Nell however this changes as Nell also speaks which makes her from the same class as Maude.
The reason as to why Sir Thomas didn’t marry Maude Clare also arises as the readers want to know the secret as they carry on reading the poem. This could be another reason which this poems main interest is not only based on the difference between Maude Clare and Nell. Rossetti also informs the readers using a telling method that there is another secret which is untold when Sir Thomas mother mentions ‘had just your tale to tell’ because the tale isn’t mentioned this makes the readers focus more on the secret then the contrast between Maude and Nell.
Rossetti in this poem has made the narrator unknown as the identification of the narrator is a bit confusing allowing the reader freedom to wonder and draw their own conclusions as to who the narrator can be. This can make the readers feel that maybe Rossetti has made Sir Thomas’s father the narrator because he is also mentioned in the poem as Thomas’s mother mentions ‘your father thirty years ago had just your tale to tell’ this could mean maybe sir Thomas’s mother remembered this while the father was standing next to her and Sir Thomas.
From my perspective I certainly believe that the main reason which Rossetti wrote this poem was show the contrast between Nell and Maude Clare, she makes the readers emphasize for Nell more because of what Maude Clare says to her. Rossetti also represents prominent female figures in Victorian society as she informs the readers about the jealousy and hatred that existed between women. The theme of secrecy and betrayal runs throughout this poem as the readers are informed from reading the poem and analyzing the text written by Rossetti.
