“A Silken Knot”
This basically means that the lord used the cottage maiden as a trophy and used her when he wanted to.
The poem starts by describing the cottage maiden by saying that she was hardened by
“Sun and air”
Which suggests that she worked in the fields and the poem goes onto say that she was,
“Contented with my cottage mates”
This quote suggests that she was happy with the life she led. Then the poem goes on to describe how the lord swept hair off her feet by seducing her by complementing her on her looks. However she starts to question the lords judgement on why he picked her, this is proved when she says,
“Why did a great lord find me out and praise my flaxen hair?”
This suggests that she has no confidence in her appearance or status or it could be that she feels that the lord is only after one thing. She then goes on to say that he has filled her heart with care.
In the second verse the poem shows how the lord has managed to take the cottage maiden back to his house. After this she goes on to say how the lord used her for sex and as a trophy. This is shown when she says,
“His plaything and his love, He wore me like a silken knot.”
This quote shows how she thinks that she was used as a trophy and as a ‘plaything’. In the last two lines she goes on to say how she has become un-pure this is shown when she says,
“How I moan an unclean thing, who might have been a dove.”
I feel that the use of the word dove here is to signify purity and virginity.
The next verse is used to show us how the lord met Kate the cottage maidens cousin.
The verse is also used to show how the lord decided to marry Kate instead of the cottage maiden.
