Maudeeb

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Maud. AMaud. A

MonodramaMonodrama18551855

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What is the poem about? What is the poem about?

An unnamed speaker tells of his love forAn unnamed speaker tells of his love forMaud and the feud between their families.Maud and the feud between their families.After he kills Maud’s brother in a duel, heAfter he kills Maud’s brother in a duel, heflees to France, is confined to a madhouse,flees to France, is confined to a madhouse,and upon being released, determines to joinand upon being released, determines to jointhe army in the Crimean war.the army in the Crimean war.

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Comments on poem as a wholeComments o

n poem as a whole

Has been called aHas been called a ‘psychic monodrama’‘psychic monodrama’ in whichin which‘different phases of passion in one person take‘different phases of passion in one person takethe place of different characters’.the place of different characters’.

Tenderness and ferocity, gaiety and gloomTenderness and ferocity, gaiety and gloomsuspicion and exultation are suggested by asuspicion and exultation are suggested by awide variety of verse and meters.wide variety of verse and meters.

Combination of the dramatic and the lyric andCombination of the dramatic and the lyric andthese are put into a sequence which establishesthese are put into a sequence which establishesa narrative.a narrative.

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‘ ‘ The speaker’s poem…’ The speaker’s poem…’

Speaker’s mind, not Maud, is the central interest of Speaker’s mind, not Maud, is the central interest of the poem. We learn very little about the poem. We learn very little about her her -what we-what we

are ultimately presented with are theare ultimately presented with are thespeaker’s constructions of Maud.

speaker’s constructions of Maud.Finds her aFinds her a puzzlepuzzle ‘faultily faultless’‘faultily faultless’Suspicious-Suspicious- a cheata cheat a ‘Cleopatra like seductressa ‘Cleopatra like seductressLoveLove becomes ‘tender and true’becomes ‘tender and true’A child, a blushing bride a maidenA child, a blushing bride a maiden who is ‘Mine, mine,who is ‘Mine, mine,by right, from birth til death./mine, mine’by right, from birth til death./mine, mine’Associated with both lily and rose she becomesAssociated with both lily and rose she becomesalternately thealternately the ideal womanideal woman ‘angel in the house’ and‘angel in the house’ andthethe warrior womanwarrior woman , inspiring the speaker to war with, inspiring the speaker to war withher.her.

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Maud means ‘war’ or Maud means ‘war’ or

‘battle’.‘battle’.

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Part 1- Maud- A Summary Part 1- Maud- A Summary Begins with the speaker raging against the corruption of Begins with the speaker raging against the corruption of his age.. Father committed suicide after being financiallyhis age.. Father committed suicide after being financiallyruined in a speculation that brought great wealth to aruined in a speculation that brought great wealth to aneighbouring family (Maud’s). He was betrothed to her neighbouring family (Maud’s). He was betrothed to her as a child.as a child.

She returns and he tries to remain indifferent to her, butShe returns and he tries to remain indifferent to her, buttheir romance blossoms.their romance blossoms.Maud’s brother, nicknamed ‘The Sultan’ disapproves- heMaud’s brother, nicknamed ‘The Sultan’ disapproves- hewishes her to marry a young lord and is scornfullywishes her to marry a young lord and is scornfullycontemptuous of the speaker.contemptuous of the speaker.

During his absence the couple spend a blissful dayDuring his absence the couple spend a blissful daytogether.together.On his return the brother holds a grand political dinner.On his return the brother holds a grand political dinner.The first part of the poem concludes with the speaker The first part of the poem concludes with the speaker waiting for Maud to come to him, after the dancing ends,waiting for Maud to come to him, after the dancing ends,

in the garden.in the garden.

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‘‘Maud or the Madness’Maud or the Madness’

Original titleOriginal title

Tennyson insisted the speaker is aTennyson insisted the speaker is amadman.madman.

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Visualising Visuali sing

Task: Create a visual representation of Task: Create a visual representation of the poem from versesthe poem from verses

Assume that there is a shift at the final Assume that there is a shift at the final verse- create another visual verse- create another visual

representation of thisrepresentation of this

Label with quotesLabel with quotes

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Final Verse-Final Verse- DeathDeath

How is death used here?How is death used here?Previously absorbed him- transformed andPreviously absorbed him- transformed and

robbed of negative connotationsrobbed of negative connotationsDying and sexual climax- describes planetDying and sexual climax- describes planetof love, Venus, the morning star starting toof love, Venus, the morning star starting tofade in the lightfade in the light

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In ‘Nation, Class and Gender’.In ‘Nation, Class and Gender’.Tennyson’s Maud and war Tennyson’s Maud and war

Joseph Bristow has shown that in Maud, we are in aJoseph Bristow has shown that in Maud, we are in aworld with many conflicting constructions of theworld with many conflicting constructions of themasculine and feminine and here, in this love song,masculine and feminine and here, in this love song,

there are two ideologies working on the hero, and on histhere are two ideologies working on the hero, and on hisrepresentation of Maud. She is, on the one hand, therepresentation of Maud. She is, on the one hand, theAngel of the house, the sweet passive woman. But this isAngel of the house, the sweet passive woman. But this isalso a poem about war, and Maud is associated alsoalso a poem about war, and Maud is associated alsowith martial songs and nationalism. Similarly, thewith martial songs and nationalism. Similarly, thespeaker is both the sentimental lover and the militantspeaker is both the sentimental lover and the militantsoldier. So, in the first part of this section, we have thesoldier. So, in the first part of this section, we have theflowery language of love appropriate to the former, andflowery language of love appropriate to the former, andin the final stanza we have the beat of the drum,in the final stanza we have the beat of the drum,passion, violence and death, the soul blossoming inpassion, violence and death, the soul blossoming in‘purple and red;’‘purple and red;’

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Persian Poetry Persian P oetry

When music falls quiet, speaker turns toWhen music falls quiet, speaker turns tospeak to the flowers- drawing upon thespeak to the flowers- drawing upon theconventions of Persian love poetryconventions of Persian love poetry

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Further Comment Further Comment

The interpretation of The interpretation of Maud Maud is complicated by theis complicated by thecompromised position of the narrator; hiscompromised position of the narrator; hisemotional instability of the poet. The puzzle of emotional instability of the poet. The puzzle of the outside sphere of the outside sphere of Maud Maud , for example, the, for example, thepoint of view of Maud herself, remainspoint of view of Maud herself, remainsunresolved. The poem is a distorted view of aunresolved. The poem is a distorted view of asingle reality, and the variation in meter can besingle reality, and the variation in meter can beseen to reflect the manic-depressive emotionalseen to reflect the manic-depressive emotionaltone of the speaker. While the poem wastone of the speaker. While the poem wasTennyson's own favourite, it was met with muchTennyson's own favourite, it was met with muchcriticism in contemporary circles.criticism in contemporary circles.

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Further comment Further comment InIn Maud Maud , Tennyson returns to the poetry of sensation,, Tennyson returns to the poetry of sensation,and dwells on a consciousness constituted of fragmentsand dwells on a consciousness constituted of fragmentsof feeling. He deliberately denies an autonomous voice,of feeling. He deliberately denies an autonomous voice,and the ending is deeplyand the ending is deeply ironicironic ..The complex of feeling is ephemeral, and theThe complex of feeling is ephemeral, and the

culmination of these feelings ends in the unsatisfactoryculmination of these feelings ends in the unsatisfactoryconclusion of the Crimean War. Tennyson is expressingconclusion of the Crimean War. Tennyson is expressingthe feelings of an age where identity, intellect andthe feelings of an age where identity, intellect andmodernity were contentious issues. He does not offer amodernity were contentious issues. He does not offer aclear, linear answer.clear, linear answer.

TheThe chivalricchivalric style of the love-poem is combined with astyle of the love-poem is combined with acontemporary cynicism, and so the Victorian tendency tocontemporary cynicism, and so the Victorian tendency tolook to remote cultures (here, medievalism) islook to remote cultures (here, medievalism) isinsufficient. The interweaving of death and life imagesinsufficient. The interweaving of death and life imagesgives expression to the greater concern for the afterlife,gives expression to the greater concern for the afterlife,

and the movement of the human race into a greater ageand the movement of the human race into a greater agefrom past monumentsfrom past monuments

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Irony


http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Chivalry




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