Character in Maude Clare

Character is written about in Maude Clare in a variety of ways. For me, the three most important ways are the following:

1. The fact the poem is called Maude Clare and ends with the words 'Maude Clare'. She is mentioned both at the very start and the very end, causing the reader to focus upon her at the end of the poem, not any of the other characters. As a result, it creates the impression that she is an impressive and dominant character.
2. Through speech, a lot is revealed about each character. For example, Thomas, the only male of the poem struggles to speak, indicated by the hyphens when he talks. This makes the reader think of him as weak and also shameful, due to the fact he is embarrassed as he also 'hid his face'. Speech shows a lot about each character.
3. Comparisons also effectively describes the characters. Maude Clare is called a 'queen', whereas Nell, the 'bride' merely looks like a 'village maid' in comparison despite it being her wedding day. This could indicate class or status, showing Maude Clare has high class while Nell has low class. It also shows that Maude Clare is striking and often the centre of attention.