Societal Conventions ARWAV & Poetry Essay Plan
‘In literature, lovers often come into conflict with the conventions of society.’ In the
light of this comment, compare how lovers and the societies they live in are presented
in two texts you have studied.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer as well as the prose text you have
studied. [25 marks]
The Ruined Maid The Flea
The woman is ‘ruined’ in the eyes of polite Society forbids a sexual relationship
society because she has had sexual between the two, the speaker wants a
relations without being married yet her life is relationship and has to try to convince the
actually better because of it woman why it should happen
- “Prosperity”, “bracelets...feathers”, - “This cannot be said a sin, a shame”
“little gloves” - Confused that society should
- All of the luxuries that now think that them having a
come when she is ruined, sexual relationship would
paradoxical really constitute sin or shame,
- “O didn’t you know I’d been ruined?” though the woman thinks this
- 2 meanings: a - talk of the - “We almost...married are”
town so surprising that the - If they were married this
speaker hadn’t heard, b - would be allowed, trying to
showing off about it prove that they are married
- “[you] cannot quite expect that. You so should have sex
ain’t ruined” - “This flea is you and I, and this our
- Snobbish, she doesn’t want marriage bed”
others to share in her ‘good - Using the mixing of blood
fortune’? and be “ruined” too inside the flea to show that
they already mixed as if
they’d had sex so it makes
no difference now
A Room with a View
- In the eyes of society, Lucy and Cecil should be together
- “Cecil has just asked my permission about [marriage], and I should be
delighted” - Mrs Honeychurch
- Parents have a great deal of influence in their children’s marriages
so that they are ‘suitable’ rather than what is right for the child
- “Ridiculous child!...Man like Cecil” - Mrs Honeychurch
- She is angry that Lucy has turned Cecil down, she infantilises her
but also makes Cecil sound special, she wants Lucy to marry a
social status rather than a person she loves
- “He’s good, he’s clever, he’s rich, he’s well-connected” - Mrs Honeychurch
- These are the qualities that Mrs Honeychurch wishes to prioritise in
a son-in-law rather than being someone who Lucy loves and wants
to spend the rest of her life with
- “Mr Vyse is an ideal bachelor” - Mr Beebe
- He may be ideal on paper but those who have seen him with Lucy
can see deep down that they are not right for each other
- Snobbish behaviour towards the Emersons (very contrasting to Cecil)
- “[Mr Beebe tried to] introduce the Emersons into Bertolini society”
‘In literature, lovers often come into conflict with the conventions of society.’ In the
light of this comment, compare how lovers and the societies they live in are presented
in two texts you have studied.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer as well as the prose text you have
studied. [25 marks]
The Ruined Maid The Flea
The woman is ‘ruined’ in the eyes of polite Society forbids a sexual relationship
society because she has had sexual between the two, the speaker wants a
relations without being married yet her life is relationship and has to try to convince the
actually better because of it woman why it should happen
- “Prosperity”, “bracelets...feathers”, - “This cannot be said a sin, a shame”
“little gloves” - Confused that society should
- All of the luxuries that now think that them having a
come when she is ruined, sexual relationship would
paradoxical really constitute sin or shame,
- “O didn’t you know I’d been ruined?” though the woman thinks this
- 2 meanings: a - talk of the - “We almost...married are”
town so surprising that the - If they were married this
speaker hadn’t heard, b - would be allowed, trying to
showing off about it prove that they are married
- “[you] cannot quite expect that. You so should have sex
ain’t ruined” - “This flea is you and I, and this our
- Snobbish, she doesn’t want marriage bed”
others to share in her ‘good - Using the mixing of blood
fortune’? and be “ruined” too inside the flea to show that
they already mixed as if
they’d had sex so it makes
no difference now
A Room with a View
- In the eyes of society, Lucy and Cecil should be together
- “Cecil has just asked my permission about [marriage], and I should be
delighted” - Mrs Honeychurch
- Parents have a great deal of influence in their children’s marriages
so that they are ‘suitable’ rather than what is right for the child
- “Ridiculous child!...Man like Cecil” - Mrs Honeychurch
- She is angry that Lucy has turned Cecil down, she infantilises her
but also makes Cecil sound special, she wants Lucy to marry a
social status rather than a person she loves
- “He’s good, he’s clever, he’s rich, he’s well-connected” - Mrs Honeychurch
- These are the qualities that Mrs Honeychurch wishes to prioritise in
a son-in-law rather than being someone who Lucy loves and wants
to spend the rest of her life with
- “Mr Vyse is an ideal bachelor” - Mr Beebe
- He may be ideal on paper but those who have seen him with Lucy
can see deep down that they are not right for each other
- Snobbish behaviour towards the Emersons (very contrasting to Cecil)
- “[Mr Beebe tried to] introduce the Emersons into Bertolini society”
