There is an upbeat rhythm at the beginning of the poem "oh! Whats the matter, whats the matter?" This upbeat rhythm is taunting Harry Gill. If looking back on the poem with the advantage of reading it, you know that this is taunting Harry Gill as now he has what he deserves.
The structure is very common for Wordsworth, he often creates poems which tell of the consequence first and gives clues throughout the poem as to whats happened, another example of this is in 'The Thorn'.
"In March, December and July, tis all the same for Harry Gill". This could be because he has everything which he needs from nature, all through the year, but also because now he is constantly cold.
"Young Harry was a Lusty Drover" this is a contrast to the adjectives used to describe the appearance of Goody Blake "old and poor".
"Coals are dear, they come far by wind and tide". This shows commerce working against her. The landscape is no longer providing for her because of commerce, this shows the power of commerce over nature.
"When the ice, our streams did fetter" Winds...scattered many a lusty splinter". Wordsworth always shows positive aspects of nature, even when nature is making it hard for goody as she is cold, it is still positive in the poem.
"From his warm fire he'd go....to seize old Goody Blake". The fact that he already has a warm fire shows he has no need to stop Goody taking the logs. He is doing it because of his greed caused by commerce. He enjoys inflicting misery on her. Mans cruel act on man.
The repetition of the word "And" shows Harrys anger heightening in his anticipation to catch Goody, hes excersising his power, much the same as the landowners did at the time. (Female Vagrant.)
"Right Glad" Wordsworth uses colloquial language to appeal to the peasents and the common man.
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What happens in the poem? Analysis 2.
"She prayed with her withered hand"- shows how old and poor she is, compare to "Lusty".
The poem has a moral to it "Now think ye farmers all i pray". Harry is being punished for a lack of human decency towards Goody. Harry's selfish nature is his ultimate downfall, he's taking everything from the landscape, and not sharing.
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Context in Goody Blake and Harry Gill
Enclosure act/ Negative modern world/ Commerce against nature
"Coals are dear.......they come far by wind and tide" this shows the negative aspect of commerce over nature.
Harry Gill has been changed by the modern world, he is greedy "From his warm fire he'd go....to seize old Goody Blake". This shows how the modern world makes people greedy, he does not need the logs she is taking, but still does not want her to have them .
"Rose a mansion" "through pastures not his own, the master took" "to cruel injuries he became a prey". The mansion and the master personify the modern world and commerce. He takes peoples land, her father was happy before money etc came and corrupted there rural lives.
Mans cruel act on man
Harry Gill receives pleasure from making Goody Blakes life a misery.
The master hurting the narrators father because he did not like what he was doing to there rural surroundings.
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Key quotes in Goody Blake and Harry Gill
Oh! Whats the matter? Whats the matter?"
"In March, December and July, tis all the same with Harry Gill"
"Young Harry was a lusty drover" Goody Blake- "Old and poor"
"Coals are dear....come far by wind and tide"
When the ice...streams did fetter" --- "Winds....scattered many a lusty splinter"
"From his was fire hed go....to seize old Goody Blake"
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