1. Who is the speaker in lines 1-3? Describe her.
2. Who is the speaker in line 4? Describe her.
3. In what ways is the refrain ("'ruined?' said she") ironic?
4. What are some of the important differences between the two speakers?
5. Where does this dialogue apparently take place? How do we know?
6. What is the conventional (nineteenth-century) meaning of "ruined maid"?
7. Sum up the attitude of each speaker towards the other.
8. What details about the "new 'Melia" does the other (unnamed) speaker dwell on?
9. If "melior" in Latin means "better," what is the significance of the name "'Melia" in this poem?10. In losing her rural Dorset dialect, 'Melia has supposedly gained sophistication -- what, however, may "ain't" in the last line suggest about her?
11. What two ways of life does the poem contrast? Which is to be preferred, and why?
12. What, according to Hardy, makes a woman a "lady"? What is the chief difference between HardyÕs definition and your dictionary's?
13. Explain how the term "contrapuntal" may be applied to this double-voiced poem?
14. If "The Ruined Maid" is a satire, explain what or whom Hardy is satirizing, and with what intention?
15. How does the poem's rhyme scheme complement the dual voices?
16. Why does Hardy give 'Melia the last two lines of the poem, rather than merely one, as in the other stanzas?
17. Explain which of the following terms is most suitable for 'Melia: kept woman, courtesan, mistress, or prostitute.
18. Why does 'Melia treat her former friend with hauteur?
9. Explain the meaning and significance of the dialectal expressions in the poem.
20. Why is the unnamed speaker surprised that 'Melia's "little gloves fit"?
Last modified 30 January 2004