16 Views

Why did the speaker of the poem “Locksley Hall” fail to marry his beloved?

Shape Shape

Locksley Hall is a notable literary work by Alfred Lord Tennyson. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Locksley Hall.

Answer

Why did the speaker of the poem “Locksley Hall” fail to marry his beloved?

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s (1809-1892) “Locksley Hall” (1842) tells the story of the speaker’s lost love, Amy. The speaker is an unnamed young soldier. Amy was his cousin and first love. In this poem, the speaker shares his emotions about his lost love. He could not marry Amy because of family pressure and his low social status. He also thinks Amy did not love her deeply.

Family and Social Pressure: The speaker loved his cousin Amy deeply. But Amy’s parents did not support this love. They wanted her to marry a rich man. The speaker was not rich, and he was an orphan. Amy’s parents were more interested in money and social respect than love. As the speaker says:

“Cursed be the social wants that sin against the strength of youth!”

Here, the speaker is cursing the social system that values money over love. The society is too materialistic. This is why Amy’s father forced her to marry a wealthy person. So, the speaker could not marry Amy because he had no money or social status.

Amy’s Lack of True Love: The speaker also feels that Amy was weak and could not stand against her parents. She agreed to marry another man, even though she once loved the speaker. His frustration comes in. He now thinks of Amy as a heartless person.

“O my cousin, shallow-hearted!”

He also calls her a “puppet to a father’s threat.” This shows that he thinks Amy’s love was not as deep or strong as his own.

To wrap up, the speaker could not marry Amy because of money, social class, and Amy’s weak love. Her parents chose a rich man for her, and she was pressured to agree.

Unlock this study guide now