Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Ruined Maid" is a poem by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1901. The poem is a satirical commentary on Victorian society and its double standards regarding sexuality and morality.

The poem is structured as a dialogue between two women, one of whom is a former maid who has become wealthy and successful through her sexual exploits. The other woman is a rural maid who is shocked and envious of the former maid's success.

In the first stanza, the former maid describes her wealth and success, and suggests that her success is due to her willingness to engage in sexual relationships with wealthy men. She suggests that her sexual experiences have given her a sense of power and agency that is denied to women of her social class.

In the second stanza, the rural maid expresses shock and disbelief at the former maid's behavior, and suggests that it is immoral and shameful. However, the former maid dismisses these concerns, suggesting that Victorian society's rigid moral standards are hypocritical and unrealistic.

In the final stanza, the former maid suggests that her sexual exploits have given her a sense of freedom and autonomy that is denied to women of her social class. She suggests that she is not ashamed of her actions, and that she is proud of her success and her ability to defy societal expectations.

Overall, "The Ruined Maid" is a powerful and biting commentary on Victorian society's attitudes towards sexuality and morality. Through his use of vivid language and satire, Hardy exposes the hypocrisy and double standards that were prevalent in Victorian society, and offers a critique of the ways in which these attitudes contributed to the oppression and marginalization of women.

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