Peasant WeddingBy: William Carlos Williams

Activity:1. When you see this picture

what is the first thing you think of and why?

2. Where is the bride?

Thesis

William Carlos Williams uses

ekphrasis and imagery to depict

wealth and how superficial love

can be.

Language

Symbols :

•Mayor- symbolizes a line of power. By incorporating the Mayor, it shows acceptance of the wedding in the town.

•Bridegroom: symbolizes a man joined in marriage when considered in relation to his wife.

•The fact that the bride and groom is only mentioned once, and the bride is mentioned a lot, shows that the bride is the center of the poem.

•In the first stanza William makes it seem as if the groom has to cater to his wife by saying “ Pour the wine bridegroom where before you the bride is enthroned her hair”.

William Carlos Williams uses symbols to tell the reader that he is describing a wedding.

Structure

•Enjambment: No punctuation anywhere in the poem.

•Stanzas breaks the readers flow.

•For example in the 1st and 2nd stanza the thought,

“ bride is enthroned her hair” and

“loose at her temples ” are separated, and breaks the reading flow.

•Williams separates ideas to portray the typical wedding

day as chaotic and difficult, as a connection to the painting.

•4-6 words in a line

•3 lined stanzas

Style

•Tone- Williams uses both a critical and sarcastic tone through out the poem.

•Motif- wedding

•Mood- Observant

•In the beginning of the poem, the use of 2nd person’s point of view is used.

Pour the wine bridegroomwhere before you thebride is enthroned her hair loose at her temples a headof ripe wheat is onthe wall beside her the

guests seated at long tablesthe bagpipers are readythere is a hound under

the table the bearded Mayoris present women in theirstarched headgear are

gabbing all but the bridehands folded in herlap is awkwardly silent simple

dishes are being servedclabber and what notfrom a trestle made of an

unhinged barn door by twohelpers one in a redcoat a spoon in his hatband

Original Poem: Peasant WeddingBy; William Carlos Williams

The poem with included punctuation:

Pour the wine bridegroom,where before you thebride is enthroned her hair.

It’s loose at her temples, a head of ripe wheat is onthe wall beside her.

The guests seated at long tables,the bagpipers are ready.

There is a hound under the table the bearded Mayoris present.

Women in theirstarched headgear are gabbing, all but the bride.

Hands folded in herlap is awkwardly silent simple.

Dishes are being servedclabber and what notfrom a trestle made of an unhinged barn door by twohelpers.

One in a redcoat and spoon in his hatband.

Sound-The lines in the poems are similar.

- Causing an inconsistent rhythm. (Break in stanzas cause inconsistency)

-Rhythm- 5 or 6 syllables in each line.-Alliteration: 1st and 2nd and 3rd stanzas

- Alliteration of “H” & “S”

Diction: •enthroned = idea that the bride is the queen of the day•a head of ripe wheat= shows wealth •women in their starched head gear= snooty/ upper class •awkwardly silent= discomfort•unhinged barn door= poverty•bearded mayor= wisdom

Interpretation

Williams is trying to explain how no amount of money can buy real love.