Lady Clare | Major English - XII | Grade 12 Major English Note

Lady Clare

By Alfred Lord Tennyson

About the Poem:

‘Lady Clare’ is a narrative poem. It explains how lovers can rise above social and economic value and are able to remain faithful to each other.

Lady Clare was a rich, high – born woman. She was aging to marry her cousin, Lord Ronald. However, the nurse, Alice, told her she wasn’t really high- born. She was really the nurse’s own daughter. The earl’s daughter had died and the nurse had replaced her with her own daughter. When Lady Clare understood this, she threw away her jewels and dressed herself in the clothes of a poor village girl. The cousin, Lord Ronald saw Clare dressed as a village girl. He laughed when he heard the story and said he would still marry her.

Important Questions and Answers

1.    What is the secret about the birth of Lady Clare?

The secret about the birth of Lady Clare is that she was not the daughter of Earl. In reality she was the daughter of an old nurse, Alice. The real daughter of Earl died at their breast and she(Alice) buried the dead body of Earl’s daughter and put at the same place her own daughter instead. Alice exposed that secret to Lady Clare on the eve of her marriage.

2.    Why is Lady Clare intent on sharing this secret information with Ronald?
Lady Clare is intent on sharing this secret information with Ronald. She believes that Lord Ronald loves her for her own value, but not for her birth and land. They are engaged lovers and going to marry the following day. She has much faith on her lover. She is very clean — hearted and pure lady and she does not like to deceive her lover by hiding the reality of her social and economic status. When she learns that she is not the lady, she does not like to deceive her lover. She feels that it is the right time to know if there is any faith in man.

3.    What does ‘Lily—white doe’ as a lover's gift suggest to you? What would be missing from the narrative if it has been left out?
In Christianity, white things symbolize pious, and sacredness. It also denotes virginity and is preeminently the flower of Virgin Mary. White lily is an attribute of virgin saint. Similarly, deer or doe is the symbol of long and happy life. Thus, if it is combined together as ‘Lily—white doe’ it suggests the purity and long—life of Lady Clare. A person of lily— white character is described as a person of very pure and honest character. Therefore, 'the Lily—white doe' symbolizes the gift of selfless and really pure love from Lord Ronald's side.

If the reference of the gift had been left out from the narrative, Alice would not have told the secret to Clare, indication of pious love would have been missing and they would not have got a chance to prove their honesty.  

4.    How does Lord Ronald learn the secret information about the birth of Lady Clare?

When Lady Clare knew the secret, she threw away her jewels and dressed herself in the clothes of a poor village girl. The cousin, Lord Ronald saw Clare dressed as a village girl. She said that she was born in the poor family and that it was her fate. Ronald did not understand her puzzle and asked her not to play him any tricks. Then she boldly looked into his eyes and told him the nurse’s tale When Lord Ronald learns the secret information about the birth of Lady Clare, he laughs happily and kisses her. Then he sees that he will marry Clare, he laughs happily and kisses her. Then he sees that he will marry her even if she is a poor girl and even if she is not his own cousin.