The Changeling

The accuracy of this child’s understanding is up for interpretation. The unreliable narrator is an integral part of this poem that makes reading it all the more entertaining. Since the child is entirely convinced of her connection to the fairy world, it is far easier for readers to suspend their disbelief and transport themselves to the world of the fairies. 

The Changeling
Charlotte Mew

Toll no bell for me, dear Father, dear Mother,Waste no sighs;There are my sisters, there is my little brotherWho plays in the place called Paradise,Your children all, your children for ever;But I, so wild,Your disgrace, with the queer brown face, was never,Never, I know, but half your child!

In the garden at play, all day, last summer,Far and away I heardThe sweet "tweet-tweet" of a strange new-comer,The dearest, clearest call of a bird.It lived down there in the deep green hollow,My own old home, and the fairies sayThe word of a bird is a thing to follow,So I was away a night and a day.

One evening, too, by the nursery fire,We snuggled close and sat round so still,When suddenly as the wind blew higher,Something scratched on the window-sill.A pinched brown face peered in--I shivered;No one listened or seemed to see;The arms of it waved and the wings of it quiveredWhoo--I knew it had come for me!Some are as bad as bad can be!All night long they danced in the rain,Round and round in a dripping chain,Threw their caps at the window-pane,Tried to make me scream and shoutAnd fling the bedclothes all about:I meant to stay in bed that night,And if only you had left a lightThey would never have got me out!

Sometimes I would speak, you see,Or answer when you spoke to me,Because in the long, still dusks of SpringYou can hear the whole world whispering;The shy green grasses making love,The feathers grow on the dear grey dove,The tiny heart of the redstart beat,The patter of the squirrel's feet,The pebbles pushing in the silver streams,The rushes talking in their dreams,The swish-swish of the bat's black wings,The wild-wood bluebell's sweet ting-tings,Humming and hammering at your ear,Everything there is to hearIn the heart of hidden things.But not in the midst of the nursery riot,That's why I wanted to be quiet,Couldn't do my sums, or sing,Or settle down to anything.And when, for that, I was sent upstairsI did kneel down to say my prayers;But the King who sits on your high Church steepleHas nothing to do with us fairy people!

'Times I pleased you, dear Father, dear Mother,Learned all my lessons and liked to play,And dearly I loved the little pale brotherWhom some other bird must have called away.Why did they bring me here to make meNot quite bad and not quite good,Why, unless They're wicked, do They want, in spite, to take meBack to Their wet, wild wood?Now, every night I shall see the windows shining,The gold lamp's glow, and the fire's red gleam,While the best of us are twining twigs and the rest of us are whiningIn the hollow by the stream.Black and chill are Their nights on the woldAnd They live so long and They feel no pain:I shall grow up, but never grow old,I shall always, always be very cold,I shall never come back again!

Summary

‘The Changeling’ by Charlotte Mew is an impactful poem narrated by a child who believes she’s a changeling. 

In this poem, the speaker, a child, expresses her feelings of being different from her human family. She believes that she is a changeling, a fairy child left in place of a human child. She acknowledges that she has never truly felt like her parents’ complete child.

The speaker often finds solace in nature’s whisperings during peaceful times, but amidst the chaos of the nursery, she struggles to concentrate on her studies or settle into any activity. She feels torn between the two worlds and yearns to return to the “wet, wild wood” of the fairies.

The poem concludes with the child accepting her fate. She believes that she will always be different, distant, and cold, and she resigns herself to never truly coming back to the human world.

The Meaning of the Title 

The title is an important part of this poem as it, before one starts reading, gives an important detail away. It holds significant meaning and is a central thematic element in the poem. A changeling is a term derived from European folklore, particularly from Celtic and Scandinavian traditions. 

In these myths, a changeling is a fairy child left in place of a human child taken by the fairies. The changeling is believed to have unique physical characteristics or behavior that sets them apart from human children, often leading to suspicions of them being supernatural beings.

In the context of Charlotte Mew’s poem, the title ‘The Changeling’ refers to the speaker’s belief that she herself is a changeling—a fairy child exchanged with a human child. 

Structure and Form 

‘The Changeling’ by Charlotte Mew is a five-stanza poem that is divided into uneven stanzas. The first contains eight lines, the second: eight, the third: seventeen, the fourth: twenty-three, and the fifth: seventeen. The poet chose to use a simple rhyme scheme throughout most of this poem of ABABCDCD. 

Partway through the third stanza, the pattern changes, becoming AABBCCDD before becoming a combination of the two patterns at the end of stanza five. 

Literary Devices 

The poet uses a few different literary devices in this poem. These include: 

• Metaphor: The central metaphor in the poem is the concept of the “changeling,” which represents the speaker’s belief that she is a fairy child exchanged for a human child.
• Personification: Throughout the poem, there are instances of personification used to animate elements of nature and the fairy world. For example, the “shy green grasses making love” and the “rushes talking in their dreams.”
• Imagery: The poem is rich in imagery, creating sensory descriptions that should make it easier for readers to imagine different scenes and experiences. For example, the descriptions of the fairy creatures dancing.

Detailed Analysis 

Stanza One

Toll no bell for me, dear Father, dear Mother,
Waste no sighs;
There are my sisters, there is my little brother
Who plays in the place called Paradise,
Your children all, your children for ever;
But I, so wild,
Your disgrace, with the queer brown face, was never,
Never, I know, but half your child!

In the first stanza of this poem, the poet begins by setting the tone. She also introduces the central theme of alienation to the reader. The poet’s speaker, a child, is addressing her parents in these first lines. She tells them to “Toll no bell for me.” This suggests that they shouldn’t lament the fact that she is gone. 

She also knows, in one way or another, that she does not seem to fit the conventional mold of a child in their eyes, and hence, there will be no sorrow for her departure.

She goes on to say that she feels like an outsider. She is “wild, different, and untamed” compared to her siblings. The word “disgrace” indicates her belief that her uniqueness is seen as a flaw or something to be ashamed of by her parents or society. She suggests that she’s only “half” their “child.” 

Stanza Two

In the garden at play, all day, last summer,
Far and away I heard
The sweet “tweet-tweet” of a strange new-comer,
The dearest, clearest call of a bird.
It lived down there in the deep green hollow,
My own old home, and the fairies say
The word of a bird is a thing to follow,
So I was away a night and a day.

In the second stanza, the young speaker reminisces about a significant event from the previous summer. This event serves as a moment of escape and freedom for the speaker and also deepens her connection to the fairy world she believes she belongs to.

She says that the bird’s call had a captivating effect on her, transporting her to the “deep green hollow” in which it lived. The speaker feels very connected to this place, saying that it is like an “old home.” 

Going on, the poet writes that the speaker was “away a night and a day.” Here, she’s suggesting that the young girl followed the call of the bird and ventured into the fairy realm for a brief period.

Stanza Three

One evening, too, by the nursery fire,
We snuggled close and sat round so still,
When suddenly as the wind blew higher,
Something scratched on the window-sill.
A pinched brown face peered in–I shivered;
No one listened or seemed to see;
The arms of it waved and the wings of it quivered
Whoo–I knew it had come for me!
Some are as bad as bad can be!
All night long they danced in the rain,
Round and round in a dripping chain,
Threw their caps at the window-pane,
Tried to make me scream and shout
And fling the bedclothes all about:
I meant to stay in bed that night,
And if only you had left a light
They would never have got me out!

The third stanza is slightly longer than the previous two sections. Here, the poet’s speaker describes an encounter she had one evening in which a supernatural-seeming being visited her. 

The feeling of warmth and safety felt in the first few lines dissolves when the poet describes something scraping on the window sill and the sight of a “pinched brown face” looking into the nursery. The speaker’s reaction (shivering) implies fear and discomfort. Despite the unsettling presence, the family appears oblivious, as “No one listened or seemed to see.”

This fact suggests that she was the only one able to see the being, and she knew then that it had come for her. She also thinks that these creatures are bad intentions and are “as bad as bad can be.”

The entities engage in a night-long haunting, dancing in the rain and creating a sinister atmosphere. The imagery of them moving “round and round in a dripping chain” adds to the eerie ambiance. 

The stanza ends when the speaker expresses her desire to remain in bed that night, suggesting that she longs to retreat back into her own world, away from the chaos and danger of the fairy creatures.

Stanza Four 

Sometimes I would speak, you see,
Or answer when you spoke to me,
Because in the long, still dusks of Spring
You can hear the whole world whispering;
The shy green grasses making love,
The feathers grow on the dear grey dove,
The tiny heart of the redstart beat,
The patter of the squirrel’s feet,
The pebbles pushing in the silver streams,
The rushes talking in their dreams,
The swish-swish of the bat’s black wings,
The wild-wood bluebell’s sweet ting-tings,
Humming and hammering at your ear,
Everything there is to hear
In the heart of hidden things.
But not in the midst of the nursery riot,
That’s why I wanted to be quiet,
Couldn’t do my sums, or sing,
Or settle down to anything.
And when, for that, I was sent upstairs
I did kneel down to say my prayers;
But the King who sits on your high Church steeple
Has nothing to do with us fairy people!

The fourth stanza is the longest of the poem. In it, the speaker reflects on her ability to communicate and her deep connection to the natural world. She contrasts her affinity for nature and the fairy realm with her struggles in the human world, particularly within the nursery setting.

The poet’s speaker also describes her desire to, at times, speak to the human world, implying that she has not entirely withdrawn from her family. Despite this, she has trouble due to her longing for her true fairy home. 

The speaker feels a deep connection to nature, as well; these lines make clear. She is acutely aware of the hidden wonders of the natural world. 

The phrase “nursery riot” suggests the chaotic and noisy environment of the nursery, which stands in stark contrast to the peaceful and harmonious experience the speaker finds in nature. Plus, the speaker’s desire to be “quiet” reflects her longing for solitude and her difficulty in adapting to the bustling and noisy human environment.

In the final part of the stanza, the poet’s speaker shares her experience of prayer. She kneels down to pray, but she feels a disconnect with the conventional religious beliefs represented by “the King who sits on your high Church steeple.” This connects directly to the way that the speaker feels removed from the rest of the human world. 

Stanza Five

‘Times I pleased you, dear Father, dear Mother,
Learned all my lessons and liked to play,
And dearly I loved the little pale brother
Whom some other bird must have called away.
Why did they bring me here to make me
Not quite bad and not quite good,
Why, unless They’re wicked, do They want, in spite, to take me
Back to Their wet, wild wood?
Now, every night I shall see the windows shining,
The gold lamp’s glow, and the fire’s red gleam,
While the best of us are twining twigs and the rest of us are whining
In the hollow by the stream.
Black and chill are Their nights on the wold
And They live so long and They feel no pain:
I shall grow up, but never grow old,
I shall always, always be very cold,
I shall never come back again!

In the final stanza of the poem, the speaker continues addressing her mother and father, connecting these lines back to the beginning of the poem. She notes that she “Learned all [her] lessons and liked to play.” This line is hinting at her desire to be a good child to her parents. 

The phrase “whom some other bird must have called away” once again alludes to the idea that she might be a changeling—a fairy child left in place of a human child. The poet also makes it clear that the speaker has spent her whole life wondering why she was brought here if she doesn’t fully belong or fit in. The words “Not quite bad and not quite good” indicate her feelings of being in-between, neither fully accepted nor rejected.

The following lines express the speaker’s anticipation of witnessing her human family’s warmth and comfort every night, symbolized by “the windows shining,” “the gold lamp’s glow,” and “the fire’s red gleam.”

In the final lines, the speaker describes the contrasting nature of the fairy world (“black and chill are Their nights on the wold”) and their apparent immortality (“They live so long and They feel no pain”). This further emphasizes her connection to the fairy realm and her perception of their world as mysterious and otherworldly.

FAQs 

Similar Poetry 

Readers who enjoyed this poem might also enjoy reading some other Charlotte Mew poems. For example: 

• ‘A Quoi Bon Dire’ – explores the process of aging and deals with topics such as loss and death. 
• ‘Fin de Fête’ – is a love poem that depicts the depths and the sorrows of thwarted love.
• ‘I so liked Spring’ – is a two-stanza work that uses the immature stance of the narrator’s romantic interest.