Who is the speaker in the poem?

The speaker is a man speaking directly to his lover. Lawrence doesn't provide a name or backstory, making him feel like an everyman — or more precisely, a reflection of Lawrence's thoughts on masculine inner life and the boundaries of what a woman can understand about a man.

What does 'chatelaine' mean in the poem?

A chatelaine was the head of a large household, marked by the chain of keys she wore at her waist, which allowed her entry to every room. The speaker conveys: I'll let you oversee my entire inner life. However, since he is the one assigning that role, the power remains with him — she is a manager he chose, not an equal partner.

What are the 'secret places' and 'altars barbarous below'?

The speaker intentionally keeps this unclear. There might be real hidden depths—like desires, memories, or aspects of himself he chooses not to reveal. Alternatively, he might be completely fabricating them to pique her interest. Lawrence never clarifies this, and that ambiguity is key: the speaker relishes her uncertainty.

What is the power dynamic in the poem?

On the surface, it seems that the woman has all the access while the man appears open. However, the speaker is in control at every stage: he hands out the keys, observes and laughs, determines what qualifies as a secret, and ultimately keeps her 'suppliant on your curious knees' at the end. Throughout the eight stanzas, she transitions from chatelaine to supplicant.

What does 'sin-mouse' mean?

It's Lawrence's somewhat humorous term for the speaker's minor flaws or moral missteps. Referring to them as mice makes them feel insignificant, and portraying the woman as hunting and killing them like a housekeeper dealing with pests is playfully mocking — it turns her moral evaluation of him into just another household task.

What is the poem's structure and how does it affect the meaning?

The poem consists of eight stanzas, each with four lines, following a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme and a lively, almost musical rhythm. This lightness adds to the playful nature of the piece, creating an airy feel, even as the content reveals a controlling relationship. The contrast between the upbeat tone and the disturbing dynamic generates much of the poem's tension.

Is the poem misogynistic?

That's a valid question. The woman in the poem is both active and curious, qualities that Victorian poetry didn't often permit, yet she ultimately finds herself kneeling while the man laughs. Lawrence might argue that he's capturing a natural tension between the two characters rather than belittling women, but the speaker's amusement at her frustration comes off as anything but neutral. Most readers today recognize this imbalance, even while appreciating the poem's cleverness.

The Annotated Edition

TEASE by D. H. Lawrence

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~2 minOpen reading mode →

A man opens up his inner world to a woman, chuckling as she digs through every part of his soul yet still misses some things.

Poet: D. H. Lawrence
Themes: freedom, identity, loneliness

The PoemFull text

TEASE

D. H. Lawrence

I WILL give you all my keys, You shall be my chatelaine, You shall enter as you please, As you please shall go again. When I hear you jingling through All the chambers of my soul, How I sit and laugh at you In your vain housekeeping role. Jealous of the smallest cover, Angry at the simplest door; Well, you anxious, inquisitive lover, Are you pleased with what's in store? You have fingered all my treasures, Have you not, most curiously, Handled all my tools and measures And masculine machinery? Over every single beauty You have had your little rapture; You have slain, as was your duty, Every sin-mouse you could capture. Still you are not satisfied, Still you tremble faint reproach; Challenge me I keep aside Secrets that you may not broach. Maybe yes, and maybe no, Maybe there _are_ secret places, Altars barbarous below, Elsewhere halls of high disgraces. Maybe yes, and maybe no, You may have it as you please, Since I choose to keep you so, Suppliant on your curious knees.

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A man opens up his inner world to a woman, chuckling as she digs through every part of his soul yet still misses some things. She becomes jealous and anxious, feeling certain he must be hiding something. The poem concludes with him relishing her suspense—he neither confirms nor denies the existence of any secrets. Ultimately, it’s a game of power masquerading as closeness.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

I WILL give you all my keys, / You shall be my chatelaine,
Editor's note
The speaker offers complete access—similar to how a chatelaine would hold the keys to a household, making this a significant, almost ceremonial act of openness. Yet, there's a subtle smirk in his tone. He's *granting* her entry, which means the power remains with him.
When I hear you jingling through / All the chambers of my soul,
Editor's note
The keys turn into actual sound — she’s moving through the rooms of his inner self. The scene is almost funny: a woman darting around a man’s mind like a housekeeper on her rounds. He observes and *laughs*, indicating that this openness was never truly a surrender.
Jealous of the smallest cover, / Angry at the simplest door;
Editor's note
Now her searching has turned into anxiety. She's not just curious—she's jealous of anything she can't open right away. For the first time, the speaker addresses her directly, calling her an 'anxious, inquisitive lover.' It's an affectionate term, but there's a hint of mockery too.
You have fingered all my treasures, / Have you not, most curiously,
Editor's note
The language becomes more tactile and a bit provocative — 'fingered,' 'tools and measures,' 'masculine machinery.' Lawrence intentionally blurs the boundary between delving into a man's mind and his body. The intimacy is genuine, yet the speaker presents it like an exhibit for display.
Over every single beauty / You have had your little rapture;
Editor's note
She's experienced her moments of joy ('little rapture') and has diligently sought out every flaw or 'sin-mouse' she could uncover. The word 'little' subtly undermines her discoveries — he's belittling them even as he mentions them. 'Slain' and 'duty' make her seem more like a dedicated pest controller than a lover.
Still you are not satisfied, / Still you tremble faint reproach;
Editor's note
Despite the thorough search, she feels like something is missing. She can't quite put her finger on it, so it comes out as a shaky reproach — more of a feeling than a direct accusation. The speaker picks up on this and takes advantage of it. Her dissatisfaction is the bait he's been looking for.
Maybe yes, and maybe no, / Maybe there _are_ secret places,
Editor's note
The italicised *are* serves as the poem's turning point. He doesn't confirm or deny the secrets. Phrases like 'altars barbarous below' and 'halls of high disgraces' have a thrillingly dark ring to them, but he might just be inventing them to keep her interested. That ambiguity is key.
Maybe yes, and maybe no, / You may have it as you please,
Editor's note
The opening generosity ('you shall enter as you please') is reflected and distorted here. She can hold any beliefs she wants — because he has opted to keep her trapped in this state of desire and doubt. The last image of her 'suppliant on your curious knees' captures it perfectly: she entered as a chatelaine with keys and finds herself kneeling, still on the hunt.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Playful and cool, yet hinting at cruelty. Lawrence maintains a light tone — almost teasing, just as the title suggests — but the power dynamic he's portraying is genuinely unsettling. The speaker is fond of this woman while also relishing her discomfort. There's humor here, but it's the kind that cuts deep when you examine it closely.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Keys / the chatelaine: Keys symbolize access and trust. Giving them away might seem like complete openness, but the speaker still holds the authority to grant access — so this action actually showcases control rather than surrender.
Chambers of the soul: The mind, or inner self, is often imagined as a house with many rooms. While this metaphor is familiar, Lawrence takes it a step further by making it a literal and physical space, allowing the woman to wander through and shake the doors. There’s always the possibility of a locked basement in the house.
Sin-mouse: The speaker's minor faults or transgressions are depicted through a small, almost humorous image. Referring to them as mice trivializes their significance, while her 'slaying' them, like a housekeeper tackling pests, shifts her role from lover to a mere domestic servant of his conscience.
Altars barbarous below / halls of high disgraces: These are the so-called secret places—mysterious, grand-sounding, and maybe even made up. They reflect the aspects of a person that refuse to be completely revealed, whether it's true hidden depths or just the enigma someone chooses to present.
Suppliant on your curious knees: The final image flips the poem's beginning. She starts with keys and authority; she concludes kneeling in supplication. Curiosity, as Lawrence implies, can turn into a form of submission.

§06Historical context

Historical context

D. H. Lawrence penned 'Tease' in the early twentieth century, a time when he was grappling with concepts of gender, desire, and the boundaries of intimacy—themes that would later take center stage in novels like *Sons and Lovers* (1913) and *Women in Love* (1920). He was keenly aware of what he perceived as a modern trend to over-analyze love, viewing a partner's inner world as a puzzle to be solved rather than a mystery to embrace. This poem, part of his early collection, reflects his complex and often confrontational perspective on the dynamics between men and women. He was pushing back against the Victorian ideal of the devoted, self-sacrificing woman; in this piece, the woman is portrayed as active and curious, yet Lawrence still places the male speaker in a position of real power. The poem's light, almost folk-song rhythm gives it a surface that feels breezy and carefree.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

A man invites a woman to delve deeply into his inner self, observing with a smirk as she investigates every nook of his soul while still feeling he's concealing something. He concludes the poem by intentionally withholding whether any secrets are there, leaving her in a constant state of anxious desire. The 'tease' in the title captures this perfectly — he's playfully leading her on.

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TEASE by D. H. Lawrence

TEASE

What this poem is about

Recurring themes

Stanza by stanza, with notes

How this poem feels

Symbols & metaphors

Historical context

Questions readers ask

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