ENGLISH 2 NOTES
Poetry
“The joys and sorrows of life, the transforming power of love, and a concern for nature are characteristics lf the poetry of Thomas Hardy.”
Discuss this view, supporting the points you make by reference to or quotation from the poems by Hardy on your course.
Hardy’s poetry is varied in its themes, encompassing such topics as the
joys and sorrows of life, the transforming power of love, and a concern for
nature. He illustrates these
characteristics through his careful descriptions, his language and
imagery. Among his poems which display
best these characteristics are ‘During Wind and Rain’, ‘When I set out for
Lyonnesse’ and ‘Afterwards’.
In
‘During Wind and Rain’, we see the joys and sorrows of life. Hardy paints pictures of a family enjoying
life together
“They sing their dearest songs”
“They are blithely breakfasting
all”
Each
verse begins with a scene of harmony and happiness
“And the brightest things that are
theirs.”
However,
this is closely followed in each verse by a reminder of the sorrows of life
“How the sick leaves reel down in
throngs.”
“Down their carved names the
rain-drop ploughs”
This
contrast emphasises and exaggerates the joys and the sorrows, as does the
poet’s emotional intensity
“Ah, no; the years O!”
‘When
I set out for Lyonnesse’ deals with the transforming power of live. The layout of the verses emphasises a
transformation, beginning with
“And starlight lit my
lonesomeness”,
and
concluding with
“All marked with mute surmise
My radiance rare and fathomless”
His
reference to magic suggest a potent power
“Nor did the wisest wizard guess”
which
is further added to by the trance-like repetition
“When I came back from Lyonnesse
With magic in my eyes”.
Hardy’s concern for nature is evident in ‘Afterwards’. Although it is primarily a meditation on how
he will be remembered after his death, it is peppered with tender affectionate
descriptions of nature’s beauty.
“And the May month flaps its glad
green leaves like wings,
Delicate-filmed as new-spun silk,”
We
also learn of his concern for nature from that which he believes others will
say of him.
“He strove that such innocent
creatures
should come to no harm”
In
contrast with other writers he seems to want to be remembered in nature than by
his work.
“Will this thought rise on those
who
will meet my face no more,
‘He was one who had an eye for such mysteries’?”
That
he would see nature as a memorial shows his concern and admiration for it.
In his work Hardy addresses many issues. Concerns such as the joys and sorrows of life, the transforming power of love and concern for nature are major characteristics of his subject-matter. They are conveyed clearly and explicitly in a manner of ways creating poems that are accessible and lucid.
