Formatting page ...
THE DARKLING THRUSH Introduction Thomas Hardy is reputed to have written The Darkling Thrush on New Year s Eve, 1900, at the dawn of a new century. The speaker stands alone in the wintry evening, contemplating on the desolate landscape of the century that was. It is the end of the day, the end of the year and the end of the century. The Darkling Thrush is a significant poem which doesn t merely project the perception and feelings of one person but is representative of the mood of an age. Hardy like the people of his age witnessed the intense and rapid change in the society and political beliefs due to the developments in science and technology. The rapid industrialization of England led to the slow decline of his beloved countryside, loss of rural customs and traditions and a steep increase in urbanization with degrading living conditions for the working class. These changes created a feeling of hopelessness and bleak future in the poet s mind which is reflected in the poem. The despair of the poet with regards to the end of the 19th century and the doubts that he has regarding the future of humanity with the onset of a new century is highlighted in The Darkling Thrush . The evening son of the Thrush does give him hope of a better tomorrow, but the hope is bleak. Summary The poet persona finds himself leaning against a wooden gate in a sombre mood, perfectly complemented by the harsh wintry weather. The landscape, the bare trees, the cold wind and everything around him seem to have come under the spell of a dreary desolate winter. Piercing through this lifeless state comes a voice from the bleak twigs overhead : An aged thrush, no better off than his surroundings frail, gaunt and small sings a joyful song under such a gloomy condition. The poet sees no immediate cause that could trigger such fervour in the bird. He can t help but think there might be some great mysterious hope of which the little bird understands and he doesn t. Paraphrase and Analysis Stanza 1: Line 1 to 4 In the first stanza, we are introduced to the poet, in the first person, I . The speaker or the poet is watching as a silent bystander leaning upon the coppice gate a gate that opens onto the woods. The posture suggests the poet is tired
|
