Extended commentary of ‘During Wind and Rain’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

On the Title An ambiguous and interestingnessing choice of title, in that it is as I will show up both incongruous with the tense (or time-scale) utilizationd in the metrical composition and draws the lecturers attention to descriptions of the weather condition. The word during makes the weather conditions affect the present. However, the poetry is in the main written in the historic present and many of the stanzas depict images of bright, loving days not the wind and pelting bothuded to in the title. T here is intelligibly an intentional discrepancy being orchestrated here by brazen. name SLS Bewargon during, the incongruous preposition.Overall Structure Four stanzas of septenary bank bills, with a very(prenominal)(prenominal) strange ( scarcely regular) poetry scheme. Hardy occasions a very odd structure indeed. The rhyme scheme utilised in the poesy consists of ABCBCDA.There be multiple effects of this* The sixth disembowel in the stanza breaks the poetic f low of the stanza, as it is the still line not to rhyme with an early(a) hence acting like a mid-stanzaic volta. It draws attention to itself. Therefore, it should inject as no surprise that the sixth line of every stanza breaks outdoor(a) from the theme of familial pleasure painted in the previous tail fin lines, and turns the subject to the contrasting theme of death. let on the refrains used* The drawn step up A rhyme encompasses the entirety of each stanza. Given that the last line (ab divulge death) is linked to the depression ( active action), is Hardy trying to show the unavoidable alliance of life and death?* Seven lines to each stanza peradventure gibe a week, just as the four stanzas represent the seasons? Very poor allusion.Themes decease, Family life, Time, The Seasons. hard-fought Language tvirtuosos Blithely means happily.First Stanza NotesThey sing their dear songs He, she, all of them yea, dual and tenor and bass,And hotshot to playWith the candles mooning each panoramaAh, no, the years OHow the sick leaves sag crop up in throngsThis poem is one full of re kissition and refrain. The general layout of each stanza, in impairment of theme, organisation and repetition of certain lines, remains constant. Each stanza, for example, opens with an image of a family presumably the aforementioned(prenominal) one throughout in a lead, or carrying out an action, in a unified and happy way. This stanza evokes a gibe of the Victorian family gathered, singing, around a piano (one to play), as piano playing and sing-a-long was, of course, very common in Hardys time.Note how he only uses personal pronouns distancing effect?Hardy goes to perhaps extreme lengths to show the familys unity. On a critical note, one could criticise his rather inefficient use of the first four lines of this poem, yet that is not our aim. Some abridgment* They sing their de best songs. Note the use of a superlative adjective in de arst. It is the first of m any. We whitethorn query its meaning perhaps it indicates a certain reverence to familial attitude, both in Hardy and in the family itself. They are enjoying it* He, she, all of them. Illustrates a togetherness within the family one which (as Hardy will later rumourmonger upon) Death inevitably over sires. The folloannex line regarding the variant musical voice (Treble and tenor and bass) illustrates a similar thing, plainly is used to straits out that Death affects all elements of family, regardless of age. How very cast down were only at line 3 Even better, he does this in all stanzas.* yea Note use of colloquial (conversational) affirmative. Not only is it used to force the rhyme scheme, scarce it contrasts with the later Ah, no, which is negative. Hardy does this in all stanzas. Without jumping ahead, however, it is simply a friendly input signal of approval.* With the candles mooning each face Night time scene. Interesting, seeing as it contrasts with the other images presented, which are all in bright daylight.* Ah, no the years O Thus we encounter the inter-stanzaic volta. Not only does the rhyme scheme live on from regularity (We label the sixth line in all stanzas the D rhyme, as it is the only line not to have a rhyme companion). It signifies a departure from the sweet theme of the unadulterated joy of family life, and an arrival at the theme of its death or the detail that it is all release to pass eventually. As sooner mentioned, the Ah, no contrasts with the previous affirmative. The actual virtuoso of this line is rather obscure. We assume that Hardy is implicitly commenting on the fact that the years take away/ damage the family life as they pass, so does the family and its happiness. O is an ejaculation, expressing sadness or mourning for the family.* How the sick leaves reel down in throngs Hardy furthers his ideas about death. Here is a line referring to the late-flowering decay of life leaves falling and the way in whi ch it precedes Death. Note how the leaves, when considered in throngs, may represent people? In the same way, a reel is a type of dance is this (a slightly sick) dance of death? Unlikely, but we must remember that Hardy has no qualms with tragic irony.Second Stanza NotesThey liberate the creeping moss Elders and juniors aye,Making the pathways neat and the garden sprightlyAnd they build a shady seatAh, no the years, the yearsSee the white storm-birds denotation acrossOnce again, Hardy begins his stanza with an image of the family, this time in the garden presumably in flush, as suggested by the fact that they are change the remains of winter (the creeping moss), whilst he describes the garden as gay. One can immediately recognise the structural similarities shared with the first stanza, as well as the meaning behind the pleasant image.* Note that Hardy now observes that both Elders and juniors participate again, he differentiates surrounded by the different members of the f amily, but now uses the factor of age, as opposed to musical voices. This serves only to stanceen the original analysis that unity may be telescopic and, indeed, enjoyable, but it is only fleeting in the face of Death. Lovely* Observe how the familys actions are arranged around both making the place neat/pretty and around comfort. Making pathways neat and building a shady seat have only temporary effects upon happiness the moss will grow back, the pathways will become untidy in time, when winter (representing Death and decay) comes. Thus we sustain that Hardy is setting up, within his pleasant image, the back debark upon which he wishes to spot out that all happiness, joy and life itself is fleeting.* Or is it an image of the futility of human endeavour the weather will fuss the order imposed upon it, and ultimately Death will prevail?* On an aside evidence for the scene being set in spring if the seat is shady, then surely the sun must be out in broad daylight not a sympt om unremarkably associated with the Wintry illnessAh, no the years, the yearsSee the white storm-birds wing acrossAnd yet, on cue, Hardy revives his alternative theme this time with a slightly different D rhyme/phrase. The colloquial negative remains, but Hardy uses the echo of the years to emphasize the passage of time. He uses the same phrase in the fourth stanza, yet repeats the primary ejaculation in the third stanza (they alternate).The final line of the stanza is rather interesting. Storm-birds snuff it like mythic beasts perhaps the extremity of phrase reflects that of Death? yet they are some likely geese, flying away before Winter comes. It is not as disturbing an image as that of the leaves reeling, but it again points to the same idea. The use of strong verbs in all final lines in all stanza adds to their strength reel in Stanza One, wing in the second, etc. To wing itself is an quaint choice, perhaps adding to a sense of the supernatural. Think back to Neutral To nes and the heavy bird a-wing. The verb has the same effect here.Third Stanza NotesThey are mirthfully breakfasting all Men and maidens yea,Under the summer tree,With a glimpse of the bay,While pet fowl come to the kneeAh, no the years OAnd the smelly rose wine is ript from the wall.Here Hardy is at last open about the season and its effects much as Autumn and Winter are vocalization of Death and decay, spring and summer bear idyllic delights. In this stanza, we find ourselves in the latter.One cannot overdo the emphasis which Hardy applies to the seasons. He pictures human life as tragically linear, whilst comparing it to the inevitably rotary seasons. In the end, the seasons especially Winter bring about the decay of a finite life. And yet, to begin with, this stanza suggests that the family are blissfully unaware of that fact.* Once again, we find the family in unity and happy seeing as they are blithely breakfasting suggesting a disregard for the potential decay and sadness. They appear to live in the happy present.* It has been suggested that the family have now large up, seeing as they are now described as Men and maidens as opposed to Elders and juniors. perspective point no way to substantiate claim. Of course, now Hardy differentiates between them using sex all the more than differences which Death can overcome.* Allusions to an bucolic ideal a perfect landscape, full of happiness are unthinkable to avoid. Under the summer tree / With a glimpse of the bay it sounds more like Tuscany than Britain Of course, Hardy is not that explicit. The bay may just as well be a bay tree, as much as a bit of coastland. Still, the image remains idyllic. And yet, I Death am here.* The pet fowl may represent a further witness of happiness domesticated or agricultural livestock have ceaselessly been kept for the happiness of ones stomach or ones heart. Either will do. More human endeavour to be laid waste to by Death?Here, as usual, the poem break s away and returns to the original ejaculation about the years passing. Note how the O lengthens the line it slows the reader down. Otherwise analysed above.The final image evocative of Death, however, is of our greatest interestThe rotten rose is ript from the wall.Again, an ambiguous phrase creates the sense of sickening enigma which Death itself possesses. Not only does the obvious alliteration of the r sound mount both the tension and force placed upon the final verb, but it as well mirrors the ugly nature of the act itself. Ript is merely an archaic spell out of ripped the sense is the same and bears the same strength.Yet who, or what, rips up the rose? Obviously, the image is representative of Death claiming a life the verb suggests an unpleasant or untimely death. Quote SLS A complete severance from life. Perhaps we can extrapolate this further to make a comment on the cruelty of Death in Hardys eye? It may well be the wind. This would fit with the title, although we mus t still cerebrate the incongruous preposition, during. Perhaps the entire image is metaphorical, and Death is simply rupture a antecedently beautiful flower (rotten is probably representative of old) away from life?Fourth Stanza NotesThey change to a postgraduate new house,He, she, all of them aye,Clocks and carpets and chairsOn the lawn all day,And the brightest things that are theirsAh, no the years, the yearsDown their carved names the rain-drop ploughs.Clearly the family have grown wealthier, to move house and, it seems, they have moved quite literally up in the world, as it is a high one. One may enquiry whether this stanza overly reflects upon the materialistic joys of the world. Maybe that is Hardys intention. I doubt, however, that this is an explicit attack upon those who value material objects rather a memento mori, in that, despite the temporary pleasure of wealth and possessions, Death will everlastingly claim victory. Deeper analysis* Note how we have returned t o He, she, all of them. Have we come round in a full generational cycle?* The weather remains good, as the family display their possessions on the lawn, presumably as they every prepare to move them to the new house from the old, or simply before they have been properly installed. Clearly Hardy is using summer to represent joy and prosperity.* The language bears little complexity hence little analysis Is this done to reflect the simple, but enjoyable, pleasures of materialistic desires and good weather?* Brightest things which are theirs. Note another superlative. Relevance/ importance, other than to add emphasis?(Have previously analysed the secondary ejaculation. Now repeated.)The final image of the poem is possibly the close to interesting, dramatic and explicit.Down their carved names the rain-drop ploughs.Here Hardy at last makes an explicit reference to the subject of death, in that their carved names are grave stones, whilst also tying in the title (with the reference to t he weather). Primarily, we are shocked by the contrast clearly, Hardy is imagining the same individuals with whom we are now familiar (as the family) as being loose. They have been buried. This is a very sudden and rather upsetting realisation. Hardy very successfully makes his point about the frailty and temporal nature of life. Their successes and happiness are irrelevant. How depressingWorse, Hardy suggests that the weather erodes them not only in life, but also destroys (ploughs) their memory in death the rain drop appears to be eat at away the names from the stones. This insensitivity contrasts with the use of names, which are passing personal.Perhaps, however, Hardy intends ploughs to be positive. As in the agricultural sense, the rain drop prepares for new growth?Final note Is the narrator writing the poem in the grave-yard? Are the images he recollects merely his memories of a family now dead the images of Death are all happening around him during wind and rain? Clever p oint. Perhaps.