A wife in london - Thomas Hardy Flashcards
“sits in the tawny vapour”
The adjective ‘tawny’ suggests a dull, brown, foggy London. The language is ominous and may indicate the darkness and highlights the tragedy about to happen
What does the poems structure suggest
The poem is structured in two halves showing it is like chapters in a tragic story. The two halves could suggest her life has been destroyed.
“whose webby fold”
This spider web imagery evokes the feeling of poverty, entrapment and anxiety. As a widow, she will be further trapped.
“waning taper”
The simile may imply that the light of her life is going out, perhaps with her hopes for the future.
“He–has fallen–in” (euphemism)
The speaker uses the ‘euphemism’ fallen rather than died – maybe trying to divert the horror.
“He–has fallen–in”
The dashes indicates the short sharp breaking sounds, perhaps this was how she read the letter. It may also suggest how her life is now broken.
“the fog hangs thicker,”
Pathetic fallacy of the ‘fog hangs thicker’ shows her grief is settling in. The fog is ominous and can cover things up, much like communications in war.
“The postman nears and goes:”
emphasises the normality of the post man’s round. Perhaps this also reinforces the normality of the causalities and bereavements in war.
“And of new love that they would learn.”
It heightens the tragedy of his death because they will never get to rekindle their relationship. Perhaps Hardy leaves it here because it is more powerful then describing the widow’s grief.
Why is the ABBAB structure different
The poem has a regular ABBAB rhyme scheme, yet it doesn’t have a ‘sing-song’ quality which reflects the Irony that there is now nothing to celebrate
“the street lamp glimmers cold”
This is an oxymoron, as the lights are flickering and fading, which is symbolic of the soldier, who is also dying out.
