*A wife in London* - Thomas Hardy

Question 1

context for a wife in london:

Answer 1

Thomas Hardy
About the Boer wars - in S Africa between British and Netherlands origin over gold reserves
about the affects on family
following industrial revolution
-smog
-letters
Hardy was against the war and especially the anonymity of the war to the public - shown by the anonymous soldier

Question 2

structure wife in London:

Answer 2

two distinct sections showing the hope and hopelessness of life. invokes sadness
consistent stanzas depicting life as a series of chapter and events

Question 3

‘tawny

Answer 3

vapour’ - pathetic fallacy and links to Victorian smog

Question 4

‘waning

Answer 4

taper’ - foreshadowing the soldiers death

Question 5

‘glimmers

Answer 5

cold’ - oxymoron shows the unfairness of war

Question 6

‘He-He has fallen-

Answer 6

in the far South land’ - caesura showing her sadness and disbelief. anonymity of both the soldier and the war - how the public know little of what is happening

Question 7

‘the fog

Answer 7

hangs thicker - pathetic fallacy portraying her grief worsening

Question 8

‘penned in

Answer 8

the highest feather’ - juxtaposition between his letter and the telegram - showing the human side of the soldier.

Question 9

‘and of new

Answer 9

love that they would learn’ - very sad ending as the wife reminisces on what could have been