Neutral Tones Flashcards
(NT) and a few leaves…
lay on the starving sod
(NT) “and a few leaves lay on the starving sod”
alliteration
starving sod - creating a semantic field of sad and dull
(NT) they had…
fallen from an ash, and were grey.
(NT) “they had fallen from ash, and were grey.”
ash - burnt out flames, may link to their relationship ending
grey - links to desaturation, his life is desaturated now that she’s left him
(NT) alive enough…
to have strength to die
(NT) “alive enough to have strength to die”
oxymoron
mature enough to let their relationship end
(NT) a grin…
of bitterness swept thereby
(NT) “a grin of bitterness swept thereby”
oxymoron
on the surface he is trying to seem happy about the relationship ending but on the inside he’s hurting
(NT) Neutral tones was written by…
Thomas Hardy
(NT) The poet…
had many failed marriages
he cheated on his first wife
remarried, still wasn’t a great relationship
(NT) “Neutral Tones”
Links to the key theme of the poem
Neutral - symbolises desaturation, possibly colour could symbolise love or feelings
