One of his more popular works is “The Darkling Thrush,” in which the speaker hears a thrush singing in the gloom. The poem is often seen as
an elegy for the nineteenth century
.
Is The Darkling Thrush a ballad?
“The Darkling Thrush” is
a ballad
. In keeping with the conventions of that form, it is written in eight-line stanzas, also called octaves. Each octave features alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter, rhymed ABABCDCD.
Is The Darkling Thrush an ode?
The poem, ‘The Darkling Thrush,’ is
written in the form of an ode
, conventionally a lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often written in a lofty, elevated style giving it a formal tone.
In what way is the poem The Darkling Thrush?
He is clearly feeling uneasy, unsure of himself and the world around him, and is seeking some hope when all he can hear is a “death-lament.”
The voice of the thrush
, then, goes some way towards providing this for him. Its “joy illimited” is very different to what the speaker is feeling.
How The Darkling Thrush proves to be an elegy?
In the poem The Darkling Thrush the poet expresses his despair regarding this decay of a traditional and natural world. Written at the turn of the 20th century, the
elegy laments the end of the century which was more natural, more humane and livelier to him
.
What is the theme of Darkling thrush?
The Darkling Thrush : theme
of despair of hopelessness
In this meditative poem, the poet describes the dying of the old world at the turn of the century. The poet feels that the Industrial Revolution has brought about several changes in the society, polity, economy and religious beliefs.
What does the thrush symbolize in The Darkling Thrush?
The thrush’s sudden appearance changes the speaker’s outlook. This bird may look beat-up and a little decrepit, but the bird pours his heart out in song, uncaring of the surrounding gloom. … The thrush symbolizes
unlooked-for optimism and a reason to carry on even through dark, uncertain times
.
What does the word darkling mean in Darkling thrush?
‘Darkling’ means ‘
of the darkness
‘. When the word ‘darkling’ is used as an adjective for the thrush, it’s a complete antithesis (contrast). In the poem the darkness or the dying of light is representative of the death of a century, and the despair it brings. … So, the thrush is a symbol of faith and hope.
What is the main conflict in the poem The Darkling Thrush?
the main conflict of the poem the darkling thrush is
that of it”s the very end of the day
. In fact, it’s the very end of the year. The countryside is frozen into an icy, unwelcoming landscape.
What changes does the song of the thrush bring in the poem The Darkling Thrush?
A full-throated song, sung by an old thrush was heard and the mournful mood of the poet started changing.
Seeing the thrush and its ability to find and create beauty in a joyless landscape allows the narrator to embrace the hope he can find in his own heart
. The thrush’s song breaks the mood of unhappiness.
What is the poet’s message in the poem The Darkling Thrush?
Thomas Hardy’s poem ‘The Darkling Thrush’ is a nature poem with the theme of
HOPE
. Here the poet mourns the end of a century, the Twentieth Century, by depicting the winter atmosphere in its desolate and hopeless state full of frost, snow and heavy fog.
What are the poet’s feeling in the end of the poem The Darkling Thrush?
There is
sadness and hopelessness
within and without. Perhaps it is the poet who projects his feelings of sadness on to the scene. But the poet suddenly hears the shrill note of an aged thrush. The happy note of the thrush is surprising.
What was the original title of the poem The Darkling Thrush?
Thomas Hardy’s “The Darkling Thrush” was originally called “
The Century’s End, 1900
” and was first printed in The Graphic on 29 December of that year.
What is the irony in the poem The Darkling Thrush?
The irony throughout the poem lies in the
fact that the thrush is hopeful for no reason
. The speaker realizes that there is no reason for the thrush to be joyful in the desolate environment and does not share the same feelings as the bird.
What is the significance of time when The Darkling Thrush was published?
The time in which “The Darkling Thrush” was written is significant
because it was the end of the century
. It may have been written in 1899, but it was originally published on December 29, 1900, just a few days before what many people considered the beginning of a new century.
What do the thrush and the poet have in common in The Darkling Thrush?
The thrush and the poet are the only living things in this otherwise dead landscape. The poem emphasises for both their innermost being:
for the bird it refers to his’soul’ and for Hardy it refers to him as a ‘spirit’
. They both respond to their environment: the former in song and the latter in poetry.
