In the first part of "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy, it appears as though he has a lack of faith in humanity's ability to sustain itself with the introduction of the Industrial Revolution.
The land's sharp features seemed to be
The Century's corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
The land's sharp features could be represented by factories since they would cast a sharp look to the skyline of a city and it is the remains of the previous century which is why he says "The Century's corpse outleant," Overall, he has a very pessimistic view of where society is headed because he feels as though the earth has been scoured of all it's beauty while he is only looking at a small part of it. Once the thrush enters and begins to sing it shocks him out of his dark desolate despair and reminds him that it really isn't that bad. There has to be something good still left. It almost seems like the best is yet to come.
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
I don't know if I would call it hope so much as retribution...It seems like nature itself will not be silenced and is going to take back what we humans took away from it. Which in a way is ironic because as humans we are a part of nature and yet we try our best to separate ourselves from this fact.I know this sounds dystopian and cliche but I feel as if nature may soon have it's way with the world and return in full force, whether through us destroying it and realizing we need it, or like the bird and it rushing upon us.
ReplyDeleteI think this poem is not nearly as pessimistic as it seems. Though it does end on a somewhat dark note, the narrator's voice and the images he presents the reader with are contrasted by the hopeful song of the thrush. It's the same concept as the creation of shadow: there cannot be a shadow without the sun. Thus, the darkness and the light are connected. In the case of this specific poem, the thrush could very well represent nature in contrast to the industrial images conjured by the narrator. What comes immediately to mind is an auditory contrast. The sound of the thrush, beautiful among the litter and chaos of the industrial city, echo nature's shrinking, but still present voice against the grinding cacophony of the city conditions.
ReplyDeleteI feel like in this poem, it's not so much that nature and mankind are presented as being at odds with one another. It's more like the poet believes that nature, despite all humanity has done, is willing to offer humanity a second chance. For example, when "an aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, in blast-beruffled plume" chooses to burst into "a full-hearted evensong," if the poet believed mankind and nature were in a battle for dominance over the world, I don't think he would've reacted the way he does. He would probably would have despaired, seeing that nature had finally announced it's decision to fight back against mankind's expansion and technology. But instead, he describes it as instilling "some blessed Hope, whereof he knew and i was unaware." I think this shows that the poet believes that nature and the world are offering humanity a chance for redemption.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that it seems like nature is offering humanity a second chance. I saw it as nature realizing that humanity needs the benefits that nature provides but they are un aware of it. We are not aware what these "sharp features" such as sewage plants other environment harming factors a doing a great amount of damage. It is giving humanity a chance to realize what gifts they are being presented with and help try to restore what damage has been done.
ReplyDeleteBest is yet to come Perhaps. At the very least the narrator is acknowledging his own fault in the issue as he includes himself in "And every spirit upon earth| Seemed fervourless as I."He acknowledges that he's been part of the problem, but by observing the thresh, there is still hope for redemption.
ReplyDeleteI really feel like this piece is pointing out that evolution is necessary in literature. No one era should continue forever, and we need these new "thresh" poets when eras and styles become stagnant. Perhaps Yeats is writing about his own experiences hearing a new poet, unchained by the era or common styles that had become so prevalent. I think that given the tone of the poem, Yeats could have wished that new "thresh" was himself, and how he laments that he could so easily be coupled with other poets of the era.
This might also be a reason why Yeats gets a lil cray as the years pass by.