A Wife In London Flashcards
(9 cards)
About
a poignant and tragic poem, explores the devastating impact of war, not only on the battlefield but also at home. focuses on a wife who receives news of her husband’s death, and the cruel irony that follows. powerfully conveys themes of loss, isolation, and the futility of war.
Structure
The split of stanzas mirrors the emotional journey of the wife The use of third-person narration creates a sense of emotional distance, reflecting the wife’s numbness and shock.
The structure is regular, with short stanzas and a steady rhythm, which contrasts with the emotional content. This calm, almost detached tone makes the grief feel even more stark, realistic and an inevitable part of war.
Imagery
Detailed visual image of the fog foreshadows the wifes sorrow - it then ‘hangs thicker’ when the bad news has been delivered. Images of light are presented as lacking warmth - the street lamp is ‘cold’ and the candle is ‘waning’ suggesting husbands life has ended too soon and reflects sadness caused by his death. The use of the word “cold” not only describes the setting but symbolizes the emotional coldness and death that is about to be revealed. The fog represents confusion, uncertainty, and the inescapable presence of grief.
Language
language presents a sense of irony. In “The Irony”, the letter is full of hope and plans for their future, creating a cruel contrast with the previous stanza where his death is announced. This use of dramatic irony intensifies the emotional impact on the reader. “Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather…”
The alliteration and hopeful tone here emphasise the vitality and optimism in his words — tragically unaware of his own fate.
‘The Street lamp glimmers cold’
The word “glimmers” suggests something weak and flickering — a light that barely holds on, much like the wife’s hope. “Cold” has connotations of death, lifelessness, and emotional distance.
Uses Imagery and symbolism – the lamp symbolises faint hope, but it offers no warmth or comfort.
It contrasts the idea of light (often associated with life) with coldness, subverting the symbol and making the atmosphere feel chilling and empty.
‘She sits in the tawney vapour’
The word “tawny” describes a brownish-yellow fog, common in Victorian London due to pollution, but it also sets a bleak and oppressive tone. The use of “vapour” suggests something ghostly or unreal — reflecting the wife’s emotional numbness.
Use of Pathetic fallacy – the weather mirrors her inner turmoil.
Victorian smog and industrial pollution often symbolised confusion or doom in literature, aligning with Hardy’s fatalistic view of life.
‘He - has fallen - in the far South Land…’
The dashes slow down the line, mirroring how the wife reads and processes the devastating news. The euphemism “fallen” softens the blow, avoiding the word “died,” but makes it feel even more tragic.
Uses technique of euphemism, caesura – adds to the realism of shock.
In the 19th century, letters were often formal and indirect. “Far South Land” likely refers to the Boer War in South Africa, making the war feel remote and impersonal
‘Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather’
This line describes the letter written by the husband before his death. The alliteration and hyphenated compound words give a sense of energy and positivity. “Highest feather” suggests pride and good spirits.
Shows uses of Alliteration, semantic field of optimism
The letter’s hopeful tone sharply contrasts the tragic news received just before — emphasising the cruel timing and emotional weight of war.
‘His hand, whom the worm now knows’
This is one of the poem’s most chilling lines. It refers to the man hand writing the letter, but now he is dead and buried, being eaten by worms. The contrast between life and decay is brutal.
Uses Imagery and juxtaposition
The intimacy of “his hand” becomes grotesque with the image of decomposition — Hardy forces us to confront the harsh reality of death without any romanticism.
