A Wife in London Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is it about ?
In this poem a wife is waiting at home in London for
news of her husband who is fighting in South Africa.
Fog is filling the London streets when there is a knock
at the door and a messenger arrives with news.
The wife gets a message saying her husband has died.
The following day she receives a letter from her
husband saying how much he is looking forward to
coming home.
When was the poem
published ?
1899
What is the context ?
Thomas Hardy was a novelist – so was a storyteller
The poem is probably related to the Boer War but the fact she is ‘a’ wife reflects
the tragedy of how many lives were lost during many wars.
the war was fought very far from home for causes which
were complex and not always well-understood by British
people
What is the structure ?
The poem is divided into two events covering two days: ‘The Tragedy’ and ‘The
There is a clear rhyme scheme in each verse, creating a sense of inevitability to
these tragic events.
Hardy uses the present tense to create a sense that this is a story unfolding in
front of us, making it more dramatic and emotional.
What are the possible links and themes ?
London life, environment – London
Relationships – The Manhunt
Impact of war – Dulce et Decorum Est, Mametz Wood
What are two quotes from the two parts of the poem “The tragedy” and “The irony” that may represent how her life has been split in two ?
Tragedy: She receives “flashed news” “in her hand” that takes her a while to “understand” because the news is so fast and speedy at which she struggles to read and comprehend the news “He - has - fallen - in the south land” the dashes show short and sharp noises,
perhaps how she is reading the leader since it is difficult for her to digest
Irony : The irony is that she receive a letter after his death “a page-full of his hoped return “ which is ironic since he discusses the “new love they would
learn” which heightens the tragedy of his death since they will never rekindle their relationship. This may of been easier to leave the poem here since it is more
powerful
than discussing the wife’s grief
How does the use of ominous vocabulary symbolise her whole world in covered in gloom now ?
“tawny vapour”, “webby fold” and “waning taper” indicates darkness and tragedy implying that this news bringing forever gloom in her life.
How does the word “fallen” help the wife’s grief “ ?
The use
of
the euphemism helps to shield the widow from the harsh truth.
However the dashes in the sentence “He - - has - - fallen - - “ represent her grief and her inability to accept and process the
death of her husband
How
is
pathetic fallacy used in this poem to show the wife’s
grief ?
“the fog hangs thicker” is a link to her grief sinking in meaning she had time to
process the news and is finally digesting it
