Weathers - Thomas Hardy Flashcards
(6 cards)
1
Q
How and why does Hardy mention all sorts of birds and people in the 1st paragraph?
A
- show harmony when nature is at peace
- nature’s impact on human emotions —> ‘dream of the south and west’
- lots of gentle and lively movements show the vitality that nature brings
2
Q
How does the 2nd paragraph contrast with the 1st one?
A
- discord between human + nature —> ‘shuns’ + animals ‘homeward go’
- natural elements are resisting/having conflict —> water ‘drips’ and ‘overflows’ instead of ‘showers’/violent movement of ‘thresh’
- nature becomes sinister and menacing
3
Q
Symbolism of bird in the poem: Cuckoo, nightingale, rook
A
- cuckoo: spring, fortune + luck
- nightingale: transformation, springtime and singing, symbol of goddess (love + beauty)
- rook: death and trickery
4
Q
Structurally, what do both stanzas have in common?
A
- parallel structure
- polysyndeton: repetition of ‘and’ (anaphora)
- repeated sentence structure (punctuation, meter, rhyme scheme)
- repeated first word of each line and ‘And so do I’
5
Q
What is the effect of having parallel structures?
A
- emphasize the difference in weather and its effects on human/animals: shows how despite the weather, nature remains the same/cyclical; shows rhythm and repetitiveness of seasons
- harmonious form: both seasons take place in world’s balance
- celebrates nature’s steady/cyclical order
6
Q
What is meter used in Weathers?
A
- accentual meter (determined by no. of stressed syllables)
- no regular metrical foot
- in-between stressed syllables show the constantly/predictability of nature vs irregularity of weather
