Question

How has thomas hardy depict nature in the poem the darkling thrush?

Answer 1

Thomas Hardy is a naturalist. He employs nature to convey both mood for his works and to convey the naturalistic indifference of the universe. For instance, his poem 'Neutral Tones' he and his love is decribed to be standing by a pon on a winter day, a pond edged with 'grayish leaves' that reflects the tone of this poem. This dismissal tone underscores the remembrances of the speaker about his former love and their relationship ended. Similarly, all of a sudden, the mood is elevated and joy bursts upon the sky- a melodious and musical song is described in the song of thrush and everything including the poet's mood is transformed. He says that inspite of the birds being old they still have gifts to give. The depressed mood of Hardy is at once lifted up. 


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Answer 2

The poet presents a desolate winter scene at the close of the day. The poem starts with the speaker leaning on a coppice gate. Everything is cold and lifeless. The landscape seems to be “spectre-grey”, that is, grey as a ghost.The day is ending and the sun is setting, making the twilight desolate.

The poet then compares the “tangled bine-stems” to “strings of broken lyre”. The stems of shrubs are tangled together like the strings of a musical instrument. The speaker cannot find any happiness or music in the life around.

All the people have gone inside to the comfort of their homes, while the speaker stands outside on the winter landscape and ponders on the barrenness.

He compares the sharp outlines of the winter landscape to the sharp features of a corpse (dead body),the corpse of the dying nineteenth century. The canopy of clouds seems like the century's tomb and the winter wind seems to be singing it's dirge.

The seeds which sprung during the spring season have now become hard and dry. They have reduced in size, and are no more capable of bearing new life.

All the activities of nature have come to a pause, and every spirit on earth is fervourless.

Thus ,Hardy has deromanticised nature by taking away it's capacity for renewal.

It is only when a small bird, a thrush comes into the picture that the speaker begins to talk of hope. It whole-heartedly sings a beautiful song. The bird, though old (probably it is nearing its death), is joyful, and spreads this joy onto the nature around it.

However, the speaker cannot understand the reason behind the thrush’s joy. The speaker starts feeling hopeful of the future after listening to the bird’s song.

In this poem, nature plays an active part in showcasing the sorrowful and mechanical lives that the people are living, in the nineteenth century. The growing industrialization, religious disbeliefs, and scientific progressions have done great harm to the society, according to the speaker. He longs for the world that has been left behind.

Somehow, the thrush comes out of nowhere and adds that “Hope” (one of the three Christian virtues). It could also be said that the speaker believes that just like the bird erupts from the natural surroundings, similarly mankind can only survive when it returns to nature.