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A Wife in London Poem Analysis for Kids: Line by Line, Key Quotes, and More!

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A Wife in London Poem Analysis for Kids: Line by Line, Key Quotes, and More!
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jasmine

@jasmine01928472

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Thomas Hardy's "A Wife in London" is a poignant poem exploring the impact of war on soldiers' loved ones. The poem depicts a wife receiving news of her husband's death in war, followed by a letter from him the next day. This stark contrast highlights the cruel irony of war and its devastating effects on families.

Key points:

  • The poem is divided into two parts: "The Tragedy" and "The Irony"
  • It uses vivid imagery and literary devices to convey the wife's emotions
  • The structure and language emphasize the suddenness and impact of the news
  • Hardy critiques the effects of war on those left behind

2/23/2023

327

Simile=
symbolises her
husbands death
diminiship/getting
dimmer
Caesura-puts:
emphasis on the ¹0
fact she's died
his writing
recently writte

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A Wife in London: Analysis and Context

Thomas Hardy's poem "A Wife in London" is a powerful exploration of the psychological effects of war on soldiers' loved ones. Set during a time of conflict, likely the Boer War, the poem presents a stark portrayal of a wife receiving news of her husband's death, followed by a heartbreaking letter from him the next day.

The poem is structured in two parts:

  1. "The Tragedy": This section describes the wife receiving the news of her husband's death.

Highlight: The opening lines set a somber tone with imagery of "tawny vapour" and "webby fold on fold," creating a sense of isolation and foreboding.

The use of simile and symbolism is evident throughout:

Example: "Like a waning taper" compares the wife to a diminishing candle, symbolizing her fading hope and vitality.

Hardy employs various poetic techniques to enhance the emotional impact:

Vocabulary: Caesura, a pause in the middle of a line, is used to emphasize the wife's shock upon receiving the news.

Quote: "Flashed news is in her hand / Of meaning it dazes to understand" illustrates the wife's confusion and disbelief.

  1. "The Irony": This part describes the arrival of a letter from the deceased husband the following day.

Highlight: The use of pathetic fallacy, where the environment reflects the emotional state, is evident in the line "The fog hangs thicker," mirroring the wife's deepening sorrow.

The contrast between the letter's content and the reality is heart-wrenching:

Quote: "Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather" describes the husband's writing, full of hope and future plans.

Definition: Leuthanism, a gentle way of referring to death, is employed in the line "His hand, whom the worm now knows," providing a stark reminder of the husband's fate.

The poem's structure, with its use of enjambment and ellipsis, reflects the wife's emotional state:

Example: The enjambment in "He has... / fallen in the far South Land" mimics the wife's process of comprehending the news.

Hardy's "A Wife in London" serves as a powerful critique of war, focusing not on the battlefield but on the psychological effects of military service on families left behind. The poem's structure and vivid imagery effectively convey the sudden, devastating impact of war on personal lives, making it a poignant exploration of loss, irony, and the human cost of conflict.

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A Wife in London Poem Analysis for Kids: Line by Line, Key Quotes, and More!

user profile picture

jasmine

@jasmine01928472

·

25 Followers

Follow

Thomas Hardy's "A Wife in London" is a poignant poem exploring the impact of war on soldiers' loved ones. The poem depicts a wife receiving news of her husband's death in war, followed by a letter from him the next day. This stark contrast highlights the cruel irony of war and its devastating effects on families.

Key points:

  • The poem is divided into two parts: "The Tragedy" and "The Irony"
  • It uses vivid imagery and literary devices to convey the wife's emotions
  • The structure and language emphasize the suddenness and impact of the news
  • Hardy critiques the effects of war on those left behind

2/23/2023

327

 

10/11

 

English Literature

7

Simile=
symbolises her
husbands death
diminiship/getting
dimmer
Caesura-puts:
emphasis on the ¹0
fact she's died
his writing
recently writte

A Wife in London: Analysis and Context

Thomas Hardy's poem "A Wife in London" is a powerful exploration of the psychological effects of war on soldiers' loved ones. Set during a time of conflict, likely the Boer War, the poem presents a stark portrayal of a wife receiving news of her husband's death, followed by a heartbreaking letter from him the next day.

The poem is structured in two parts:

  1. "The Tragedy": This section describes the wife receiving the news of her husband's death.

Highlight: The opening lines set a somber tone with imagery of "tawny vapour" and "webby fold on fold," creating a sense of isolation and foreboding.

The use of simile and symbolism is evident throughout:

Example: "Like a waning taper" compares the wife to a diminishing candle, symbolizing her fading hope and vitality.

Hardy employs various poetic techniques to enhance the emotional impact:

Vocabulary: Caesura, a pause in the middle of a line, is used to emphasize the wife's shock upon receiving the news.

Quote: "Flashed news is in her hand / Of meaning it dazes to understand" illustrates the wife's confusion and disbelief.

  1. "The Irony": This part describes the arrival of a letter from the deceased husband the following day.

Highlight: The use of pathetic fallacy, where the environment reflects the emotional state, is evident in the line "The fog hangs thicker," mirroring the wife's deepening sorrow.

The contrast between the letter's content and the reality is heart-wrenching:

Quote: "Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather" describes the husband's writing, full of hope and future plans.

Definition: Leuthanism, a gentle way of referring to death, is employed in the line "His hand, whom the worm now knows," providing a stark reminder of the husband's fate.

The poem's structure, with its use of enjambment and ellipsis, reflects the wife's emotional state:

Example: The enjambment in "He has... / fallen in the far South Land" mimics the wife's process of comprehending the news.

Hardy's "A Wife in London" serves as a powerful critique of war, focusing not on the battlefield but on the psychological effects of military service on families left behind. The poem's structure and vivid imagery effectively convey the sudden, devastating impact of war on personal lives, making it a poignant exploration of loss, irony, and the human cost of conflict.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the # 1 ranked education app in five European countries

Knowunity was a featured story by Apple and has consistently topped the app store charts within the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

Ranked #1 Education App

Download in

Google Play

Download in

App Store

Knowunity is the # 1 ranked education app in five European countries

4.9+

Average App Rating

15 M

Students use Knowunity

#1

In Education App Charts in 12 Countries

950 K+

Students uploaded study notes

Still not sure? Look at what your fellow peers are saying...

iOS User

I love this app so much [...] I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a C to an A with it :D

Stefan S, iOS User

The application is very simple and well designed. So far I have found what I was looking for :D

SuSSan, iOS User

Love this App ❤️, I use it basically all the time whenever I'm studying