Dialect. A dialect is a version of a language spoken by the people of a particular place, time, or social group. Note the Wessex dialect used by the speaker of “The Man He Killed.”
Irony and Understatement. Irony is a difference between appearance and reality. An understatement is an ironic expression in which something of importance is emphasized by being spoken of as though it were not important. As you read “The Man He Killed,” look for examples of irony and understatement.
Satire. Satire is humorous writing or speech intended to point out errors, falshoods, foibles, or failings. Satire is written with the purpose of reforming human behavior or institutions. Note Hardy’s use of satire in “Channel Firing,” a poem about war.
Concrete Universal. A concrete universal is a particular object, person, action, or event that provides an instance or example of a general type. What concrete universal does Hardy present in "Channel Firing"?
Stanza and Slant Rhyme. A stanza is a group of lines in a poem. A slant rhyme is the substitution of assonance or consonance for true rhyme. “The Darkling Thrush” uses an eight-line stanza known as an octave or octet. As you read this poem, note the rhyme scheme of each stanza.
Simile and Metaphor. A simile is a comparison using like or as. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken or written about as if it were another. In metaphors and similes, the writer either makes a comparison or invites the reader to make a comparison between the two things. The speaker’s actual subject is the tenor of the simile or metaphor. The thing to which the subject is compared is the vehicle. As you read, observe Hardy’s use of simile and metaphor in “The Darkling Thrush.”
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“The Man He Killed” is perhaps the most famous of Hardy’s antiwar poems. The poem places an eloquent argument against the inhumanity of war in the mouth of an uneducated speaker.
“Channel Firing” again addresses the subject of war. The poem is remarkable for its combination of humor with high seriousness. It is also remarkable for its visual clarity, which rises to a cinemagraphic climax.
“The Darkling Thrush” demonstrates Hardy’s ability to create a somber mood through a few deft strokes of his poetic brush. The poem reflects Hardy’s disillusionment with the age in which he lived and contrasts this disillusionment with a message of hope from a source in nature.
Would you be willing to participate in a war? What circumstances might lead you to do so?
Imagine how somebody who has died might view the events of the world today.
Write in your journal about an event that caused in you a sudden change in mood. Describe your initial mood, the event, and the mood that resulted.
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