On Wenlock Edge and Beeny Cliff - Compare and contrast the ways in which two poets communicate feelings about the passing of time

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Compare and contrast the ways in which two poets communicate feelings about the passing of time

In this essay, I will be looking at the poems "Beeny Cliff" by Thomas Hardy and "On Wenlock Edge" by A.E. Housman. To compare and contrast the two poems I will explore the different techniques that are used to portray the feelings about the passing of time. I will look at the tones, rhythm pattern, alliteration, repetition and personification.

The throughout On Wenlock Edge is negative, but in Beeny Cliff the tone changes. In On Wenlock Edge there are many phrases which convey the feeling of negativity. In the 4th stanza there is an example of this on line 1:

"There, like the wind through woods in riot..."

Also in stanza 2, lines 3 and 4:

"'Tis the old wind in the old anger,

But then it threshed another wood."

The tone makes nature sound very strong and unbeatable with phrases such as "in riot" and "threshed". They also make the weather sound as if it's annoyed with something and it will take down anything that is in its way.

In Beeny Cliff, in the first 2 stanzas the mood is happy but in the last 3 stanzas the mood changes to a sadder tone. To show the change in tone, in stanza 1, line 3 the poets says:

"The woman whom I loved so, and who loyally loved me."

But in stanza 5, line 3 the mood is different:

"And nor knows nor cares for Beeny, and will laugh there nevermore."

In the first passage the tone is joyful as the poet uses "loved" twice which is seen as something to be blissful to be loved or to love someone. It also shows everyone is happy as it says "woman who I loved so" and "who loyally loved me". In the second passage the tone is more sad and forlorn. "Nevermore" emphasizes that it will never happen again. It is also quite a sinister tone with phrases such as "nor knows nor cares for Beeny" and "laugh there nevermore". These phrases are sinister because they seem to say nothing happy will ever happen there again as they will not laugh at Beeny Cliff ever again and they do not care for it any longer as the woman is gone. In On Wenlock Edge the tone is the same throughout but in Beeny Cliff the tone changes. In Beeny Cliff the feelings the poem has of time are nostalgic; looking back on the good times and how things change over time. In On Wenlock Edge the tone shows throughout time the invincibility of nature beating everything else with the negative words it uses.
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A comparison and contrast between these poems is the regular rhyme schemes have. They have different schemes though. The last words in each stanza follow the AB, AB structure. In the first stanza the last words of each line are:

"...Trouble"

"...Heaves"

"...Double"

"...Leaves"

But Beeny Cliff has a slightly different rhyme pattern. In each stanza the last words all rhyme with one another. In stanza 1 the last words of each line are:

"...sea"

"...free"

"...me"

The rhyme patterns that both of these poems have make the poems ...

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