How does Thomas Hardy present men and women and their relationships in the three 'Wessex Tales'? The relationships between men and women are explored seriously and humorously

How does Thomas Hardy present men and women and their relationships in the three 'Wessex Tales'? The relationships between men and women are explored seriously and humorously in 'The Withered Arm', 'Tony Kytes - the Arch-Deceiver', and 'The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion'. It is through the plot that concerns about marriage and social status are revealed, and through this Hardy presents a fictionalised picture of society and relationships at that time. Hardy's stories are based on many tales, which had been told to him as a young boy. They are mainly based on events, which happened before his birth in 1840. This therefore separates the time period of his contemporary readers from his characters lives, and therefore enables Hardy to create a fictionalised world that is based on social fact. Wessex is a fictional county that was closely based on the county of Dorset, which is why much of the dialect used in the three stories, is that of Dorset. The events relayed in the stories tell us that the social attitudes and values have not changed, and this also gives us a picture of how relationships between men and women must conform to society's standards. In each of the three stories, Hardy has chosen to use the pastoral voice, which is the common dialect throughout many of Hardy's stories. The use of dialect during his stories, occur at moments when Hardy does not

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Comparisons made between two of Thomas Hardys’ 20th Century poems.‘The Darkling Thrush’ and ‘Snow in the Suburbs.’

Furqan Younes. Comparisons made between two of Thomas Hardys' 20th Century poems. 'The Darkling Thrush' and 'Snow in the Suburbs.' Both poems deal with the presence or lack of hope. Though hope may not be mentioned many times throughout the poem, it is clear 'The Darkling Thrush' optimises hope, whereas 'Snow in the Suburbs' does quite the opposite. 'The Darkling Thrush' begins with the introduction of an unknown character describing all that he sees and feels around him in negatively superficial detail. This is done by continuously using exaggerated personifications, 'The wind his death-lament.' These help give the poem depth and so when reading through the poem, it is very clear when the poem takes on a positive tone: 'At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overhead' The introduction of hope can be seen as anything good or positive taking place when there is nothing but negativity around. In this part of the poem it comes suddenly, as emphasized by the 'At once' in the first line of the second stanza. It brings Warmth to a poem which in the previous two stanzas expressed nothing but cold and negative emotions, which were further enhanced by alliterations, such as: 'The Century's corpse out leant His crypt the cloudy canopy,' The character in the poem is clearly in a very pessimistic mood, this is made obvious in the first line of the last stanza

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Of the short stories you have read by Thomas Hardy, which do you prefer and why?

Sam Royal, 04 July 2003 Of the short stories you have read by Thomas Hardy, which do you prefer and why? Thomas Hardy was born at Higher Bockhampton, Dorset, on June 2, 1840. His father worked as a master mason and builder. From his father he gained an appreciation of music, and from his mother an appetite for learning and the delights of the countryside about his rural home. Hardy was a frail child, and did not start at his village school until he was eight years old. One year later he transferred to a new school in the county town of Dorchester. When he was sixteen Hardy helped his father with the architectural drawings for the restoration of Woodsford Castle. The owner, an architect named James Hicks, was impressed by the younger Hardy's work, and took him on as an apprentice. Hardy later moved to London to work for a prominent architect named Arthur Blomfield. He began writing, but his poems were rejected by a number of publishers. Although he enjoyed life in London, Hardy's health was poor, and he was forced to return to Dorset. In 1870 Hardy was sent to plan a church restoration at St. Juliot in Cornwall. When he was there he met Emma Gifford who was the sister-in-law of the vicar of St.Juliot. She encouraged him in his writing, and they were married in 1874. Hardy published his first novel, 'Desperate Remedies' in 1871. The following year 'Under the Greenwood

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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War and Peace

Breaker' Morant - Major JF Thomas Thomas, played by Jack Thompson, was an intelligent man and well in his profession, although it didn ' t seem this way in the beginnings case. As is clear to the viewer, he is unorganised, aloof, and unconfident. This is seen in the scene that introduces him to the movie... scene). Notice how he is clumsy, and keeps dropping the papers. Further into the trial, Thomas ' s confidence grows. At first, he very confident, and this can be seen in his stance - note how he is leaning on the table for support, instead of standing up straight, with confidence. Yet his confidence grows. While the rules of war prohibited prisoners as shields from attack, prosecution witnesses admit under Thomas ' s effective cross-examination that placing railway cars filled with prisoners as the lead car for British trains stopped the bombing of rail Major Thomas forces Captain Robertson, a prosecution witness, to that he too had continued to use this tactic because "though irregular, it was effective. It is here that the viewer can clearly see his increased confidence, that is shown in his now confident stance, he is standing up straight and tall, and he raises his voice to make his point clear scene). Thomas felt that there were inconsistencies in the military code of the law trial, but mature consideration showed him that what was done in courtroom was

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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Critical Appreciation of the Darkling Thrush with Particular Emphasis on Time and Change.

Critical Appreciation of the Darkling Thrush with Particular Emphasis on Time and Change "The Darkling Thrush" was written by Thomas Hardy on the last day of the nineteenth century. The subject of the poem is about the transition of one century to the next in time and change. The atmosphere is set in the first stanza because we see that it is set in a cold winters day; "When Frost was spectre-gray/And Winter's dregs made desolate". Hardy deliberately personifies the season and frost because it makes the weather more powerful and it also gives it human qualities. Further more, the use of winter gives the idea of depression and death which is what Hardy is trying to tell the reader. This stanza is obviously setting the atmosphere of the poem; it shows Hardy is not looking forward to the future and the only thing he knows will happen is death. A good example of this is in the quotation "The tangled bine-stems scored the sky/ Like strings of broken lyres". This demonstrates a vivid image of brambles cutting through the sky; showing an idea of death coming from the writer's imagination. Hardy is trying to show the reader that the turn of the century offers no hope. In the first stanza he only thinks of cold, gloomy, and death as what happens in the rest of his life. A reason for this attitude might be because he is alone. We know this because in the poem it has the lines "And

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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The Darkling Thrush

The Darkling Thrush The poem entitled "The Darkling Thrush," written by Thomas Hardy, has a very appealing connotation. The work can be separated into two parts; the dismal part pertaining to the beginning of winter and the second part focusing on one small aspect of good in all of the dismal surrounding it. The general idea of the poem is that the dismal winter is approaching, but there are some incidences of goodness in this depressing time. The first part can be sectioned into the first and second stanzas. The poem opens with "I leant upon a coppice gate." This is the moment when the author enters the small wood and begins to narrate his thoughts and feelings. The next line, lines two and three, talk about "The frost was specter-gray and winters dregs made desolate." This describes that the author feels that during this season, the idea of frost and no greenery, makes the winter a very desolate season. The fourth line is very interesting. It states "The weakening eye of day." This displays that during the winter, the time of day shortens. The author relates this shortening of daylight to the weakening of the eye. Lines seven and eight also help to describe the desolates of the winter months. It states "And all mankind...sought their household fires." This line suggests that the narrator views the summer months as a time of friendliness and togetherness. During the winter

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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In the poem The White Horse, Gwendolyn MacEwen uses imagery, contrast, and symbolism to bring out the ideas of her work

Path to Peace In the poem The White Horse, Gwendolyn MacEwen uses imagery, symbolism, contrast, and some punctuation to bring out the ideas and style of her work. Throughout the poem, MacEwen also utilizes religious ideas from the Bible in order to provide insight and depth. These techniques and ideas are used to help to imply the search for everlasting peace in a corrupt world of war and conflict. The first stanza introduces the style of the author's writing and how her use of symbolism and imagery are used to present the basis of the poem. The first line mentions of a "[white] horse [coming] into the world". This can relate to an event in the Bible, where in the book of Revelation, Jesus rides a white horse down towards the earth. Jesus and the colour white can be symbols of divinity, peace, and purity. The imagery created from the phrase "field of dizzy sunlight" is confusion and unstableness in the world; an unclear vision of peace and tranquility. The statement the horse's eyes "huge with joy and wisdom" may exemplify the all-knowing and just character of Jesus. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth may be the proclamation of a path to eternal peace and paradise - affiliated to the stories in the Bible. The part where it says, "wondering why you are wondering" may suggest thought of the horse, referred to as Jesus: Why are you, the people, surprised that I am here? This

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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How far is 'Haymaking' typical of Thomas' poetry?

James Williams How far is 'Haymaking' typical of Thomas' January '03 poetry? 'Haymaking' is very typical of a poem by Edward Thomas. This is shown through many common devices that are present in 'Haymaking' as well as many of his other poems. I shall outline and elaborate these on these devices in this essay. 'Haymaking' is a description of a snapshot in time. There was a thunderstorm the night before and the reader is initially led to believe that the storm is the reason that everything is so still in the poem, but half way through the poem, Thomas begins to describe the activities of the Haymakers who are having a break in silence as they "leaned on their rakes". So the stillness of the poem can work on many levels. There is the idea of the 'calm after the storm' and the Haymakers having a rest. Also, however, there is the fact that the poet, Edward Thomas, is writing his poem from a snapshot in time where if he was describing a photograph, everything would be still in the picture. One of the most recognisable devices that Edward Thomas uses in his poetry is referring to England as "old". This could imply many things. Thomas could use the term "old" in the literal sense that it is 'ancient', 'unchanging' and with a 'sense of permanence' in the world even though it has been threatened by war. It could also mean that England has grown wise due

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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The problem with Under Milk Wood is that nothing happens. Is this an accurate assessment of the play?

9th October, 2003 The problem with Under Milk Wood is that nothing happens. Is this an accurate assessment of the play? The title of the play is actually reflecting the inspiration for the play which was a small Welsh village called Laugharn. The precise interpretation of the title is that of cows grazing under a wood in the village of Llareggub. There is also another link with the title to Thomas Hardy where he used 'Under Greenwood Tree' as the title- this is a good piece of alternative evidence showing Thomas's love/admiration for other writers. Under Milk Wood is a radio play that was written by a writer called Dylan Thomas. Dylan Thomas was from Wales, however he spoke no Welsh and had no obvious influences of Welsh on him- however he uses a number of Welsh phrases in the play. However, Thomas's father was an English teacher and from an early age Thomas had a love for language- this love is shown throughout the whole of the play with continual use of sophisticated writing tools, language and a detailed, descriptive style. Under Milk Wood is about a small town called Llareggub which is peaceful and simple, located somewhere in the Welsh countryside. The play is a play for voices, which means it is written for the radio and not for the stage. It begins with the reader being swept through the village at night, listening to people's dreams then

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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How is female sexuality portrayed in Hardy's 'Far From The Madding Crowd' and Lawrence's 'The Virgin And The Gypsy'?

How is female sexuality portrayed in Hardy's 'Far From The Madding Crowd' and Lawrence's 'The Virgin And The Gypsy'? 'Is Lawrence really a liberator of sex? Does he grant more independence to the women in his novels than his predecessors or just a little more freedom within confines of established expectations.'1 The same question could be asked of Thomas Hardy, who is believed by some critics such as Rosemarie Morgan, to use female sexuality in a way that is liberating and arguably revolutionary. 'The Virgin And The Gypsy' by D.H.Lawrence, and 'Far From The Madding Crowd' by Thomas Hardy, show a likeness in the fact that both men present sexuality through controversial female protagonists and question the moralities and social expectations of their time. Whilst the two novels were written over thirty years apart, their female protagonists are comparatively alike. Lawrence's protagonist, Yvette, faces a restrictive society that was only just beginning to accept the changing attitudes in female sexuality. Hardy shows a female repressed by society although, the nineteenth century was somewhat more constrained than the mellowing 'roaring twenties.' 'The nineteenth century woman was defined by her adherence to submission and resistance to sexuality. By emphasizing the physical aspect of femininity in [Hardy's] unorthodox representation of the female, Hardy threatens the

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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