Quite frequently the theme is reiterated by the conscientiousness of Hardy’s choice in stylistic techniques. The most prominent of depictions are through the dialogue of the novel’s main character, Michael Henchard. Subconscious speaking habits are discernible through the stylistic techniques of Hardy and through these subconscious speaking habits, the unchanged aspects of Henchard’s character become apparent.
“Well, one autumn when stopping there I fell quite ill, and in my illness, I sank into one of those gloomy fits I sometimes suffer from, on account o’ the loneliness of my domestic life, when the world seems to have the blackness of hell, and, like Job, I could curse the day I was born.” (Hardy, 75)
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Firstly, a negative connotation is felt through Hardy’s choice of diction. Words such as “suffer, ill, loneliness” along with the phrase “the world seems to have the blackness of hell” (Hardy, 75) evoke a piteous tone that reflects Henchard’s inner thoughts. Although he does not explicitly plea for sympathy or consideration, the tone created by Hardy offers Henchard’s silent desire to receive such treatment from others. Much like the beginning of the novel, Henchard appears to still possess a great amount of self-pity despite his attempt to move on from such habits.
Further into observation, syntax is also a very important aspect of Hardy’s style. Hardy’s structure of dialogue depicts the defensiveness of Henchard. Hardy constructs his sentences in
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Throughout the novel Henchard frequently revisits his past in many circumstances. When Henchard is reunited with his wife, Susan Newson, he offers the thought of his time spent working on himself by mentioning that “[he doesn’t] drink now” and that “[he] hasn’t since that night…” (Hardy, 70) at the furmity tent. Henchard uses his tragic past to prove progress as the years since are a part of Henchard’s promise to reconstruct his life and rid himself of destructive flaws. Through Henchard’s perspective, the amount of work he has put into his development is measurable by the years spent on the idea of the
4. What two forms of figurative language does the author use in lines 20-23 of page 211 to make his writing more
Hardy attempts to illustrate Michael as a common man, which ultimately serves his purpose of exposing the archetypal and somewhat psychological realities of typical, everyday people. According to archetypal literary critics, “archetypes determine the form and function of literary works and … a text's meaning is shaped by cultural and psychological myths.” For that reason, Henchard is a perfect example of the archetypal fall because Thomas Hardy is demonstrating how Henchard reacts to situations like a real person would and that life is not always as simple as it is depicted in fictional fairytales. The archetype of Michael’s fall functions as Hardy’s vehicle to relay the meaning behind his work.
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
In his report, “Keeping His Head”: Repetition and Responsibility in London’s “To Build a Fire,” Lee Clark Mitchell shares that most naturalist aficionado quiver at the style. This is in part because the enthusiasts thought London’s plot was “childish” and speed was sluggish (76). Mitchell suggests that these readers are ignoring the style and viewing it as irrelevant but he believes the style should be paid attention to because London does not write in the standard naturalist way. He finds London's style rather “compelling” and “curious” and believes other will too if repetition and tenses are accounted for (80, 78).
Abrams, MH, et al. Eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1993.
Conclusively, Edgar Allan Poe’s distinctive writing style comes from his use of punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, tone, figurative language. Commas, dashes, semicolons, and exclamation marks appear frequently in his writing. Simultaneously, they affect the organization and length of his sentences. Word choice sets the tone. Literary devices imbue it with life. On comparing “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”, this is observed.
Hardy uses strong meaningful diction to convey his thoughts of the sinking of the Titanic. Words such as “vaingloriousness”, “opulent”, and “jewels in joy” illustrate Titanic for the reader so that he/she can picture the greatness of the ship. Phrases such as “Lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind” describe what the Titanic looked after the sinking, loosing all of its great features. Hardy’s use of strong, describing diction depicts his view of the ship, before and after.
O’Dea, Gregory. “Narrator and Reader in Charlotte Brontë’s Villette.” South Atlantic Review 53.1 (1988): 41-57.
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy is a novel about the rising and plummeting of a complex man named Michael Henchard. Michael Henchard does not just have one characteristic or just one personality for that matter. His personality can be described as thoughtful and strong-minded but also as ruthless, stubborn and cold. Henchard's impulsiveness, aggressive attitude, childishness and selfish nature made failure and misery inevitable in his life. The essence of his character is the root of his demise and misery.
Hardy uses imagery throughout the novel in order to explicitly define the ways in which life is unjust. This injustice is first displayed at Prince?s death, then again at his burial. Hardy chooses specific words to enable the reader to see exactly what is happing. He describes the mail-cart to be ?speeding along?like an arrow.? He explains that the mail-cart had ?driven into her slow and unlighted equipage,? and now the horse?s ?life?s blood was spouting in a stream and falling with a hiss into the road.? (Hardy 22). The descriptive words, such as ?speeding,? ?arrow,? ?driven,? ?unlighted,? ?spouting,? and ?hiss? allow the reader?s senses to capture the enormity of the situation. This quote also helps the reader to envision the misery of the situation. Tess is only attempting to help her family by bringing the hives to market to draw some income them. Her desire to help her family backfires with Prince?s accidental death, as he was their only form of income. The desperation induced by Prince?s death is shown when Hardy explains that Mr. Durbeyfield worked harder than ever before in digging a grave for Prince. Hardy states that the young girls ?discharged their griefs in loud blares,? and that when Prince was ?tumbled in? the family gathered around the grave (Hardy 24). Hard...
Clarke, R. (n.d.). The Poetry of Thomas Hardy. rlwclarke. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from http://www.rlwclarke.net/Courses/LITS2002/2008-2009/12AHardy'sPoetry.pdf
Hardy originated from a working class family. The son of a master mason, Hardy was slightly above that of his agricultural peers. Hardy’s examination of transition between classes is usually similar to that of D.H. Lawrence, that if you step outside your circle you will die. The ambitious lives of the characters within Hardy’s novels like Jude and Tess usually end fatally; as they attempt to break away from the constraints of their class, thus, depicting Hardy’s view upon the transition between classes. Hardy valued lower class morals and traditions, it is apparent through reading Tess that her struggles are evidently permeated through the social sufferings of the working class. A central theme running throughout Hardy’s novels is the decline of old families. It is said Hardy himself traced the Dorset Hardy’s lineage and found once they were of great i...
“The Darkling Thrush” is a sorrowful poem, which uses a variety of writing techniques to present forth the theme of never giving up hope, while still keeping with the bleak atmosphere of the poem. Poet and novelist Thomas Hardy wrote this poem on December 31, 1899, the last day of the 19th century. The speaker in the poem creates a gloomy and negative tone; yet, in the end it becomes slightly more upbeat, when the belief of hope is spread from the thrush. It is dusk and the speaker is alone outside, leaning against a wooden gate. He is an inward character, which is made evident by the dramatized conviction that “all mankind…had sought their household fires.” The land seemed lifeless with nothing growing and no animals near. Amidst the darkness, a frail thrush began to sing a joyful tune. The feeble bird’s ability to throw its soul to the world uplifted the speaker. It was as though the bird knew something hopeful of the future that the speaker did not.
Hardy's loss of faith in his own life is apparent in all of his writing, especially in the poems "I Look Into My Glass" and "Going and Staying" and the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge. Here he explores his ideas about chance and fate and ultimately comes up with the conviction that each man controls himself. It can be surmised that this was a frightening thought for Hardy since much of his work deals with his disillusionment over religion. Whether Hardy wanted to enlighten the multitudes with his writing, or if he just wanted them to see his suffering and pity him is a question only he can answer.
A major way the author conveys the theme that life is characterized by woe is through multiple symbols. To begin, Hardy represents loss with some of Casterbridge’s architectural feats. For example, “all the failures of the town; those who had failed in business, in love, in sobriety, in crime,” gravitate towards a pair of old, worn down bridges standing out on the highway (Hardy 246). The second of these bridges, hidden from the immediate view of the town, houses “persons who were what is called ‘out of a situation’ from fault or lucklessness,” (247). These are the people who truly have experienced misfortune, and so they hide away from society, attention fixated on the rushing water a quick leap away. This bridge stands for all who have been hurt and are looking for an easy way out, for anyone unable to deal with their