The Darkling Thrush

How does Thomas Hardy strikingly convey the speaker’s state of mind in The Darkling Thrush?
The poem “The Darkling Thrush” is an ode to the end of the 19th century, and is
reflective of the decaying state of Western Society. In the poem, the poet, Thomas Hardy,
explores the connection between hope and hopelessness, wherein the frail thrush’s song
sparks hope in bleak times. The speaker is uncertain about how the thrush sustains his faith,
and therefore ponders over the inexplicable aspects of nature. The poem is set in a desolate
winter environment, which is reflective of the despair and hopelessness the speaker feels.
This despair is later juxtaposed by the thrush’s evensong, highlighting the power of religious
hope and faith. Hardy’s use of structure and juxtaposition become crucial to strikingly portray
the speaker's speaker's state of mind.
Through the use of structure, Hardy conveys how the speaker's state of mind
changes significantly after encountering the thrush. The poem is split into four octaves. In
the first two octaves, Hardy describes a desolate environment, which is an extended
metaphor for the cultural decline of Western society. The speaker's bleak surroundings are
reflective of the isolation and hopelessness the speaker feels. Hardy’s use of trochaic
tetrameter further emphasises the speaker’s sense of devastation. Then, in the third octave
the speaker’s state of mind shifts from despair to hope and faith, once he hears the Thrush’s
even song. The poet writes “At once a song arose,” which breaks the monotony created by
the first two stanzas, reflecting the speaker’s somewhat optimistic state of mind. Hardy’s use
of iambic tetrameter here emphasises the hope the appearance of the Thrush leads to.
Additionally, the poem follows a regular rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD, adding a sense of
musicality to the poem, a ballad, which depicts the cyclical nature of life. The half rhyme of
“overhead” and “illimited” is used to further emphasise the shift, and interrupts the monotony
of the rut of life. This would be further emphasised when said aloud, with the accompaniment
of music, which is how Hardy intended his poems to be read. The juxtaposition created by
the structure emphasises the speaker's uncertainty.
Furthermore, Hardy’s use of vivid imagery helps the readers visualise the setting
better, and therefore empathise with the speaker. This helps the reader understand the
speaker’s mixed mental state, reflecting an inner conflict between hope and hopelessness.
Hardy describes ‘tangled bine stems’, comparing them to ‘strings of broken lyres’ through a
simile. The ‘tangled bine stems’ reflect how the forests are not well maintained by the people
responsible, which then becomes a metaphor for how western culture is neglected as well.
The imagery of the ‘broken lyres’ becomes a metaphor for the cultural decline. The lyre, an
ancient Greek instrument, is often used as a symbol for the cultural accomplishment of
Western society, and so the image of them being broken signifies that Western society itself
may be damaged. Hardy then describes the dying century, using a myriad of metaphors. He
personifies the century, its death depicting the end of the 19th century. The consonance in
“The century’s corpse outleant, The crypt his cloudy canopy” helps connect the metaphors,
and further emphasises the decline and decay of the century. This bleak environment is then
juxtaposed with the image of the “frail gaunt and small” thrush singing wholeheartedly. The
triple structure of the adjectives highlights how the bird too is facing difficulties. However, his
youthful and optimistic attitude helps him maintain hope. This sparks the speaker’s interest,
as he ponders over the power of nature, and faith.
While there is no definite conclusion to the poem, one can conclude that the speaker
derives inspiration from the thrush, inculcating an optimistic attitude. The end of the 19th
century also leads to the beginning of a new century, creating a sense of hope and
opportunity for the future. One can say that the speaker, while unaware of the source of
hope, chooses to be hopeful nonetheless.

The Darkling Thrush

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How does Thomas Hardy strikingly convey the speaker’s state of mind in The Darkling Thrush?

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