11th class Poem "The Darkling Thrush"
BY
Thomas Hardy
Original Readings
I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.
The land's sharp features seemed to be
The Century's corpse out leant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
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Paraphrasing of the Poem “The Darkling Thrush” By Thomas Hardy:
Stanza-1
I leant upon a coppice gateWhen Frost was spectre-grey, And Winter's dregs made desolate The weakening eye of day. The tangled bine-stems scored the sky Like strings of broken lyres,And all mankind that haunted nigh Had sought their household fires.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-1:
In this stanza, the speaker describes that
"I leaned on a small gate in the woods on a cold, grey day when the frost looked ghostly. The last bit of winter made the fading daylight seem empty and dreary. The twisted vines reached up into the sky like the strings of broken instruments, and everyone nearby had gone inside to warm themselves by their fires."
Stanza-2The land's sharp features seemed to be The Century's corpse out leant, His crypt the cloudy canopy,The wind his death-lament. The ancient pulse of germ and birthWas shrunken hard and dry, And every spirit upon earth Seemed fervourless as I.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-2:
In this stanza, the speaker describes further that
"The landscape looked like the dead body of the century lying out in the open, with the cloudy sky as its tomb, and the wind sounded like a mournful song for the dead. The usual signs of life and growth were dried up and withered, and every person on earth seemed as lifeless and unenthusiastic as I felt.
Stanza-3At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overheadIn a full-hearted evensong Of joy illimited;An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,In blast-beruffled plume,Had chosen thus to fling his soul Upon the growing gloom.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-3:
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the bare branches above—a joyful song full of life and energy. It came from an old, thin, and weak thrush (bird) with feathers ruffled by the cold wind. Despite the darkening evening, the bird poured its heart into this song, filling the gloomy scene with unexpected joy.
Stanza-4So little cause for carolings Of such ecstatic soundWas written on terrestrial thingsAfar or nigh around,That I could think there trembled through His happy good-night airSome blessed Hope, whereof he knewAnd I was unaware.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-4:
There seemed to be almost no reason for such a joyful and ecstatic song given how bleak everything was around us. I began to think that perhaps the thrush (a singing bird) knew of some hopeful and wonderful thing that I was completely unaware of, and that was making him sing so happily.
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Summary Writing Steps to Follow:1. Read the poem "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy carefully.2. After reading, write a summary of the poem in your own words including the following elementsThe main theme or message of the poem.A brief description of the speaker's feelings and emotions. Key imagery or symbols used in the poem. 3. Your summary should be clear, concise, and well-organized. 4. Aim to capture the essence of the poem while keeping your summary within 100- 150 words.
I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-1:
Stanza-2
The land's sharp features seemed to be
The Century's corpse out leant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervourless as I.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-2:
In this stanza, the speaker describes further that
Stanza-3
At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-3:
Stanza-4
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
Simple and easy paraphrasing of stanza-4:
Summary Writing Steps to Follow:
1. Read the poem "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy carefully.
2. After reading, write a summary of the poem in your own words including the following elements
The main theme or message of the poem.
A brief description of the speaker's feelings and emotions.
Key imagery or symbols used in the poem.
3. Your summary should be clear, concise, and well-organized.
4. Aim to capture the essence of the poem while keeping your summary within 100- 150 words.
The central idea of the Poem "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy
The central idea of "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy is the contrast between a sense of despair and the surprising presence of hope. The poem starts with a bleak and desolate winter scene, reflecting the speaker’s feelings of hopelessness and the end of an era. Everything seems lifeless and desolate. However, the mood shifts dramatically when an old thrush sings a joyful and enthusiastic song. This unexpected burst of happiness from the bird, in such a grim environment, suggests the presence of hope and renewal that the speaker is unable to see but feels might be there. The poem highlights how even in the darkest times, hope and joy can still emerge from unexpected sources.
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The Summary of "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy
In "The Darkling Thrush," the speaker describes leaning on a gate during a bleak winter day, feeling a deep sense of despair as everything around them seems lifeless and gloomy. The landscape looks like the dead body of the century, with the wind mourning the end of an era. Just when everything seems hopeless, an old, frail thrush starts singing a joyful song amidst the darkness. This unexpected burst of joy from the bird makes the speaker wonder if there is some hidden hope or positive possibility that they are not aware of. The poem contrasts the bleak reality with the surprising hope conveyed by the thrush’s song.
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The Summary of "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy
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