neutral tones

what themes/poems can it be used for?

romantic love, loss, separation, regret, painful relationships, memories

When We Two Parted = painful aftermath of love
Eden Rock = memory of relationships

summary

the speaker remembers a day when him and his lover stood near a pond and marked the end of his relationship

“the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing”

“deadest” superlative metaphorically suggesting their love is completely lifeless

“smile” normally suggests happiness, but Hardy makes it disturbing → love has become painful.

“a few leaves lay on the starving sod”

“starving” → personification suggests the landscape is deprived of life.

Winter setting + pathetic fallacy → reflects the death of their relationship.

“starving sod” - alliteration emphasise the longing with the ‘S’ sound

poet info

negative

often featured nature and rural settings

Thomas hardy