neutral tones

What is “neutral tones” about?

it is about the speaker who recalls a meeting with a former lover at a pond, and it was winter where they met, which reflects the coldness and death of their once previously passionate relationship as they no longer love each other

“We s___ by a p____ that w____ d___, And the s__ was w_____, as though c______ of G___”

“We stood by a pond that winter day, And the sun was white, as though chidden of God”

Analyse “We stood by a pond that winter day, And the sun was white, as though chidden of God”

“by a pond” - use of “pond” connotes stillness which displays the lack of passion in the relationship

“we” - inclusive pronoun - represents speaker’s inability to accept loss, as he still wishes that they were together and that they were a unit

“that winter day” - motif of weather - pathetic fallacy - signifies coldness of that moment and ending/death of relationship

“sun was white” - Hardy distorts nature, as this evokes an image of the sun was has been drained of its fire and warmth, which mirrors this relationship that has been drained of passion, fire and warmth of their relationship, whilst also personifying sun’s shock as it watches demise of their love, as when people see a ghost and they go pale/white

“as though chidden of God” - simile - adds to negative tone of sullen the sun looks and feels, which mirrors speaker’s pain, and the use of the religious imagery of “God”, shows speaker feels that God disapproves of hr decision or that he is praying for divine intervention to bring him peace

“And a f__ l____ lay on the s_____ s__; - They had f____ from an a__, and were g___. “

“And a few leaves lay on the starving sod; - They had fallen from an ash, and were gray. “

Analyse “And a few leaves lay on the starving sod; - They had fallen from an ash, and were gray. “

“And” - polysyndeton - shows how he vividly remembers every detail of that day

“few leaves” - juxtaposition - leaves traditionally symbolise growth but here they present decay, which indicates how they are no longer compatible, as there is very little holding them together

“leaves lay” - alliteration - creates a song-like sound, which contrasts sibilance

“starving sod” - sibilance - creates a weak sound, which shows how all the melody and joy has gone from his life, and the use of the personification of the earth that is desperate for water, as it is key to its survival, and could also be a microcosm of him starving for affection for her

“ash…gray” - colour imagery - all happiness has been sucked out of nature, just like he is devoid of vitality and hope, and his depressive, dull state is reflected in surroundings - this also alludes to the title “Neutral Tones”, which displays how the loss of the relationship has led to him seeing the world as a place that lacks colour and vibrancy

“the s____ on your m____ was the d_____ t___… like an o____ b___-a-w___….”

“the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing…like an ominous bird-a-wing….”

Analyse “the smile on your mouth was the deadest thing…like an ominous bird-a-wing….”

“smile on our mouth was the deadest thing” - juxtaposition - “smile” usually indicates joy and happiness, but the fact that it is the “deadest thing” shows that relationship no longer brings her true happiness anymore, and her “mouth” symbolises intimacy and communication, which have both been lost - the superlative “deadest” implies that there were other signs of death but the worst was her insincere smile

“ominous bird-a-wing” - simile - she is flying away from him, or metaphorically distances herself from him, which he views in a negative way, and ominous implies that things will get worse from this moment, as it will have a negative lasting impact on him

What is the effect of the breakup on the speaker in the future?

“since then keen lessons that love deceives” - which indicates passing of time,a s he has unable to have a positive relationship which has lasted, and he has a negative view on love, as breakup makes him feel cynical about other relationships,a and feels shaped by the breakup that he experienced

What is the form/structure of the poem?

four regular quatrains - fixed structure - symbolises stillness of moment and his inability to move on from breakup which has shaped his life forever

cyclical structure - shows how he is trapped in cycle of unhappiness

What is the context for “Neutral Tones”?

lots of his poetry focused on his first wife, Emma, who he broke up with and mourned her death for the rest of his life

inspired by Romantic poets whose poems were very focused on nature