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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    Meliorism is a belief that the world can improve by humans adding to its betterment. In this poem, the speaker realizes this fact through the darkling thrush’s song. The thrush, amidst all the despair and the harsh winter, is singing a song which radiates warmth and happiness and hope. If a small biRead more

    Meliorism is a belief that the world can improve by humans adding to its betterment. In this poem, the speaker realizes this fact through the darkling thrush’s song. The thrush, amidst all the despair and the harsh winter, is singing a song which radiates warmth and happiness and hope. If a small bird can do that even humans can find hope amidst despair. Humans need to be optimistic and look out for each other and wish for nothing but happiness and live on hope.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The title of the poem as “The Darkling Thrush” is aptly justified. The thrush’s song acts as a turning point in the poem. The speaker sets the tone of a desolate and dejected wintery scene, lamenting the dying century. The “aged, frail, gaunt and small” thrush sings a song of “joy illimited” showingRead more

    The title of the poem as “The Darkling Thrush” is aptly justified. The thrush’s song acts as a turning point in the poem. The speaker sets the tone of a desolate and dejected wintery scene, lamenting the dying century. The “aged, frail, gaunt and small” thrush sings a song of “joy illimited” showing the poet that hope can be found even in the most desolate times. The thrush spreads the message that one should be in search of hope and forgo all pessimism in life.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The narrator is unaware of some blessed Hope which the thrush is aware of and tries to express through his song. The thrush is singing a song amidst all gloom and despair. The song is not just an ordinary song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited.” The poet realized that he is still unawareRead more

    The narrator is unaware of some blessed Hope which the thrush is aware of and tries to express through his song. The thrush is singing a song amidst all gloom and despair. The song is not just an ordinary song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited.” The poet realized that he is still unaware of the Hope which the thrush is trying to express.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The voice which arose among “the bleak twigs overhead” and reached the ears of the speaker was a song sung by an aged thrush. The little, “frail, gaunt and small” thrush had chosen to put his heart and soul into the song which was not just an ordinary song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimitRead more

    The voice which arose among “the bleak twigs overhead” and reached the ears of the speaker was a song sung by an aged thrush.

    The little, “frail, gaunt and small” thrush had chosen to put his heart and soul into the song which was not just an ordinary song but a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited.” The ecstatic song was that of some blessed Hope which only the thrush was aware of and tried to express that song amidst all despair.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The poet starts the poem by setting the mood of a dark wintery scene. He is leaning against the “coppice gate” and watching the bleak scene around him unfold. The world seems to be sad and drawing to its close. The simile of the thick tangled stems of the plant soaring the sky as a broken lyre addsRead more

    The poet starts the poem by setting the mood of a dark wintery scene. He is leaning against the “coppice gate” and watching the bleak scene around him unfold. The world seems to be sad and drawing to its close. The simile of the thick tangled stems of the plant soaring the sky as a broken lyre adds more to his sorrow and sadness around him. Against the background of this hopeless scene when coldness and darkness descends, the human beings retire to their homes to sit by the fireside. To make the dejected ambience more profound, the poet says the frost develops human like characteristics in a ghost like manner; “spectre-grey.” The land becomes a map of everything that has happened over the course of the century. It seem to embody the dying century. The sharp features of the land seem to be the Century’s corpse and the cloud works as as a canopy covering up the dead body. The speaker feels that because of the extreme cold, the rhythm of conception and truth has slowed down remarkably. Throughout these stanzas, the image of death and grief is quite prominent.

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  1. Amrita Kumari
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    Amrita Kumari

    "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy is often seen as a poem of despair and bleakness, but it can also be interpreted as an optimistic poem. The poem portrays the arrival of a new year, and the speaker's mood initially reflects the dreary winter landscape around him. However, as he observes a thrusRead more

    “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy is often seen as a poem of despair and bleakness, but it can also be interpreted as an optimistic poem. The poem portrays the arrival of a new year, and the speaker’s mood initially reflects the dreary winter landscape around him. However, as he observes a thrush singing in the midst of the desolation, he begins to see a glimmer of hope and possibility in the world.

    One of the ways in which the poem can be seen as optimistic is through the imagery that Hardy uses. While the landscape is described as “spectre-gray” and the sky is “weakening” and “dying,” the thrush is depicted as a “full-hearted” and “blessed” creature that “flings his soul” into his song. This contrast between the lifeless surroundings and the vibrant thrush suggests that even in the midst of darkness and despair, there can be moments of beauty and vitality.

    Another way in which the poem can be seen as optimistic is through the theme of renewal and regeneration. The arrival of the new year is symbolic of a fresh start and a new beginning, and the speaker reflects on the possibility of the future. He notes that even though the world may seem desolate and hopeless, there is still the potential for change and growth. The thrush’s song represents a kind of rebirth, a sign that life can continue even in the face of adversity.

    Finally, the poem can be seen as optimistic in its overall message of perseverance and resilience. The speaker, initially despondent and disheartened, is able to find a sense of hope and optimism through the simple beauty of the thrush’s song. This suggests that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of finding joy and meaning in life.

    Overall, while “The Darkling Thrush” is a poem that explores themes of death and decay, it can also be read as a poem of optimism and hope. Through the imagery, symbolism, and themes that Hardy employs, the poem suggests that even in the bleakest of times, there is always the potential for renewal, growth, and resilience.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    The time when Hardy wrote this poem, religious faith had declined among the overall population in England. People were not resorting to the church anymore as scientific discoveries and advancements were making people aware and cautious. No longer did they seek the solace of Christianity and this wasRead more

    The time when Hardy wrote this poem, religious faith had declined among the overall population in England. People were not resorting to the church anymore as scientific discoveries and advancements were making people aware and cautious. No longer did they seek the solace of Christianity and this was what the poet seemed to be hinting at in the poem. The declining loss of faith on religion and the unforeseeable future ahead was reflected by Hardy.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
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    Amelia mazumder
    This answer was edited.

    In the poem, the poet sets up a gloomy and dejected ambience at the beginning. He bemoans the dying century and that is reflected through his description of the bleak winter. Amidst all this, he suddenly hears the voice of a bird. It is an “aged thrush, frail, gaunt and small.” That little bird is sRead more

    In the poem, the poet sets up a gloomy and dejected ambience at the beginning. He bemoans the dying century and that is reflected through his description of the bleak winter. Amidst all this, he suddenly hears the voice of a bird. It is an “aged thrush, frail, gaunt and small.” That little bird is singing a “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited.” The poet is surprised to see a small bird singing amidst all this desolation. The bird seems to be aware of some blessed hope which the poet is yet to discover. The bird’s song depicts the fact that Hope can be found even in the most desolate times. One should have an optimistic approach towards life. If a bird can sing its heart out, the poet believes everyone to be capable of finding hope and joy.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
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    In this poem, “The Darkling Thrush”, nature seems to reflect the poet’s inner conflict. The gloom of the poet’s mentality is reflected in the bleak and desolate wintery scene. The sky seems to be working as a canopy for the dying century. The wind blowing seems to lament the death of the century andRead more

    In this poem, “The Darkling Thrush”, nature seems to reflect the poet’s inner conflict. The gloom of the poet’s mentality is reflected in the bleak and desolate wintery scene. The sky seems to be working as a canopy for the dying century. The wind blowing seems to lament the death of the century and with it all things good and beneficial. When the poet hears the voice of an aged thrush, singing amidst all the gloom, he portrays the fact that nature’s music never dies. Nature seems to resonate the poet’s emotion and not the other way around. The poet has sought relief and comfort through nature in this poem.

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  1. Amelia mazumder
    Amelia mazumder
    This answer was edited.

    The speaker felt dejected and gloomy about the season. The world seemed to be sad and winter was drawing to a close. The dejected ambience was profound with the imageries given by the poet. He was saddened by the dying century and the “weakening eye of the day.” Read summary of The Darkling Thrush

    The speaker felt dejected and gloomy about the season. The world seemed to be sad and winter was drawing to a close. The dejected ambience was profound with the imageries given by the poet. He was saddened by the dying century and the “weakening eye of the day.”

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