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7 May 2023
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A Wife in London - Analysis, Quotes & Themes for Kids
Liza Saiyad
@liza_saiyad
Themes and Imagery in A Wife in London
Themes and imagery in A Wife in London are rich and evocative, painting a vivid picture of loss, grief, and the harsh realities of war.
Setting and Atmosphere
Hardy masterfully sets the scene in London, using imagery that reflects the wife's emotional state:
Quote: "She sits in the tawny vapour / That the City lanes have uprolled"
This description creates a sense of isolation and foreboding. The fog symbolizes the wife's confusion and the unclear future she faces.
Highlight: The use of pathetic fallacy throughout the poem reinforces the somber mood and foreshadows the tragic news.
Light Imagery
Light plays a crucial role in the poem's imagery:
Quote: "Like a waning taper / The street-lamp glimmers cold"
This simile compares the street lamp to a candle burning out, symbolizing the diminishing life of the husband and the wife's fading hope.
Example: The flickering firelight in the second part of the poem mimics the wife's emotional turmoil as she reads her husband's letter.
Contrast and Irony
The poem's two-part structure allows Hardy to create a stark contrast between the tragic news and the husband's hopeful letter:
- "The Tragedy" section is characterized by harsh sounds and cold imagery
- "The Irony" section contains warm, optimistic language from the husband's letter
Definition: Irony - A literary device where the expected outcome is contrary to what actually happens
This contrast emphasizes the cruel irony of war and the futility of human plans in the face of conflict.
Symbolism
Hardy uses several symbolic elements to deepen the poem's meaning:
- The fog represents confusion and the blurring of past and present
- The telegram symbolizes the impersonal nature of war communications
- The letter represents lost hopes and unfulfilled dreams
Highlight: The juxtaposition of the telegram and the letter underscores the disconnect between the reality of war and the dreams of those who fight in it.
A Wife in London: Analysis and Context
Thomas Hardy's "A Wife in London" is a powerful poem that explores the devastating impact of war on families left behind. Set against the backdrop of the Boer War, this poem offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a wife who receives tragic news about her husband.
Context: Thomas Hardy was a pacifist who often wrote about war, focusing on its destructive effects on families. The Boer War in South Africa, which forms the historical backdrop of this poem, was fought between the British and Dutch settlers over gold discoveries.
The poem is structured in two distinct parts, each with its own title:
- "The Tragedy"
- "The Irony"
This structure foreshadows the two significant events that unfold in the poem: the wife receiving news of her husband's death, followed by a letter he wrote before his demise.
Highlight: The poem's structure mirrors the emotional journey of the wife, with the first part depicting the shock of loss and the second part emphasizing the cruel irony of fate.
A Wife in London key quotes include:
Quote: "A messenger's knock cracks smartly"
This line uses onomatopoeia to create a harsh, violent effect, contrasting with the previous silence and emphasizing the sudden intrusion of bad news.
Quote: "Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather"
This quote describes the husband's handwriting in his final letter, highlighting the tragic irony of his optimistic plans for the future.
A Wife in London structure employs an ABBAB rhyme scheme, with some variations. The poem's form and structure contribute significantly to its emotional impact:
- The speaker maintains a detached tone, reflecting the inevitability of death in war
- The rhyme scheme breaks down slightly in "The Tragedy" section, mirroring the wife's confusion and grief
- The use of caesuras and enjambment controls the poem's pace, reflecting the wife's emotional state
Vocabulary: Caesura - A pause or break in a line of poetry, often for emphasis or emotional effect
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
A Wife in London - Analysis, Quotes & Themes for Kids
Liza Saiyad
@liza_saiyad
A Wife in Londonby Thomas Hardy is a poignant exploration of war's impact on those left behind. The poem depicts a wife receiving news of her husband's death in the Boer War, followed by a letter he wrote before... Show more
Themes and Imagery in A Wife in London
Themes and imagery in A Wife in London are rich and evocative, painting a vivid picture of loss, grief, and the harsh realities of war.
Setting and Atmosphere
Hardy masterfully sets the scene in London, using imagery that reflects the wife's emotional state:
Quote: "She sits in the tawny vapour / That the City lanes have uprolled"
This description creates a sense of isolation and foreboding. The fog symbolizes the wife's confusion and the unclear future she faces.
Highlight: The use of pathetic fallacy throughout the poem reinforces the somber mood and foreshadows the tragic news.
Light Imagery
Light plays a crucial role in the poem's imagery:
Quote: "Like a waning taper / The street-lamp glimmers cold"
This simile compares the street lamp to a candle burning out, symbolizing the diminishing life of the husband and the wife's fading hope.
Example: The flickering firelight in the second part of the poem mimics the wife's emotional turmoil as she reads her husband's letter.
Contrast and Irony
The poem's two-part structure allows Hardy to create a stark contrast between the tragic news and the husband's hopeful letter:
- "The Tragedy" section is characterized by harsh sounds and cold imagery
- "The Irony" section contains warm, optimistic language from the husband's letter
Definition: Irony - A literary device where the expected outcome is contrary to what actually happens
This contrast emphasizes the cruel irony of war and the futility of human plans in the face of conflict.
Symbolism
Hardy uses several symbolic elements to deepen the poem's meaning:
- The fog represents confusion and the blurring of past and present
- The telegram symbolizes the impersonal nature of war communications
- The letter represents lost hopes and unfulfilled dreams
Highlight: The juxtaposition of the telegram and the letter underscores the disconnect between the reality of war and the dreams of those who fight in it.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
A Wife in London: Analysis and Context
Thomas Hardy's "A Wife in London" is a powerful poem that explores the devastating impact of war on families left behind. Set against the backdrop of the Boer War, this poem offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a wife who receives tragic news about her husband.
Context: Thomas Hardy was a pacifist who often wrote about war, focusing on its destructive effects on families. The Boer War in South Africa, which forms the historical backdrop of this poem, was fought between the British and Dutch settlers over gold discoveries.
The poem is structured in two distinct parts, each with its own title:
- "The Tragedy"
- "The Irony"
This structure foreshadows the two significant events that unfold in the poem: the wife receiving news of her husband's death, followed by a letter he wrote before his demise.
Highlight: The poem's structure mirrors the emotional journey of the wife, with the first part depicting the shock of loss and the second part emphasizing the cruel irony of fate.
A Wife in London key quotes include:
Quote: "A messenger's knock cracks smartly"
This line uses onomatopoeia to create a harsh, violent effect, contrasting with the previous silence and emphasizing the sudden intrusion of bad news.
Quote: "Fresh-firm-penned in highest feather"
This quote describes the husband's handwriting in his final letter, highlighting the tragic irony of his optimistic plans for the future.
A Wife in London structure employs an ABBAB rhyme scheme, with some variations. The poem's form and structure contribute significantly to its emotional impact:
- The speaker maintains a detached tone, reflecting the inevitability of death in war
- The rhyme scheme breaks down slightly in "The Tragedy" section, mirroring the wife's confusion and grief
- The use of caesuras and enjambment controls the poem's pace, reflecting the wife's emotional state
Vocabulary: Caesura - A pause or break in a line of poetry, often for emphasis or emotional effect
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user