You are going to go through EXTRA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF THE DARKLING THRUSH BY THOMAS HARDY ISC CLASS 11 AND 12 ENGLISH. Understanding a poem meticulously in its entirety is very important for a learner for scoring better in the exam. Experts made ample to ensure a thorough critical and line by line analysis. Let us find EXTRA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF THE DARKLING THRUSH BY THOMAS HARDY ISC CLASS 11 AND 12 ENGLISH
8 Marks
1. Write a note on the use of imagery in the poem “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy.
- Answer: The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy is a rich work with the use of a wide variety of imageries and figure of speech. Imagery is a figurative language used to represent objects, actions, senses in a way that it appeals to our physical senses. Thomas has greatly established the tone and setting of the poem in its very first opening lines: “I leant upon the coppice gate/ When Frost was spectre-grey”. This provides us with the very notion of misery as ‘frost’ and ‘grey’. Both signify wearing away or the slow approach of death in the form of winter.
In the next lines, we see how the hopeful sun grimly refers to as the “The weakening eye of the day”. The hope which one wishes with the sun loses and “winter’s dregs” makes the atmosphere desolate and dark. Also, the line “the tangled bine-stems scored the sky/ like strings of broken lyres” is a good example of visual imagery. This rich imagery helped the narrator to convey meaning, making us understand the reality of the then Victorian era.
ANSWERS OF THE DARKLING THRUSH
The next stanzas also have varied references of imagery through the description, simile and metaphor. The figure of speeches used to convey the anxiety of the people shared. It makes us feel that the old rhythm of life getting slowed down:
“The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed favorless as I.”
In the last two stanzas, nature, as presented by the thrush, displays a sudden vigor. The description of the Thrush is quite appreciable. He describes it as “an aged thrush, frail, and gaunt, and small,/ in the blast-be ruffled plume.” This visualization of the thrush singing in such- “so little cause for caroling/of such ecstatic sound” fills the atmosphere with joy and with “some blessed Hope, whereof he knew/ And I was unaware.”
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2. What is the significance of the title of the poem “The darkling Thrush”? Is the title appropriate? Answer with close reference to the text.
Answer: The poem “The Darkling Thrush” has been aptly chosen by the poet. Here, the word ‘darkling’ refers to growing or approaching darkness, while ‘thrush’ is a bird that is grey and brown, with a spotted body. The following title can refer to the thrush arising from the dark, and spreading hope around the dismal atmosphere through its song
The poem commences with the “weakening” of the Sun’s rays, which connotes that the Sun is about to set.
The darkness and frost around is increasing both literally and metaphorically. Also, this refers to the turmoil, misery and ignorance as evidenced in the then Victorian era.
The epoch in which the poet lived characterises the growth of industrialization, distrust in religion, and ignorance. The poet wants to get back to the days when all lived happily and together.
ANSWERS OF THE DARKLING THRUSH
He seems to have landed in a desolate, oblivious land where there is no hope of renewal and nature has even lost its ability to rejuvenate and abound.
This whole idea of bleakness brings out a very gruesome picture of the changing times. But out of these depressing images, appears a little bird, who fills the air with its ecstatic caroling and spreads happiness. The capitalization of ‘H’ in ‘Hope’ here is a close reference to the three Christian virtues of hope, charity and faith.
To succinct, we may conclude that the thrush arising out of the darkness to spread light and bring hope to mankind is justified in the title “The Darkling Thrush”.
