Neutral Tones
by Thomas Hardy
We stood by a pond that winter day,
And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,
And a few leaves lay on the starving sod;
They had fallen from an ash tree, and were gray.Your eyes on me were like eyes that rove
Over tedious riddles of years ago;
And some words played between us to and fro
On which lost the more by our love.The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing
Alive enough to have strength to die;
And a grin of bitterness swept thereby
Like an ominous bird a-wing….Since then, keen lessons that love deceives,
And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me
Your face, and the God curst sun, and a tree,
And a pond edged with grayish leaves.
Summary of Neutral Tones
- Popularity of the Poem, “Neutral Tones”: Thomas Hardy, a celebrated English poet and novelist, penned “Neutral Tones.” First published in 1898 within Wessex Poems and Other Verses, the poem profoundly explores the aftermath of a failed relationship, focusing on the lingering psychological effects. It’s a stark portrayal of emotional detachment and the permanence of painful memories.
- “Neutral Tones” as a Representative of Lost Love: The poem centers on the speaker’s recollection of a painful breakup. The opening stanza sets a desolate winter scene, mirroring the emotional coldness he experienced. He reflects on a past encounter with his lover, observing her distant gaze and the strained communication between them. This memory isn’t one of passionate heartbreak but rather of a numbing disappointment, a sense of emotional exhaustion. The poem conveys how that experience has left the speaker emotionally “neutral,” desensitized to love’s possibilities.
- Major Themes in “Neutral Tones”: The poem masterfully delves into themes of lost love, enduring memory, and emotional detachment. The speaker isn’t consumed by grief but rather exists in a state of resigned neutrality. The poem illustrates how a single, pivotal moment can permanently alter one’s perspective on love and life. The cyclical nature of memory is also prominent, as the speaker repeatedly revisits the scene, forever marked by its emotional bleakness.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Neutral Tones”
Literary devices are the tools writers employ to craft impactful and evocative writing. Hardy skillfully utilizes various techniques in “Neutral Tones” to heighten the poem’s emotional resonance and thematic depth.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words. Notice the use of the short “e” sound in “deadest thing,” creating a subtle, mournful echo. Similarly, the long “o” in “Over tedious riddles of years ago” adds a sense of prolonged sadness.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Examples include the repetition of the “w” sound in “And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me,” which emphasizes the painful process of emotional processing. The repetition of the “f” sound in “They had fallen from an ash tree, and were gray” contributes to the poem’s somber atmosphere.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words, not necessarily at the beginning. Consider the recurrence of the “d” sound in “deadest thing,” subtly reinforcing the theme of emotional death. The repetition of the “n” sound in “And a pond edged with grayish leaves” adds to the auditory texture of the poem.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause. This technique is evident in lines 2 and 3: “And the sun was white, as though chidden of God, / And a few leaves lay on the starving sod.” The enjambment creates a flowing rhythm and emphasizes the connection between the harsh sunlight and the barren landscape.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions appealing to the five senses. The poem is replete with powerful imagery, such as “We stood by a pond that winter day,” which immediately establishes a bleak and desolate setting. The description of the “smile on your mouth” as “the deadest thing” is a particularly striking example of morbid imagery.
- Oxymoron: A figure of speech combining contradictory terms. The phrase “the deadest thing” applied to a smile is a powerful oxymoron. It suggests that the smile was devoid of genuine emotion, a mere facade masking underlying sadness and bitterness.
- Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects. The sun is “chidden of God,” implying a divine displeasure or judgment. This personification reinforces the poem’s sense of bleakness and despair.
- Symbolism: The use of objects or ideas to represent something else. The winter landscape serves as a symbol of emotional coldness and desolation. The gray leaves represent decay and the fading of love.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Neutral Tones”
Poetic devices are specific techniques employed by poets to create rhythm, enhance meaning, and evoke emotional responses. Hardy’s skillful use of these devices significantly contributes to the poem’s overall impact.
- End Rhyme: The rhyming of words at the ends of lines. The poem does not follow a strict ABAB rhyme scheme; instead it uses a varied pattern. Examples include the near rhyme of “day” with “gray,” the exact rhyme of “thing” with “wing,” and the rhyme of “me” with “tree.”
- Quatrain: A four-line stanza. Each stanza in “Neutral Tones” is a quatrain, providing a structured and contained framework for the poem’s ideas.
- Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes in a poem. While the poem does not consistently use ABAB, it maintains internal rhyme and sonic cohesion across stanzas.
- Stanza: A group of lines forming a unit in a poem. “Neutral Tones” consists of four stanzas, each contributing to the development of the poem’s central themes and imagery.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are particularly effective when discussing the poem’s depiction of winter and its connection to emotional states. They also serve as potent descriptions of desolate landscapes and somber atmospheres.
We stood by a pond that winter day,
And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,
And a few leaves lay on the starving sod;
They had fallen from an ash tree, and were gray
“Neutral Tones” remains a poignant exploration of lost love and its lasting emotional impact. Through its evocative imagery, skillful use of literary and poetic devices, and honest portrayal of emotional detachment, the poem continues to resonate with readers long after the final line is read. It is a testament to Hardy’s ability to capture the complexities of human emotion with unflinching honesty and artistic brilliance.