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Comment 3 of 3, added on May 18th, 2009 at 4:22 PM.
As a fellow student taking my AS English exam on wednesday I too enjoy this poem as I find it contains many of the themes and techniques which are characteristic to Hardy's poetry. In literal terms, Hardy is describing a moment when he and his late wife, Emma were on a trip to Castle Boterel and they shared a 'time of such quality' as he helped her out of the carriage. It is thought that while they 'alighted' (ie to get out.. as it says on trains, 'alight here') Hardy and Emma enjoyed a blissful moment just between them. It is believed that in this poem, Hardy is remembering a time when he was out with his wife and her sister, and the moment where they 'alighted' was when they were free from the sister's watchful eye. Hardy says this moment, 'filled but a minute' however, to him this is irrelevant as he goes on to ask, 'But was there ever/ a time of such quality, since or before/ In that hill's story?' This use of rhetorical questions is characteristic to many of Hardy's poems, as he ponders over many different mysteries. However, I feel that, although in simple terms Hardy is referring to them 'alighting', he may also be talking about their marriage. It is clear from the elegies he wrote between 1912 and 1913 to Emma that he regretted not making the most of the times they shared together. For example, in the earlier poem, 'The Going', Hardy begs, 'Why, then, latterly did we not speak/Did we not think of those days long dead?'
Rachael from United Kingdom
Comment 2 of 3, added on May 18th, 2009 at 5:53 AM.
this poems really intresting i really like the imagery and the juxtapositions of the different ideas and themes. Heres an analysis i did this year (Im doing As english literature - exam on wed!!:() :
In this poem Hardy recalls a moment in his courtship with his late wife Emma. The main themes of the poem are romancism, the passage of time and the juxtaposition of ideas. The poem starts with Hardy being in the spring of his life; "dry March weather" and ends wit his sand "sinking", a metahphor for his time running out in the autumn of his life.
This is just one of the juxtapositions which feature throughout the poem. Another is the "land" and the "highway" which Hardy is at a "junction" of at the beginning of the poem.
The "lane", it could be argued represents his realtionship with Emma (whom is now dead) and the "highway" the rest of his life. He has to make a decision whether to move on or stay stuck in the past. It is obvious what decision is made ar the end of the poem; "i shall traverse in old love's domain. Never again". Hardy suggests love is as old as "primeval rocks" which "form the road's steep border".
Emjambment is used throughout to quicken the ryhthm of the poem and casura is used to emphasis certain points. The irregular line length also does this, however they could also symbolise how irregular life and love s. The last line is significantly shorter and could illistrate Hardy's love being brought to an abrupt end after the death of his wife's life.
laura from United Kingdom
Comment 1 of 3, added on January 9th, 2008 at 12:03 AM.
I would like to know more about Thomas Hardy's poem At Castle Boterel. cant understand it
huda al alawi from Bahrain
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As a fellow student taking my AS English exam on wednesday I too enjoy this poem as I find it contains many of the themes and techniques which are characteristic to Hardy's poetry. In literal terms, Hardy is describing a moment when he and his late wife, Emma were on a trip to Castle Boterel and they shared a 'time of such quality' as he helped her out of the carriage. It is thought that while they 'alighted' (ie to get out.. as it says on trains, 'alight here') Hardy and Emma enjoyed a blissful moment just between them. It is believed that in this poem, Hardy is remembering a time when he was out with his wife and her sister, and the moment where they 'alighted' was when they were free from the sister's watchful eye. Hardy says this moment, 'filled but a minute' however, to him this is irrelevant as he goes on to ask, 'But was there ever/ a time of such quality, since or before/ In that hill's story?' This use of rhetorical questions is characteristic to many of Hardy's poems, as he ponders over many different mysteries. However, I feel that, although in simple terms Hardy is referring to them 'alighting', he may also be talking about their marriage. It is clear from the elegies he wrote between 1912 and 1913 to Emma that he regretted not making the most of the times they shared together. For example, in the earlier poem, 'The Going', Hardy begs, 'Why, then, latterly did we not speak/Did we not think of those days long dead?'
Rachael from United Kingdom