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"Neutral Tones" is a bleak and pessimistic poem that depicts the end of a love affair and the psychological aftereffects. Thomas Hardy wrote the poem in 1867, though it was not published until 1898 in the collection Wessex Poems and Other Verses .
‘Neutral Tones’ by Thomas Hardy is about a speaker’s neutral mental state after being dejected in love. The image of the “pond edged with grayish leaves” displays the speaker’s mental state.
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) Hardy was known as being insecure, depressed and sensitive as a result of two unhappy marriages. This lack of happiness is well-reflected in the depressing tone of “Neutral Tones”.
Key learning points. Hardy uses colour imagery to create a bleak and barren emotional landscape. Hardy uses an oxymoron to convey the hostile and hopeless nature of the relationship. Hardy uses personification to suggest how he feels misled by love.
19 sty 2016 · ‘Neutral Tones’: a quintessential Hardy poem this, in so many ways. It’s a bleak take on love and a relationship gone sour, yet – as the title makes clear – the poem tries to depict the scene in a neutral way, describing things as they were.
Victorian poet and novelist Thomas Hardy wrote “Neutral Tones” in 1867, though the poem was not published until 1898. In it, the speaker reflects on a failed romance with a lover who had become indifferent to their relationship.
Neutral Tones study guide contains a biography of Thomas Hardy, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
