Theme Of Woman Much Missed By Thomas Hardy

The uninterrupted feeling of regret and confusion is carried throughout the poem to reminisce the loss of the author’s wife. Hardy is lovesick and feels remorse for the way his relationship turned out with his departed wife. His uncertainty of what seemed to be nothing more than calf loves between him and his wife manifests itself into his latter depression. The use of alliteration, repetition, rhetorical questions and slow methodical rhythms throughout the poem show qualities of sadness used by the poet to convey the persistence of his memories in which he cannot break free.

Through the use of alliteration and repetition, we are able to understand Hardy’s well being. Alliteration is present in the first line “Woman much missed” (1-1). The literary device surfaces the authors’ emotion surrounding the absence of his wife and his denial of any superficial love surrounding his relationship. The assumption of this alliteration trickles-down to the importance of the ‘m’ sound purposely placed into the poem to illustrate the reader’s well being. Again, Hardy uses another literary device: “how you call to me, call to me” (1-1). The use of repetition silhouettes the author’s excitement when he believes he is still communicating with his wife. His excitement becomes clearer as he is troubled with the fact that his wife’s behavior is back to normal. His wife’s ordinary behavior could explain why Hardy fell in love in the first place, but more so the proof that her behavior did in fact change; ultimately, exposing the tension between the two as well as why Hardy regrets the death of his wife so much.

Similarly to the use of alliteration, the author utilizes his confusion through rhetorical questions, repetition and rhyme schemes. The second ...

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...thin explain different things, but ultimately parallel directly to Hardy’s mind. He represses his thoughts for a limited amount of time, until the sharp thin wind breaches his mind and takes control over it. From this, it is acceptable to assume that the reasons behind Hardy’s unstable mind are his memories. The memory of his wife haunts him and continuously poses discomfort, pain and regret on him.

The poem ends in a simple, yet powerful manner with Hardy enabling s to understand the confusion going on in his mind. The irrepressible memories of his departed wife cannot let Hardy free. The poem began with the word “call” and ended with the word “calling,” suggesting Hardy’s continuous desperation. Failure to break free from the memories he has with his wife results in his subsequently miserable and regretful state for the rest of his life until death calls upon him.