Thomas Hardy Neutral Tones Tone

“Neutral Tones” written by Thomas Hardy is a poem which typically expresses personal and emotional feelings set to a musical beat hence the form of this poem being a lyric. The Famous novelist from Dorchester, England most powerful poems are based on personal loss which results this poem “Neutral Tones” falling under a category of great expectation to readers. Neutral Tones is about closure of a relationship, flourished with strong emotions and heartfelt loss. The words of A.C. Bradley (1909) are as follows “It is of no consequence what a poet says, so long as he says the thing well. The what is poetically indifferent: it is the how that counts. Matter, subject, content, substance, determines nothing; there is no subject with which poetry cannot deal: the form, the treatment, is everything”. Hardy’s use of structural and Literary Techniques is prominent in playing the factor of enhancing the subject matter of the poem.

The use of form is a drive in enhancing the subject matter. The form of this poem is called a lyric. The type of form called a lyric is used to express personal feelings which are sometime also set to music or a beat hence, it becomes a prominent driving force in the poem. This is being said to fact that “Neutral Tones” as a lyric evoke pardon, sympathy interest and astounding captivation of the reader’s mental state for challenges being expressed by the writer. It brings out a sense of intensity in the subject and it is what creates the atmosphere of the poem. By taking a look at the form of a poem you can have an idea of its mood, atmosphere and tone based on the form and “Neutral Tones” is no exception.

Hardy uses a simple rhyme scheme. Throughout the poem the only formation was “ABBA”. Hardy does this to...

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...s experience he has learned his lesson. Since that day at the pond he has lost his sight for love. It was as if his love and passion was replaced with blank, bleak and dull attitudes. It is through this alliteration that the speaker communicate to read that love that is not as nice as it seems, it’s a tortuous emotion.

Distinctively, it has been assimilated that Structural Devices and Literary Devices play a big factor in enhancing the subject matter of a poem. As A.C. Bradley “it is the how that counts” and that fact has been expounded on through devices used in the poem “Neutral Tones” to enhance the subject matter or the “what factor” of the poem. Poems without these devices would be dead without emotions, tone and without sense of interest. Thus why this essay was used to show the effectiveness Structural and Literary Devices has on the poem “Neutral Tones”.