Analysing Poetry Beeny Cliff by Thomas Hardy

Analysing Poetry: : 

Analysing Poetry: Beeny Cliff by Thomas Hardy

Hardy’s Highlights:: 

Hardy’s Highlights: 1840 : Thomas Hardy born on June 2nd, in Higher Bockhampton. 1870 : He meets Emma Lavinia Gifford. 1892 : Hardy's father dies. 1893 : Meets Florence Henniker. 1898 : Hardy's first volume of poems is published 1912 : Emma suddenly dies on November 27. 1913 : Hardy makes a pilgrimage to the sites of his and Emma's early love. 1914 : " Poems of 1912-13," is written in memory of Emma. 1914 : Hardy marries Florence Dugdale and at the same time World War I breaks out. 1928 : Hardy died on January 11. His ashes are buried in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, and his heart is buried in Emma's grave. 1930 : The Later Years of Thomas Hardy is published under Florence's name.

Slide 3: 

Structure Five distinct stanzas of three lines Voices/Tense 1 st Person Plural I/Me/Us Tense change from: Past-Present-Future Language Lexical Fields of: Nature Colour Use of pathetic fallacy Rhythm Complete rhyme at the end of every stanza Regular rhythm

What can we learn from the title?: 

What can we learn from the title? A place in Cornwall Why is this location important? Hardy used to visit Cornwall with his wife Emma (who was dead when the poem was written) Has Hardy made a mental connection of Beeny Cliff to the memory of his dead wife? Beeny Cliff

PAST TENSE: 

PAST TENSE

Stanzas One and Two : 

Stanzas One and Two I O the opal and the sapphire of that wandering western sea, And the woman riding high above with bright hair flapping free-– The woman whom I loved so, and who loyally loved me. II The pale mews plained below us , and the waves seemed far away In a nether sky, engrossed in saying their ceaseless babbling say, As we laughed light-heartedly aloft on that clear-sunned March day . Mews: Seabirds Nether: Lower/ Inferior… This links to the idea of Hardy joining his wife in heaven as they are looking down on ‘a nether (lower) sky’ Plained is a HETEROGRAPH- the word PLANED means to glide, however PLAINED means to mourn/lament which could potentially express Hardy’s hidden emotions towards his wife’s death Idea of the HEAVENS vs REALITY How does this relate to the rhythm of the poem? How significant is this address?- Hardy names ‘ Beeny Cliff’ but not his own wife Cont …

Stanza Two Continued…: 

Stanza Two Continued… The pale mews plained below us , and the waves seemed far away In a nether sky, engrossed in saying their ceaseless babbling say, As we laughed light-heartedly aloft on that clear-sunned March day . Hardy recalls the carefree times that he shared at Beeny Cliff with his wife March e.g Spring symbolises new life and change- possibly relating to his relationship with his wife

PRESENT TENSE: 

PRESENT TENSE

Stanza Three: 

Stanza Three III A little cloud then cloaked us, and there flew an irised rain, And the Atlantic dyed its levels with a dull misfeatured stain , And then the sun burst out again , and purples prinked the main . Passing troubles Lensed- could possibly represent the feelings of detachment that Hardy feels OR it could be taken to mean human tears- Iris/eyes Pathetic Fallacy O the opal and the sapphire of that wandering western sea There is an obvious contrast in the way Hardy describes the sea. At first it is precious and wandering (a very relaxed, passive movement) –but- in the third stanza the sea is a ‘dyed/ misfeatured stain’ This stanza could be interpreted as a metaphorical description of Hardy’s marital relationship… What it could translate as is- that they faced some troubles and unhappy times during their relationship which caused tears , but, Hardy had always known that it was just a passing quarrel and that the sun would ‘burst out again’ in their time together

Stanza Four: 

Stanza Four IV -Still in all its chasmal beauty bulks old Beeny to the sky, And shall she and I not go there once again now March is nigh, And the sweet things said in that March say anew there by and by? Difference of opinion or emotion/ great size Term of endearment and familiarity towards his wife the land Hardy is questioning whether he should visit Beeny with his wife again-or-whether his memory of Beeny should remain one of happier and more positive times

Slide 11: 

PRESENT/ FUTURE TENSE

Stanza Five: 

Stanza Five V What if still in chasmal beauty looms that wild weird western shore, The woman now is – elsewhere – whom the ambling pony bore , And nor know nor cares for Beeny , and will laugh there nevermore Feelings of resentment are expressed in this stanza. Hardy is asking whether the unhappy and troubled feelings still remain attached to the landscape in which they first occurred…and if so ‘The woman’ is gone and she does not have to face the consequences of her actions and will therefore ‘laugh there nevermore’. Alliteration -mimics the sounds of the waves beating the rocks

Main Themes:: 

Main Themes: The eternity of the land How land recalls the passing of time How the land can relate to memories

This presentation was created by poetryhelp101 with the main aim of aiding students taking AS level English Literature.: 

This presentation was created by poetryhelp101 with the main aim of aiding students taking AS level English Literature.