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I have a question about Thomas Hardy's "The Darkling Thrush" does the speaker most directly acknowledge the forces of nature?

A. "Some blessed Hope, where of he knew/And I was unaware."*********
B. "So little cause for carolings/Of such ecstatic sound."
C. "And all mankind that haunted nigh/Had sought their household fires."
D. "The land's sharp features seemed to be/The Century's corpse outleant."

I really think it is A - I had a hard time deciding between A and B because they both have to do with the bird and I believe the bird is the force of nature the question is asking about?? Any insight??

Thanks

I'm sorry. I am in process of installing a new browser, which will take a while. I'll get back to you, Cassie, but it may be some time.

HOWEVER!!!

You could make a case for any of these lines, I guess.

The poem is about a person who is leaning against tree at the edge of a copse (coppice, group of trees). He describes what that little piece of forest looks like deep in the cold, dreary winter, when humans are staying inside, close to their fires to keep warm.

Suddenly in the middle of this depressing scene, an old bird starts singing his head off! There seemed to be no reason for him to sing, but he did ... and that points to a hope that the speaker doesn't know about! (probably springtime, since the bird could be old enough to have lived through all four seasons at least once)

So ... Cassie, what will you decide?

I have read this poem over and over - and I agree that you could have reason for any of them to be right - almost...but I am still unsure.

When I think of what is so dreary it is the winter and that is definitely a force of nature so in that respect the answer would be D.... so unsure though.

Thank you Writeacher...

wrong

It's 2021 Reed, have you gotten your browser installed yet?

Let's see what our literary experts say.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173590

In the instructions: "most directly acknowledge the forces of nature"

I see no direct reference to the forces of nature in A.

My opinion: In lines 3 and 4, he describes a force of nature (he describes a terrible winter), but that's not one of the choices. So think about how humans react during a terrible winter.