Which excerpt from Thomas Hardy's "The Darkling Thrush" most plainly expresses awe for its subject?
a. "So little cause for carolings/Of such ecstatic sound..." (correct choice)
b. "I leant upon a coppice gate/When Frost was spectre-gray..."
c. "The tangled bine-stems scored the sky,/Like strings of broken lyres..." (incorrect choice)
d. "The land's sharp features seemed to be/The Century's corpse outleant..."
While taking the test, I chose answer C, but the correct answer is A. I would like to know why this is. Can someone please help?
Are you clear on the true meaning of "awe"? (And I don't mean the casual way it and "awesome" are used today.)
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/awe
C contains negatives (tangled, bine-stems, scored, broken), while A contains a very positive phrase: "such ecstatic sound" --
[in the middle of the very harsh winter, when everyone is staying home by their fires]
...
At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.
The old bird had no reason to be so happy, but he was, and he sang his evening song anyway!
Sure, I can help! In order to express awe, it is important to look for words or phrases that convey a strong sense of wonder or amazement.
In option A, the excerpt "So little cause for carolings/Of such ecstatic sound..." expresses awe because it suggests that the subject of the poem, the darkling thrush, is producing a beautiful and joyous melody despite there being very little reason for it to do so. The use of the words "ecstatic sound" emphasizes the overwhelming and impressive nature of the bird's song.
On the other hand, option C, "The tangled bine-stems scored the sky,/Like strings of broken lyres..." does not primarily express awe for the subject. While it uses vivid imagery to describe the scene, it doesn't directly convey a sense of wonder or astonishment towards the thrush.
Therefore, option A is the correct choice as it most plainly expresses awe for the subject of the poem.
Certainly! The correct answer is A. "So little cause for carolings/Of such ecstatic sound..." because it directly expresses awe for its subject.
In this excerpt, the speaker is marveling at the fact that the thrush is singing so joyously despite the bleak and desolate winter landscape. The phrase "so little cause for carolings" emphasizes the lack of any apparent reason for the thrush to be singing so passionately. The use of the word "ecstatic" further conveys the strong emotion and wonder that the speaker feels towards the bird's song.
On the other hand, excerpt C, "The tangled bine-stems scored the sky,/Like strings of broken lyres..." describes the landscape and sets a visual imagery, but it does not directly express awe for the subject (the thrush).
Therefore, the correct answer is A as it more directly expresses the speaker's awe and wonder towards the thrush's song.
Certainly! Let's analyze the options to understand why option A is the correct answer.
In "The Darkling Thrush" by Thomas Hardy, the speaker describes the bleak and gloomy atmosphere of winter, which contrasts with the existence of a thrush singing a beautiful song. The question asks for the excerpt that most plainly expresses awe for its subject, referring to the thrush.
a. "So little cause for carolings/Of such ecstatic sound..." - This excerpt shows awe by stating that there is so little reason for the bird to sing with such an ecstatic sound. The use of the word "ecstatic" emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the bird's song.
b. "I leant upon a coppice gate/When Frost was spectre-gray..." - This excerpt sets the scene but does not explicitly express awe for the thrush. It describes the speaker's position and the color of the frost, creating a sense of atmosphere.
c. "The tangled bine-stems scored the sky,/Like strings of broken lyres..." - While this excerpt contains vivid imagery, it is more about the description of the surroundings (tangled bine-stems) than explicitly expressing awe for the thrush.
d. "The land's sharp features seemed to be/The Century's corpse outleant..." - This excerpt describes the land and its appearance but does not directly express awe for the thrush.
Therefore, the correct answer is option A because it explicitly conveys the speaker's amazement and awe at the extraordinary and unexpected beauty of the bird's song, despite the gloomy surroundings.