Just for the record.

the exhibitionist, like the egoist in me, wants the world to see the essay. the one that couldn't have been my own work.


Write a critical appreciation of To an Unborn Pauper Child by Thomas Hardy.

In this poem, Hardy expresses his cynicism towards life as he attempts to warn an unborn child of the trials and tribulations he would have to endure, if he were to be born into this world. Yet, despite all his cynicism and jaded words, Hardy recognises that there are things in life worth celebrating, things which bring "joys seldom yet attained by humankind!"

In the first stanza, there are regular pauses and the lines end in soft rhymes. This is soothing to the ear, and is reminiscent of the way one might speak to a child, with no harsh sounds and/or tones. Already, Hardy is warning the unborn child about life, how "travails and teens" surround them. The use of the word "heap" sugests an overwhelming, perhaps that the pain and sufferings of life suffocate people. Also, the mention of "Time-wraiths" gives a haunting quality to the opening stanza, somewhat symbolic of people living their lives as tortured souls roaming the earth.

In the second stanza, we encounter an obvious irregularity in the structure of this poem. The fourth line of the second stanza is not indented as in all other stanzas. Also, excessive usage of commas and semicolons in the first two lines serves to increase the tempo of the poem, conveying perhaps, mounting agitation as Hardy continues to talk about how dismal life is. To him, nothing can stand the test of time as "laughters fail, and greeting die: Hopes dwindle;yea, Faiths waste away, Affections and enthusiasms numb". Eventually, anything optimistic or positive fades with time, making life unbearable and gloomy and very depressing. The last line brings out a sense of resignation as Hardy tells the unborn child that "thou canst not mend these things if thou dost come". We can just imagine him saying these words with a heavy sigh, believing that there is nothing that can change things, make life better.

The third stanza shows Hardy lamenting his inability to prevent pain and suffering from happening to the unborn child, and the child's inability to choose whether or not to be born. Once again, the punctuation in this stanza has returned to the regularity of the opening stanza and takes on the tone usually used with very young kids. This suggests Hardy's weariness at his situation, as if the agitation of the past stanza has worn him out and left him resigned to his life.

Yet, there is, once again, a quickening in pace in the fourth stanza, that persists till the end of the poem. The run on lines in this stanza, like the excessive usage of punctuation in the second, portrays a kind of restlessness and agitation, that perhaps, fuels Hardy's anger and cynicism towards life. To him, nothing that happens makes sense, thus making it impossible for anyone to explain life's plans ("Explain none can life's pending plan"). Also, the mention of unpreventable natural disasters serves to prove how life is full of upheaval and problems for the average human.

Hardy wishes he were able to provide a sanctuary for this unborn child he addresses, but regrets his inability to do so. "But I am as weak as thou and bare" heightens the feeling of disappointment, regret, bitterness and quiet resignation in this poem, as the poet prepares us for his final conclusion.

Finally, Hardy presents a change in tone and moves away from the negative thoughts of the past four stanzas. In his final concluding stanza, Hardy admits "that [he] can hope", and that there are things worth celebrating, the very things he laments would not stand the test of time in stanza two. We can see that he values "health, love and friends" above everything else in the world, believing that they can bring "joys seldom yet attained by humankind!" Hardy is not as jaded as he portrays himself to be. He has not let the material comforts and/or wants blind him to the basic, valuable things in life such as health, love and friends. He still believes they exist, and still perhaps, yearns for them himself.

In conclusion, through this poem, Hardy has proven himself to be more than a cynical, jaded person living a meaningless life full of complaints. We are able to see that Hardy is still very much hopeful, just perhaps disappointed by how his own life turned out, and disheartened by the things that happen around him. This poem arouses empathy and sympathy as most of us are able to easily relate to the subject matter, and understand how painful it is.

AnRu reminisced at 2:43:00 AM.