Key Quotes

• The poem is structured in two halves “The Tragedy” and “The Irony” showing it is like chapters in a tragic story. The two halves could suggest her life has been split into two.
• The language is ominous, indicating darkness and tragedy– “tawny vapour”, “webby fold” and “waning taper”. Her whole world is covered in gloom.
• “He – has fallen” is a euphemism to shield the widow from the harsh truth but the dashes represent her grief and inability to process the news of her husband’s death.
• Pathetic fallacy of the “fog hangs thicker” shows her grief is settling in.
• “new love that they would learn” shows the irony that he was looking forward to their new life together. It heightens the tragedy and heartbreak of his death because they will never be together and rekindle their relationship.