A Wife in London by Hardy

• 1. “tawny vapour“


  Pathetic Fallacy-

  Fog reflects murky and dull mood of poem.

  Its hard to see - mirrors relationship is uncertain
• 2) “webby”

  Imagery of spider’s web - trapped by circumstances
• 3) “knock cracks’” 


  Imagery of war.

  ”cracks” onamatopia - loud , shocking knock- represents the shot of the gun that killed the soldier
• 4) “-has fallen-”

  Fallen: military word for death. Effect of war- we know she is reading the telegram

  “-“ Use of clashes creates sense of grief
• 5) “the fog hangs thicker” 


  Pathetic fallacy shows lost hope- she grieves for his death
• 6) “worm now knows”


  Her husband is a buried “worm”- gloomy + tragic atmosphere
• 7) “Fresh- firm-“


  Opposite to the atmosphere, gloomy idea of burial
• 8) “hoped return”

  Letter is positive & hopeful
• A woman in London who is waiting for her husband to come back from the Boer war.


  Telegrams faster than letters.