Neutral tones by Thomas Hardy
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_d8foqs
1. OVERALL - ABBA; enclosed rhyme scheme- typical for a Petrarchan
sonnet
- enclosed rhyme furthers distinct seperation e.g. between
A and A
- lots of enjambment to show longing for a good relation-
ship
- last stanza GGGG
2. 'and a few leaves - links with the pathetic fallacy
lay on the starv-
ing sod; - falling leaves linked to autumn implying relationship is
- they had fallen entering winter all warmth is leaving it
from an ash, and
were grey' - fricative alliteration
- TRIMETER which deviates from previous regular rhyme
scheme in rest of stanza to show ill fate
3. 'leaves' - 'leaves' imply a sense of lightness that should have came
from their break up yet he seems still in love
'fallen' - image of him being deprived as leaves are meant to
provide food for the tree
'ash'
- 'fallen': are desperate to reach stability and land on the
'grey' ground yet 'leaves' end up 'grey' and so dead; their rela-
tionship which was meant to be good was the complete
opposite
- an 'ash' tree has medicinal and mystical properties and
the 'leaves' have fallen from it implying that the speaker
feels unwell; love sickness
- implication of ill health mirrors the decay of their relation-
ship which is exposed to harsh reality of world
- relationship was not strong enough to ward off this ill
health and began to become damaged
- also 'ash' tree, a sign of strength and power to show
1/5
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_d8foqs
1. OVERALL - ABBA; enclosed rhyme scheme- typical for a Petrarchan
sonnet
- enclosed rhyme furthers distinct seperation e.g. between
A and A
- lots of enjambment to show longing for a good relation-
ship
- last stanza GGGG
2. 'and a few leaves - links with the pathetic fallacy
lay on the starv-
ing sod; - falling leaves linked to autumn implying relationship is
- they had fallen entering winter all warmth is leaving it
from an ash, and
were grey' - fricative alliteration
- TRIMETER which deviates from previous regular rhyme
scheme in rest of stanza to show ill fate
3. 'leaves' - 'leaves' imply a sense of lightness that should have came
from their break up yet he seems still in love
'fallen' - image of him being deprived as leaves are meant to
provide food for the tree
'ash'
- 'fallen': are desperate to reach stability and land on the
'grey' ground yet 'leaves' end up 'grey' and so dead; their rela-
tionship which was meant to be good was the complete
opposite
- an 'ash' tree has medicinal and mystical properties and
the 'leaves' have fallen from it implying that the speaker
feels unwell; love sickness
- implication of ill health mirrors the decay of their relation-
ship which is exposed to harsh reality of world
- relationship was not strong enough to ward off this ill
health and began to become damaged
- also 'ash' tree, a sign of strength and power to show
1/5
