What is the meaning of the oxen by Thomas Hardy?
What is the meaning of the oxen by Thomas Hardy?
‘The Oxen’ reflects a yearning for childhood beliefs which the adult speaker can no longer hold. The poem highlights the yearn to believe, even – or perhaps especially – when we know that we cannot bring ourselves to entertain such beliefs.
What time of the year does Hardy’s The oxen reflect on?
As with Hardy’s “The Oxen” for Christmas, in a Slate tradition here is Hardy’s poem—which he dated Dec. 31, 1900—reflecting on the turning of a century, as well as a year.
Which type of stanza is used in the oxen?
It was later included in his Selected Poems of 1916. The poem comprises four short stanzas, each with an ABAB rhyme scheme, as follows: Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
What do oxen do on Christmas Eve?
The legend that cattle – descendants of the beasts that knelt in reverence at the stable in Bethlehem – would kneel each Christmas Eve at midnight was familiar to Hardy from childhood.
When did Thomas Hardy write the poem The oxen?
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) wrote his poem The Oxen in 1915 and it was first published in The Times on 24 th December (Christmas Eve) of that year. It was later included in his Selected Poems of 1916. The Oxen, by Thomas Hardy. The poem comprises four short stanzas, each with an ABAB rhyme scheme, as follows: Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
What is the opening line of the poem The oxen?
The poem The Oxen opens with the first two stanzas referring to the childhood memory, and Hardy uses words like “flock” to create the rural atmosphere. The words “meek mild creatures” are not only descriptive of sleepy, warm cows gently chewing the cud in their “strawy pen” but are also reminiscent of Charles Wesley’s children’s hymn.
What was Thomas Hardy’s religion in the oxen?
Hardy had long since abandoned formal religion and traditional Christian beliefs by the time of writing “The Oxen”, but he still retained some belief in the supernatural as manifested by ghosts and spirits.
Where can I find more of Thomas Hardy’s poetry?
To go in search of more of Hardy’s poetry, we recommend The Collected Poems of Thomas Hardy (Wordsworth Poetry Library), which is excellent value for money and contains nearly 1,000 pages of Hardy’s poems.
