A number of Thomas Hardy’s poems are built on situations in which the speaker regretfully acknowledges his inability to react as orthodox religious believers might react. Sometimes this regret is made explicit as in “The Impercipient.” Here the speaker, attending a cathedral service, laments his lack of power to make one of “this bright believing band.”
Why always I must feel as blind
To sights my brethren see,
Why joys they’ve found I cannot find,
Abides a mystery.
Sometimes the regret is implied as in...
Source: Poetry for Students, ©2012 Gale Cengage. All Rights Reserved. Full copyright.
(The entire page is 1219 words.)
Want to read the whole thing?
Subscribe to eNotes for access to this content as well as thousands of study guides and critical materials. SUBSCRIBE
