Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"A King's Soliloquy" by Thomas Hardy was written in 1910, during the Edwardian era in England. The poem reflects on the thoughts and feelings of a king on the night of his funeral, contemplating the transience of power and the inevitability of death. The Edwardian era was characterized by a sense of nostalgia and a longing for a simpler, more idealized past, as well as a growing awareness of the fragility of life in the wake of World War I.

Content:

The poem opens with the speaker, a deceased king, reflecting on his life and his legacy. He expresses regret for not being able to achieve all that he had hoped for during his reign, and laments the fleeting nature of power and the inevitability of death. The king's thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of the "shadowy train" of mourners who have come to pay their respects.

The speaker then imagines himself standing at the window of his palace, looking out over the city that he once ruled. He sees the "flaming street-lamps" and the "dim-lighted square," and imagines the people who inhabit them. He reflects on how he was once a part of their lives, and how they will continue on without him.

The king then turns his attention to his own funeral, observing the somber proceedings from his vantage point as a ghostly spectator. He reflects on the emptiness of the pomp and ceremony, and wonders if anyone truly mourns his passing. He also contemplates the nature of death, and questions whether his soul will continue on after his physical body has been laid to rest.

Form:

The poem is written in free verse, with no consistent rhyme scheme or meter. The lack of a regular structure reflects the fragmented and disjointed nature of the king's thoughts as he reflects on his life and death.

Poetic Elements:

Hardy uses a variety of poetic elements to create a haunting and melancholy atmosphere in the poem. Imagery is used to create a vivid picture of the city at night, with its "flaming street-lamps" and "dim-lighted square." The use of personification, such as when the "shadowy train" of mourners arrives, adds a sense of otherworldliness to the poem. Hardy also uses repetition, as in the repeated phrase "I am dead," to emphasize the finality of death and the king's sense of detachment from the world of the living.

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...