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Carlos Kelly Kelly 1
English 220
October 18, 2005
“The Well Beloved”
The poem “The Well Beloved” by Thomas Hardy tells a story about a man who finds himself facing a sprite or spirit. On the way to see his bride the man encounters the “...God-created norm Of perfect womankind!” or the spirit (line 16). Then he wants to marry the idol instead because she is the perfect version of his bride. Then the spirit vanishes and the man makes his way to his bride, but when he meets her, he is disappointed in her appearance. This paper will try to explain how to interpret the poem by Hardy and how certain words etymology make it harder to understand the poem.
In todays eyes most people would say that the man in this poem is shallow because he is disappointed with the way his bride-to-be looks. For instance, “When I arrived and met my bride, Her look was pinched and thin, As if her soul had shrunk and died, And left a waste within,” (line's 65-68). If this were to be interpreted in two ways, one side could say that this is not being vain or shallow but being spiritual in a way; how he describes the soul as a waste within. Another interpretation could be that he is in fact being vain and shallow. Hardy describes how the man interprets his brides appearance. In past relationships I'd always meet someone who was better looking and would feel as though the woman I was with was not adequate for my taste, just like the man in this poem. Both the man and I were taken over by shallow feelings causing us to be disappointed with what we had.
Another example of how you can tell the man in the poem is shallow, “O fatuous man, this truth infer, Brides are not what they seem; Thou lovest what thou dreamest her, I am thy very dream!” (line's 49-52). He is made to believe that he is in love with a more
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perfect dream version of his bride, but was never aware of it until the spirit came into contact with him. The Oxford English dictionary defines fatuous as being silly or pointless. Its etymology tells us (insert etymology). Another word that can be harmful to someone who wants to read this poem critically is “transferred.”
I believe that people can experience rejection of all sorts and it is especially likely to be rejected when you already have someone. For example, “Though, since troth-plight began. I've ever stood bride to groom. I wed no mortal man!” (line's 58-60). He knows that he already has a bride waiting for him, but because the spirit is so perfect he would rather have her. People go through this all the time, it's called cheating. Take a man as an example. If a man finds someone more attractive than what he already has, in most cases he will try to be with the more attractive one. If the woman knows he is taken, in general one should reject him, but thats not true all of the time.
The reason I interpret the poem the way I do is due to the fact that the man in the poem and my past self are not so different. In relationships I to have experienced my doubt in my significant others looks. I can relate to the way it feels and how utterly sick it can make you, to have to choose between someone you cannot have and someone you can. In my experience I have come to notice that all of my male friends and even myself at times are never really truly satisfied with what we have. We aren't always looking for something better, but at times the “better” presents itself to us and we cannot control the emotions that overtake us, just like the man in the poem. He wanted to marry the dream girl but had to settle for the real imperfect bride. Lots of people can't find themselves with someone who isn't perfect. In life everyone goes through a stage where they are lonely because they cannot find the “perfect someone.” The only way people should get married
Kelly 3
is if they are truly comfortable with their significant others imperfections. Also they need not hold those imperfections against them but embrace them with love and kindness, thats what the man in the poem should do.
English 220
October 18, 2005
“The Well Beloved”
The poem “The Well Beloved” by Thomas Hardy tells a story about a man who finds himself facing a sprite or spirit. On the way to see his bride the man encounters the “...God-created norm Of perfect womankind!” or the spirit (line 16). Then he wants to marry the idol instead because she is the perfect version of his bride. Then the spirit vanishes and the man makes his way to his bride, but when he meets her, he is disappointed in her appearance. This paper will try to explain how to interpret the poem by Hardy and how certain words etymology make it harder to understand the poem.
In todays eyes most people would say that the man in this poem is shallow because he is disappointed with the way his bride-to-be looks. For instance, “When I arrived and met my bride, Her look was pinched and thin, As if her soul had shrunk and died, And left a waste within,” (line's 65-68). If this were to be interpreted in two ways, one side could say that this is not being vain or shallow but being spiritual in a way; how he describes the soul as a waste within. Another interpretation could be that he is in fact being vain and shallow. Hardy describes how the man interprets his brides appearance. In past relationships I'd always meet someone who was better looking and would feel as though the woman I was with was not adequate for my taste, just like the man in this poem. Both the man and I were taken over by shallow feelings causing us to be disappointed with what we had.
Another example of how you can tell the man in the poem is shallow, “O fatuous man, this truth infer, Brides are not what they seem; Thou lovest what thou dreamest her, I am thy very dream!” (line's 49-52). He is made to believe that he is in love with a more
Kelly 2
perfect dream version of his bride, but was never aware of it until the spirit came into contact with him. The Oxford English dictionary defines fatuous as being silly or pointless. Its etymology tells us (insert etymology). Another word that can be harmful to someone who wants to read this poem critically is “transferred.”
I believe that people can experience rejection of all sorts and it is especially likely to be rejected when you already have someone. For example, “Though, since troth-plight began. I've ever stood bride to groom. I wed no mortal man!” (line's 58-60). He knows that he already has a bride waiting for him, but because the spirit is so perfect he would rather have her. People go through this all the time, it's called cheating. Take a man as an example. If a man finds someone more attractive than what he already has, in most cases he will try to be with the more attractive one. If the woman knows he is taken, in general one should reject him, but thats not true all of the time.
The reason I interpret the poem the way I do is due to the fact that the man in the poem and my past self are not so different. In relationships I to have experienced my doubt in my significant others looks. I can relate to the way it feels and how utterly sick it can make you, to have to choose between someone you cannot have and someone you can. In my experience I have come to notice that all of my male friends and even myself at times are never really truly satisfied with what we have. We aren't always looking for something better, but at times the “better” presents itself to us and we cannot control the emotions that overtake us, just like the man in the poem. He wanted to marry the dream girl but had to settle for the real imperfect bride. Lots of people can't find themselves with someone who isn't perfect. In life everyone goes through a stage where they are lonely because they cannot find the “perfect someone.” The only way people should get married
Kelly 3
is if they are truly comfortable with their significant others imperfections. Also they need not hold those imperfections against them but embrace them with love and kindness, thats what the man in the poem should do.