“The Voice” by Thomas Hardy: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

“The Voice” by Thomas Hardy first appeared in Poems of the Past and Present (1901), a collection that reflects Hardy’s deep sorrow and nostalgia following the death of his first wife, Emma. The poem is a poignant elegy that explores themes of grief, memory, and the elusive nature of the past. Hardy captures the haunting presence of Emma’s voice, which seems to call to him, evoking both longing and doubt. The poem’s melancholic tone and rhythmic structure mirror the speaker’s emotional turmoil as he questions whether the voice he hears is real or a figment of his yearning mind. The use of natural imagery, such as the “wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,” enhances the sense of loss and transience. The poem remains popular due to its universal meditation on love and mourning, as well as Hardy’s masterful use of diction and meter to convey the fragility of human emotions (Hardy, 1901).

Text: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

Annotations: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

Line	Annotation (Simple Explanation)	Literary Devices
“Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,”	The speaker expresses deep sorrow, believing he hears his deceased wife’s voice.	Repetition, Apostrophe, Alliteration
“Saying that now you are not as you were”	The voice tells him she is different now, suggesting a transformation after death.	Contrast, Enjambment
“When you had changed from the one who was all to me,”	She changed in life before her death, possibly referring to emotional distance.	Past vs. Present Contrast, Enjambment
“But as at first, when our day was fair.”	The speaker recalls the happier early days of their relationship.	Nostalgia, Imagery
“Can it be you that I hear? Let me view you, then,”	He questions whether the voice is real and wishes to see her.	Rhetorical Question, Apostrophe
“Standing as when I drew near to the town”	He imagines her waiting for him, as she used to in life.	Visual Imagery, Memory
“Where you would wait for me: yes, as I knew you then,”	He recalls a specific moment when she stood waiting for him.	Repetition, Memory
“Even to the original air-blue gown!”	He remembers her in a specific blue dress, highlighting vivid nostalgia.	Visual Imagery, Symbolism (blue as innocence, past love)
“Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness”	He doubts whether he truly hears her or if it is just the wind.	Personification (listless breeze), Contrast (voice vs. wind)
“Travelling across the wet mead to me here,”	The wind moves through the wet fields toward him.	Personification, Natural Imagery
“You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,”	He realizes she has faded into an unclear, dreamlike state.	Alliteration, Metaphor (dissolving as death, forgetfulness)
“Heard no more again far or near?”	He wonders if he will ever hear her voice again.	Rhetorical Question, Repetition
“Thus I; faltering forward,”	The speaker moves forward in grief but hesitates.	Alliteration, Symbolism (hesitation as emotional struggle)
“Leaves around me falling,”	Falling leaves symbolize the passage of time and death.	Seasonal Imagery, Symbolism (autumn as decay, loss)
“Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,”	The wind is weak and cold, adding to the bleak atmosphere.	Personification, Alliteration
“And the woman calling.”	The poem ends with the haunting idea that she is still calling to him.	Repetition, Ambiguity (real or imagined voice?)

Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

Device	Example from the Poem	Explanation
Alliteration	“call to me, call to me”	The repetition of the “c” sound creates rhythm and emphasis, reinforcing the speaker’s longing.
Ambiguity	“And the woman calling.”	It is unclear whether the speaker truly hears his wife’s voice or if it is just his imagination, leaving the ending open to interpretation.
Apostrophe	“Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,”	The speaker directly addresses his deceased wife, a figure who cannot respond, emphasizing his grief.
Assonance	“You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness”	The repetition of the “i” and “o” vowel sounds creates a melancholic tone.
Contrast	“Saying that now you are not as you were”	The poem contrasts the past and present versions of the wife, showing how death changes memory and perception.
Consonance	“Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward”	The repeated “n” and “th” sounds enhance the soft, eerie quality of the line.
Enjambment	“Can it be you that I hear? Let me view you, then, / Standing as when I drew near to the town”	The sentence flows beyond the line break, mirroring the speaker’s continuous thoughts and emotions.
Imagery (Auditory)	“how you call to me, call to me”	The reader can almost hear the voice of the woman, emphasizing the haunting nature of her presence.
Imagery (Visual)	“Even to the original air-blue gown!”	The speaker vividly recalls a specific image of his wife, making the memory feel real.
Metaphor	“You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,”	The wife is metaphorically described as dissolving, suggesting her fading presence in memory.
Mood	“Leaves around me falling, / Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,”	The mood is melancholic and desolate, created through imagery of falling leaves and the thin wind.
Nostalgia	“But as at first, when our day was fair.”	The speaker reminisces about the past, longing for the happiness he once shared with his wife.
Paradox	“Saying that now you are not as you were”	The voice suggests that she is both the same and changed, reflecting the contradiction of memory and death.
Personification	“Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,”	The wind is given human-like qualities, making it seem almost ghostly and alive.
Repetition	“call to me, call to me”	The phrase is repeated to emphasize the longing and haunting nature of the voice.
Rhetorical Question	“Can it be you that I hear?”	The speaker questions whether he truly hears his wife, showing his uncertainty and grief.
Symbolism	“Leaves around me falling,”	The falling leaves symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of death.
Tone	“Thus I; faltering forward,”	The tone is sorrowful and hesitant, reflecting the speaker’s emotional struggle with loss.
Understatement	“Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness”	The speaker downplays his deep grief by suggesting that the voice might just be the wind.
Visual Juxtaposition	*”Even to the original air-blue gown!” vs. “Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,”	The contrast between the bright memory of the woman and the bleak present landscape highlights the theme of loss.

Themes: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

• Grief and Mourning: One of the central themes of “The Voice” is grief and mourning, as the speaker struggles to come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife. From the opening line, “Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,” the deep sorrow of the speaker is evident. The repetition of “call to me” emphasizes his longing and the haunting presence of the deceased. The poem portrays grief as an emotional weight that does not easily fade; instead, it manifests through memories and imagined voices. The speaker desperately wishes to see his wife again, saying, “Let me view you, then, / Standing as when I drew near to the town.” This longing for a lost loved one showcases the enduring nature of grief, as the past continues to intrude upon the present. However, as the poem progresses, doubt creeps in, and the speaker begins to question whether he truly hears his wife or if it is merely the wind. This uncertainty reflects the psychological toll of mourning, where the boundary between reality and imagination blurs. The final stanza, “Thus I; faltering forward, / Leaves around me falling,” suggests that while grief lingers, life must continue, even in uncertainty and sorrow.
• Memory and the Passage of Time: Memory plays a crucial role in “The Voice”, as the speaker recalls his wife as she once was, struggling to reconcile his memories with the painful reality of her absence. He reminisces about their early days, stating, “But as at first, when our day was fair.” This line indicates that the speaker clings to the idealized memory of his wife rather than accepting the way she changed over time. The mention of her “original air-blue gown” symbolizes his effort to preserve her image as he once knew her. However, the contrast between the vibrant past and the bleak present becomes evident as the poem progresses. The speaker initially envisions his wife vividly, but by the third stanza, he begins to doubt, asking, “Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness, / Travelling across the wet mead to me here?” This shift highlights the transient and unreliable nature of memory—what was once clear and certain becomes indistinct over time. The imagery of “leaves around me falling” in the final stanza reinforces the idea that time moves forward, seasons change, and memories inevitably fade, leaving the speaker grappling with the passage of time.
• The Supernatural and the Uncertainty of the Afterlife: “The Voice” explores the idea of the supernatural, particularly in how the speaker believes he hears his deceased wife calling to him. From the outset, the poem suggests a ghostly presence, with the speaker exclaiming, “Can it be you that I hear?” This rhetorical question reflects his uncertainty about whether he is truly experiencing a supernatural event or if it is a trick of his own mind. The phrase “You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,” further suggests that the woman’s presence is fading into something intangible, almost spectral. The poem does not provide a definitive answer as to whether the voice is real or imagined, leaving the reader in the same uncertainty as the speaker. This ambiguity mirrors Hardy’s broader philosophical concerns about life, death, and the possibility of an afterlife. The final haunting line, “And the woman calling,” suggests that, whether real or not, the voice continues to exist in the speaker’s mind, symbolizing the lingering connection between the living and the dead.
• Nature as a Reflection of Emotion: Hardy frequently uses nature to mirror human emotions, and in “The Voice”, the landscape reflects the speaker’s internal turmoil. In the final stanza, the imagery of “Leaves around me falling, / Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,” creates an atmosphere of decay and desolation. The falling leaves symbolize the passage of time and the inevitability of death, reinforcing the speaker’s grief. Similarly, the “wind oozing thin” conveys a sense of emptiness and loss, mirroring the speaker’s uncertainty about whether he truly hears his wife’s voice or if it is merely the sound of nature. The contrast between the past and present is also marked by nature, as the earlier mention of “our day was fair” suggests a time when life was full of warmth and happiness, whereas the present is cold and uncertain. This use of natural elements to reflect human emotions aligns with Hardy’s broader poetic style, where landscapes often serve as emotional backdrops for his characters’ inner struggles.

Literary Theories and “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

Literary Theory	Application to “The Voice”	References from the Poem
Formalism	This approach focuses on the structure, language, and literary devices of the poem rather than external context. “The Voice” uses repetition (“call to me, call to me”) to reinforce the speaker’s longing. The alternating rhythm and shifting tone create an emotional pull, leading to an ambiguous ending. The natural imagery of “Leaves around me falling, / Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward,” enhances the melancholic atmosphere.	– Repetition: “call to me, call to me” – Imagery: “Leaves around me falling” – Rhythm and tone shift between longing and doubt
Psychoanalytic Criticism	This theory, based on Freudian psychology, explores the unconscious mind and emotional conflict. The speaker experiences mourning and possibly hallucinations, as he questions whether he hears his wife or if it is just the wind (“Can it be you that I hear?”). The phrase “You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,” suggests a subconscious realization that she is fading from memory. His hesitation in “Thus I; faltering forward,” reflects inner turmoil between moving on and holding onto the past.	– Questioning reality: “Can it be you that I hear?” – Psychological struggle: “faltering forward” – Symbolism of fading: “dissolved to wan wistlessness”
Feminist Criticism	This approach examines gender roles and the portrayal of women. The poem presents the woman as a passive, almost spectral figure whose existence is shaped by the speaker’s memory. The phrase “Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,” highlights male-centered grief where the woman has no voice of her own. Additionally, her identity is reduced to an “air-blue gown,” suggesting that she exists more as a symbol than a person. The speaker’s need to recall her as she was “as at first, when our day was fair,” implies an idealization of women rather than recognition of their complexities.	– Male-centered grief: “Woman much missed, how you call to me” – Objectification: “Even to the original air-blue gown!” – Idealization: “as at first, when our day was fair.”
New Historicism	This theory examines literature in the context of historical and cultural influences. Hardy wrote “The Voice” after the death of his wife, Emma, reflecting Victorian attitudes toward grief and the afterlife. The supernatural elements (“And the woman calling”) align with 19th-century spiritualist movements, where people sought contact with the dead. The reference to the “wet mead” and the barren landscape mirrors the late Victorian period’s preoccupation with decay and existential uncertainty.	– Supernatural belief: “And the woman calling.” – Victorian mourning customs: “Woman much missed” – Nature as historical reflection: “Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward.”

Critical Questions about “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

• How does Thomas Hardy use imagery to enhance the theme of grief in “The Voice”?
• Hardy masterfully employs imagery in “The Voice” to convey the depth of grief experienced by the speaker. From the beginning, the speaker’s yearning for his lost wife is evident as he imagines her calling out to him: “Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me.” The repetition of “call to me” suggests a lingering presence, as if her voice remains in the speaker’s consciousness, refusing to fade. This auditory imagery reinforces his struggle with loss, making the woman feel almost tangible despite her absence. Furthermore, visual imagery strengthens the theme of grief, particularly when the speaker recalls her appearance in the past: “Even to the original air-blue gown!” The specific mention of color suggests that his memory of her remains vivid, highlighting how grief often keeps the departed alive in the mind. As the poem progresses, the natural imagery reflects the speaker’s internal turmoil, particularly in the final stanza: “Leaves around me falling, / Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward.” The falling leaves symbolize decay and the passage of time, while the thin wind suggests emptiness, mirroring the speaker’s deep sorrow and loneliness. Through this interplay of auditory and visual imagery, Hardy crafts a poignant meditation on the enduring pain of loss.
• What role does ambiguity play in shaping the meaning of “The Voice”?
• Ambiguity is central to the poem, making it a deeply introspective and haunting piece. The poem presents the idea of the deceased wife calling out to the speaker, but Hardy deliberately leaves it unclear whether the voice is real or imagined. The speaker himself is uncertain, asking, “Can it be you that I hear?” This rhetorical question signals his internal conflict—does he truly hear her, or is his grief deceiving him? The phrase “You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,” further adds to the ambiguity, suggesting that she is gradually fading into nothingness, a ghostly presence that may only exist in his memory. The uncertainty reaches its peak in the third stanza, where the speaker begins to question whether the voice is simply the wind: “Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness / Travelling across the wet mead to me here?” This moment destabilizes the entire poem, forcing the reader to confront the blurred line between reality and illusion. By refusing to provide a definitive answer, Hardy captures the psychological turmoil of mourning, where memory, longing, and imagination intertwine, leaving the speaker in a liminal space between past and present.
• How does Hardy use structure and sound to reflect the emotional state of the speaker in “The Voice”?
• The structure and sound of “The Voice” play a crucial role in expressing the speaker’s fluctuating emotions. The poem follows a regular four-line stanza structure, but its rhythm is disrupted as the speaker’s grief intensifies. The repetition in the opening line, “call to me, call to me,” creates a sense of urgency and emotional distress, mimicking the obsessive thoughts of someone consumed by loss. As the poem progresses, enjambment is used to create a flowing, almost breathless rhythm, reflecting the speaker’s increasing desperation. For example, “Can it be you that I hear? Let me view you, then, / Standing as when I drew near to the town.” The lack of a full stop at the end of the line mirrors the speaker’s racing thoughts and inability to find closure. The final stanza shifts in tone and structure, with shorter, fragmented phrases: “Thus I; faltering forward, / Leaves around me falling.” The use of alliteration (“faltering forward,” “leaves… falling”) slows the pace, suggesting hesitancy and emotional exhaustion. Meanwhile, the soft consonant sounds in “Wind oozing thin through the thorn from norward” create an eerie, whispering effect, reinforcing the ghostly and sorrowful atmosphere. Through these structural and sonic techniques, Hardy immerses the reader in the speaker’s emotional turbulence, making his grief feel immediate and palpable.
• What does “The Voice” suggest about the relationship between memory and reality?
• Hardy’s “The Voice” explores the fragile and often deceptive nature of memory, questioning its relationship with reality. The poem begins with the speaker recalling his wife’s voice, but it quickly becomes unclear whether he is actually hearing her or merely experiencing a projection of his grief. His plea, “Let me view you, then,” reveals his desperate desire to make memory tangible, to bring the past into the present. However, this attempt is doomed to fail, as indicated by the phrase “You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness.” The word “dissolved” suggests that memory is fading and unreliable, while “wan wistlessness” implies emptiness and uncertainty. By the third stanza, reality begins to intrude, as the speaker questions whether the voice is simply the wind: “Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness / Travelling across the wet mead to me here?” This shift signals an internal conflict—his heart longs to believe in the presence of his wife, but his rational mind recognizes that time and death have separated them. The poem ultimately suggests that memory can be both comforting and deceptive, preserving love while also distorting reality. In the final lines, “And the woman calling,” Hardy leaves the conclusion open-ended, implying that memory, whether real or imagined, continues to haunt the speaker, shaping his perception of the world around him.

Literary Works Similar to “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

1. “When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats – Like “The Voice”, this poem reflects on love, memory, and loss, as the speaker envisions a time when the beloved will look back with regret and longing.
2. “Remember” by Christina Rossetti – Both poems explore themes of grief and remembrance, with Rossetti’s speaker urging a loved one to remember her after death, much like Hardy’s speaker yearns for the presence of his lost wife.
3. “Break, Break, Break” by Alfred Lord Tennyson – This poem, like “The Voice”, expresses sorrow for a lost loved one, using natural imagery (waves and the sea) to reflect the speaker’s grief and emotional turmoil.
4. “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray – Hardy’s poem shares thematic connections with this elegy, as both meditate on death, the passage of time, and the fading presence of those who have passed.
5. “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe – Similar to “The Voice”, Poe’s poem is about mourning a lost love, with an almost supernatural tone where the deceased seems to linger in the speaker’s mind and surroundings.

Representative Quotations of “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“Woman much missed, how you call to me, call to me,”	The speaker expresses his deep longing for his deceased wife, hearing her voice calling to him. The repetition emphasizes his grief.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – Reflects the speaker’s unconscious yearning and inability to accept loss. Feminist Criticism – Highlights how the woman is portrayed through the male speaker’s emotions rather than her own identity.
“Saying that now you are not as you were / When you had changed from the one who was all to me,”	The speaker acknowledges that his wife changed before her death, possibly emotionally or physically, creating a contrast between the past and the present.	New Historicism – Reflects Hardy’s personal grief after his wife Emma’s death. Formalism – The contrast between past and present shapes the poem’s emotional tension.
“But as at first, when our day was fair.”	The speaker idealizes the past, longing for the early days of their relationship when things were happier.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – Suggests nostalgia as a coping mechanism. Romanticism – Emphasizes an idealized love that contrasts with present sorrow.
“Can it be you that I hear? Let me view you, then,”	The speaker is unsure whether he truly hears his wife or if it is an illusion, showing his internal conflict between reality and memory.	Phenomenology – Explores perception and reality, questioning the existence of the voice. Formalism – Uses a rhetorical question to highlight doubt.
“Even to the original air-blue gown!”	The speaker recalls a specific image of his wife in a blue dress, showing the vividness of memory.	Feminist Criticism – The woman is remembered through her appearance, reducing her to an object of nostalgia. Psychoanalytic Criticism – The color blue may symbolize tranquility or lost innocence.
“Or is it only the breeze, in its listlessness / Travelling across the wet mead to me here?”	The speaker begins to doubt whether he truly hears his wife or if it is just the wind, symbolizing the fragile nature of memory.	Deconstruction – Challenges the reliability of perception, blurring reality and imagination. Modernism – Reflects existential uncertainty.
“You being ever dissolved to wan wistlessness,”	The speaker recognizes that his wife’s presence is fading into an indistinct memory, showing the transient nature of grief.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – Represents the speaker’s subconscious acceptance of loss. Existentialism – Explores the inevitable fading of human existence.
“Thus I; faltering forward,”	The speaker acknowledges his hesitation in moving on, showing the emotional weight of grief.	Psychoanalytic Criticism – Demonstrates resistance to closure. Narratology – The use of fragmented phrasing mirrors the speaker’s uncertainty.
“Leaves around me falling,”	The natural imagery of falling leaves symbolizes the passage of time and the decay of life, reinforcing the theme of mortality.	Ecocriticism – Uses nature as a metaphor for human emotions. Symbolism – Autumn signifies loss and the cycle of life.
“And the woman calling.”	The poem ends ambiguously, leaving open the question of whether the voice is real or imagined, enhancing the haunting effect.	Gothic Literature – Evokes supernatural elements and unresolved tension. Psychoanalytic Criticism – Suggests the persistence of grief in the unconscious mind.

Suggested Readings: “The Voice” by Thomas Hardy

1. Hawkins, Gary. “A Quiet Contending Poetic Restraint and Emotional Release: Thomas Hardy’s” The Voice”.” The Hardy Review 1.1 (1998): 91-98.
2. Hornback, Bert G. “Thomas Hardy: The Poet in Search of His Voice.” Victorian Poetry, vol. 12, no. 1, 1974, pp. 55–63. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40001715. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
3. Hawkins, Gary. “A Quiet Contending Poetic Restraint and Emotional Release: Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Voice.’” The Hardy Review, vol. 1, no. 1, 1998, pp. 91–98. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/45301506. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
4. Johnson, Trevor. “‘Ancestral Voices’: Hardy and the English Poetic Tradition.” Victorian Poetry, vol. 29, no. 1, 1991, pp. 47–62. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40002054. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.