tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post9126244861543148222..comments2023-08-13T16:15:32.649+01:00Comments on Thomas Hardy: The Curate's Kindness - A Workhouse Irony (2)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post-76335690583366244242012-09-01T12:25:12.333+01:002012-09-01T12:25:12.333+01:00Under the New Poor Law of 1834, elderly men and wo...Under the New Poor Law of 1834, elderly men and women had been separated when they entered the workhouse.<br /><br />Around the turn of the century, this regulation was relaxed so that there would now be a married wing in workhouses, allowing married couples to remain together.<br /><br />The poem is a brutally funny comment on this change, with an old man, looking forward to getting some peace and quiet away from his wife. Until he finds out that the rules had changed, they'd remain together until the end, and he simply couldn't get rid of her. Hence his wish that he could go off and drown himself in the river.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post-2390290949746711422011-02-22T13:50:30.855+00:002011-02-22T13:50:30.855+00:00im studying too, its my halfterm homework to read ...im studying too, its my halfterm homework to read this (and other) hardy poems and make notes. but this one is really quite confusing! any help would be greatly recivered :) xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post-21349540207678090292010-10-29T12:52:05.101+01:002010-10-29T12:52:05.101+01:00What exactly does this poem mean? I struggle to pu...What exactly does this poem mean? I struggle to puzzle out its theme/meanings.Bellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post-2060847992172909382009-03-12T10:47:00.000+00:002009-03-12T10:47:00.000+00:00The Yetties have made a fantastic recording of thi...The Yetties have made a fantastic recording of this poem in their authentic Dorset Dialect. No, you can't use going to the Workhouse as an excuse for getting rid of the wife after 40 years because ......"shes to be there!!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11714788.post-77689819462243428722008-10-06T09:38:00.000+01:002008-10-06T09:38:00.000+01:00i am studying this poem as part of my english as c...i am studying this poem as part of my english as course. i dont really understand it :(<BR/>but i do like hardys writing in general.<BR/>xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com