“The Convergence of the Twain”

By Thomas Hardy

Question 1Look at the word choice:

What is the effect of the word “convergence”? The word “Twain”? The word “Loss”?

Question 1Look at the word choice:

What is the effect of the word “convergence”? The word “Twain”?

According to American Heritage Dictionary: Convergence -- The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point.

Twain – used in the KJV of the Bible and in the Wedding Service

Question 2Read over the first stanza (I). What do you

notice about the sounds in this stanza? What do these sounds suggest?

Question 3How are the ideas within stanzas II, III, and

IV presented to the reader? Why might this be?

Question 4There is obviously a lot of alliteration in this

poem. Examine a variety of the examples of it throughout the text and consider the effect. Overall, what does the alliteration achieve?

Question 5What changes occur between I-V and VI-XI?

What is the effect of such changes?

Question 6What is the effect of separating each stanza

with a Roman numeral?

Question 7Examine the language in stanzas IX, X, XI –

Why “intimate welding” (line 27)?Why “twin halves” and “august event” (line

30)?Why “consummation” (line 33)?

Question 8Taking all of this into account, what

specifically is the speaker’s attitude toward the sinking of the Titanic?

Does your response to this question change from your initial response? If so, in what ways?

HW: Revisit the other 4 poemsRe-examine each of the other poems in the

packet. Make certain that your “What” is specific and defensible with the text. Print and complete a new chart if needed.

Question In what order are the events discussed in this

poem presented? Why might the author have organized it in this way?