Works of Thomas Hardy discussion

The Roman Road

The Roman Road runs straight and bare
As the pale parting-line in hair
Across the heath. And thoughtful men
Contrast its days of Now and Then,
And delve, and measure, and compare;

Visioning on the vacant air
Helmeted legionnaires, who proudly rear
The Eagle, as they pace again
The Roman Road.

But no tall brass-helmeted legionnaire
Haunts it for me. Uprises there
A mother’s form upon my ken,
Guiding my infant steps, as when
We walked that ancient thoroughfare,
The Roman Road.

Glossary:
The Eagle - the Roman legions carried a figure of an eagle as their ensign.
ken - sight

Background:

"The Roman Road" was published in Hardy's 1909 collection, "Time's Laughingstocks and Other Verses."

After the Roman conquest in 43 AD, the Roman military built a network of wide, straight roads connecting important areas of England. The roads were raised and paved with gravel or stones with drainage ditches on both sides. They were used for troop transport and commerce. The Fosse Way went from Exeter (Isca) in the southwest to Lincoln (Lindum) in the northeast.

Some parts of the Roman roads have disappeared, but the road that ran about a quarter of a mile south of Thomas Hardy's birthplace still exists. It is now more forested than in Hardy's lifetime. Hardy's fictional "Egdon Health" in his novels is based on this area. His mother, Jemima, often took the young child along the Roman Road to visit his cousins in Puddletown, a village five miles northeast of Dorchester.

For more information about Roman Roads in England:

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK...

I love how the poem begins and ends (quite abruptly) with ‘the Roman road’. I can ‘vision’ (what a lovely verb!) the soldiers he describes of the Then and what a poignant contrast with what the sees (use of the word ‘ken’ makes it more familiar and intimate in contrast to the formality and rigidity of the soldiers) his own mother leading him as an infant along the road. I am intrigued by what he refers to as ‘thoughtful men’ as I would have expected Hardy to be including himself in this group, and the fact that he separates himself quite clearly with the familial image of mother and child is really poignant and striking.

I’ve just noticed the appearance of Roman Road in the centre of the poem giving it a comforting regularity that echoes the marching. Clever little poem.

But no tall brass-helmeted legionnaire / Haunts it for me. No. For Hardy was haunted by his own past, his memories more powerful than the mightiest army.

I like the contrast of the shifting imagery. It begins with the portrayal of academics and soldiers—rather cold, haughty images—then a distinct change of mood is evoked in the final stanza, with the unassuming picture of a mother taking her child for a walk.

Thanks, Connie. This is a new poem for me. How interesting that the Roman road Hardy wrote about still exists! I wonder if Hardy's mother used to part his hair before taking him to visit his cousins.

Jane wrote: "I like the contrast of the shifting imagery. It begins with the portrayal of academics and soldiers—rather cold, haughty images—then a distinct change of mood is evoked in the final stanza, with the unassuming picture of a mother taking her child for a walk.

I like this Jane and Natalie, and it's what strikes me as well. The soldiers for all their perfection are an impersonal force; they are efficient and strong, remaking the world in their image by conquering it.

What could be more different from that than the simple imtimacies of humble folk, those small, precious moments shared between a mother and son.

But ironically, which is the more important in the end, the more deeply remembered in the heart?

The Romans are gone, and we can ponder their great deeds and their splendor and imagine the great phalanx passing, the sharp rattle of steel as thousands of feet strike the road in unison. But now it is the simple things that are more real and that matter, long after these "great" men have gone.

Natalie wrote: "I love how the poem begins and ends (quite abruptly) with ‘the Roman road’. I can ‘vision’ (what a lovely verb!) the soldiers he describes of the Then and what a poignant contrast with what the see..."

Good thoughts, Natalie. Hardy would certainly be a "thoughtful man" interested in history, and an architect of stone buildings in his work. I wondered if he had also seen archeologists, civil engineers, or historians studying the road or digging in the surrounding area for Roman artifacts.

Jane wrote: "Thanks, Connie. This is a new poem for me. How interesting that the Roman road Hardy wrote about still exists! I wonder if Hardy's mother used to part his hair before taking him to visit his cousins."

I loved that expression "the pale parting-line in hair," and Hardy must have liked it too. He used it again in The Return of the Native to describe a road across Egdon Heath: it "bisected that vast dark surface like the parting-line on a head of black hair." Roman roads were known to be as straight as possible, and they could take whatever land was needed as the conquerors.

Greg wrote: "What could be more different from that than the simple intimacies of humble folk, those small, precious moments shared between a mother and son.

But ironically, which is the more important in the end, the more deeply remembered in the heart?"

The childhood memories are definitely more important to Hardy who was very close to his mother. There is nothing better than the feeling that we are loved.

Great choice Connie - it's a new poem for me too!

I like everyone's observations 😊 This is just to fill in a bit more history, for context.

The two major Roman Roads - or "Old Straight Tracks" as we call them - still in existence are Watling Street, which ran from London to Chester and the Fosse Way which Connie mentioned. They are now part of the UK's national road network, and whenever we are aware when driving that the road seems particularly straight, we know that it was originally a Roman Road. We find bits of the original paving all over the country too, which will have been what Thomas Hardy describes here. Here's another good site with a map https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_r...

You can see that they presaged motorways, in that they were long-distance highways built to connect cities, major towns (and for the Romans, military bases). They gave us our very good basic routes, but they did not care what settlements or geographical features they had to destroy to construct them!

A good source of where they all are is The Old Straight Track by Alfred Watkins, although he postulates a theory about ley lines which is very speculative. There's also The Old Straight Tracks Of Wessex by Paul Devereux.

(Please also note that this is the historical Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, between 519 and 927, when England was unified by Æthelstan, and not Thomas Hardy's own invented designation of "Wessex".)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wessex

The poem is now linked to our list.

Bionic Jean wrote: "Great choice Connie - it's a new poem for me too!

I like everyone's observations 😊 This is just to fill in a bit more history, for context.

The two major Roman Roads - or "Old Straight Tracks" as..."

Interesting information, Jean. These straight Roman roads are just the opposite of the local roads in my state which were built on old wagon paths that wind around hills, lakes, and farms. It does keep us awake when we're driving!

That's fascinating Connie! I had wondered how other countries' roads were planned.

Connie wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "Great choice Connie - it's a new poem for me too!

I like everyone's observations 😊 This is just to fill in a bit more history, for context.

The two major Roman Roads - or "Old..."

I think France has some long straight stretches of roads which probably have survived since the Roman occupation of Gaul.

Connie wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "Great choice Connie - it's a new poem for me too!

I like everyone's observations 😊 This is just to fill in a bit more history, for context.

The two major Roman Roads - or "Old..."

This reminds me of the poem by GK Chesterton : "Before the Romans came to Rye or out to Severn strode, the rolling English Drunkard made the rolling English road. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem....
One of my favourites.

Dorothy, Chesterton sounds like he would be a fun drinking buddy! I liked the humor in his poem.

Bionic Jean wrote: "That's fascinating Connie! I had wondered how other countries' roads were planned."

The United States has straight roads in the Midwest which is very flat. You can drive for hours there and see almost nothing but cornfields. The streets in the towns in the Midwest towns are often laid out on a grid. The US has such a different history and geography in the various areas, as well as different political outlooks. It's a very diverse country!

Connie wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "That's fascinating Connie! I had wondered how other countries' roads were planned."

The United States has straight roads in the Midwest which is very flat. You can drive for ho..."

It is indeed...so is Canada

Connie, thank you so much for choosing this poem. I really enjoyed it, and everyone's comments.

I don't have much new to add, but I wanted to say that I particularly liked the phrase "visioning on the vacant air". What a wonderful way to describe what the "thoughtful men" are doing.
I imagine the men are historians, or archaeologist, perhaps at Oxford, who are gathering data about the Romans, and their roads. But for Hardy the road will always be, simply, just about his mom.

I recently drove my son back to college. A ninety-minute drive on a rather straight road, and I hope he remembers me so fondly in the future. :-)

Bridget wrote: "Connie, thank you so much for choosing this poem. I really enjoyed it, and everyone's comments.

I don't have much new to add, but I wanted to say that I particularly liked the phrase "visioning on..."

You've picked out a beautiful phrase with the alliteration of the "v" sounds. There is a reverence for knowledge about ancient times in that phrase. I've never been on an archeological dig, but I admire the people who do such meticulous work to learn about the past.

(Your son might not remember everything you did for him, but he will remember feeling loved.)

HAUNTINGS

"Visioning on the vacant air
Helmeted legionnaires, who proudly rear
The Eagle, as they pace again
The Roman Road.

But no tall brass-helmeted legionnaire
Haunts it for me."

I'm just going to include a "fun post" about the supernatural today, but I hope people will continue to share their thoughts about the poem. I have never seen a ghost, but it's interesting to read about supernatural sightings.

Hardy's mother was very knowledgeable about regional myths and ancient tales, and passed the stories down to her son. Hardy included supernatural legends in his works, such as the ghostly D'Urberville coach in "Tess." There have been numerous reports of people sighting the ghosts of Roman soldiers along the network of roads crossing England and around the Scottish border.

One sighting happened in 1969 in Thorncombe Woods, near Hardy's birthplace, when a group of boys and their adult leader saw a ghostly Roman soldier hovering about two feet in the air, the estimated level of the original Roman road surface. This link is about various hauntings in Dorset:

https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/ho...

My favorite Roman soldier sighting is from the town of York. A plumber, working in a basement, heard a trumpet and saw a horse and about fifteen Roman soldiers. All the soldiers appeared to be chopped off at the knee, the lower half of their legs disappearing into the stone floor. An old Roman road was later discovered about eighteen inches below the modern floor level.

https://ghostwalkbrighton.co.uk/legio...

Last time we were in UK, we spent the last night in a 400 year old B&B near Heathrow. The owner told us that a ghost might appear in our room but that she was very friendly and would come and tuck us in. I was quite anxious so I sent the ghost a mental message that I was afraid and would she please not tuck me in. She didn't.

A year ago I was a passenger in a car drive by my friend. It was about 9pm and quite dark as we drove through a nearby park. We both saw an apparition stepping off the curb, crossing the road in front of us and disappearing into the bushes on the other side. My friend slammed on her brakes and I went into 'crash' position....but there was no man. Spooky.

Scary stories, Dorothy! I wouldn't want to be tucked in by a ghost! There have been supernatural sightings of Roman soldiers on the British motorway M6 as well as other roads.

Hardy would have been very aware of the supernatural tales in his area as well as the history. But the main focus of the poem is on the relationship with his mother.

Connie, love those ghost stories! Thank you for including them.

Bridget wrote: "Connie, love those ghost stories! Thank you for including them."

I'm glad you enjoyed them, Bridget.