Works of Thomas Hardy discussion

The Impercipient

That from this bright believing band
An outcast I should be,
That faiths by which my comrades stand
Seem fantasies to me,
And mirage-mists their Shining Land,
Is a drear destiny.

Why thus my soul should be consigned
To infelicity,
Why always I must feel as blind
To sights my brethren see,
Why joys they've found I cannot find,
Abides a mystery.

Since heart of mine knows not that ease
Which they know; since it be
That He who breathes All's Well to these
Breathes no All's Well to me,
My lack might move their sympathies
And Christian charity!

I am like a gazer who should mark
An inland company
Standing upfingered, with, "Hark! hark!
The glorious distant sea!"
And feel, "Alas, 'tis but yon dark
And wind-swept pine to me!"

Yet I would bear my shortcomings
With meet tranquillity,
But for the charge that blessed things
I'd liefer have unbe.

O, doth a bird deprived of wings
Go earth-bound wilfully!
. . . .
Enough. As yet disquiet clings
About us. Rest shall we.

This poem reflects Hardy's skepticism of religious belief and his feelings of isolation from the others around him. According to one analysis, the form is more traditional than many modern poems written about the same time as this one. It also does not have Hardy's usual pastoral or romantic elements. (https://allpoetry.com/The-Impercipient).
I personally like the sense of introspection and contrast with those around him.

"That from this bright believing band
An outcast I should be. . ."

Hardy found it difficult to be an unbeliever (agnostic or atheist). He grew up attending church services and studied scripture with Rev Moule and his sons. He worked in church architecture. He often attended church services and wanted to be buried in the church cemetery. It seems like he really tried to believe but couldn't intellectually, although he liked the emotional sense of community in a church.

In this poem, he seems to feel like he is coming up short in having doubts in comparison to his friends. He feels that religious certainty is an illusion. After reading this poem, I felt admiration for him for being honest about his intellectual feelings even though it must have resulted in some heated discussions with his friends. It would have been much easier to pretend to believe.

Interesting points about Hardy. I think too, in the past, it was expected to believe what you were told at church.
Many believers feel more comfortable now asking deep questions about their beliefs and their own experience with faith, prayer, devotion, etc...

I really like this one. It feels so much like the Hardy I know from his novels, the fact that
heart of mine knows not that ease
Which they know
setting him as an outcast, which seems what many of his characters are experiencing. His novels have that sense of
disquiet clings
About us.

I too admire the honesty, and that is one of the reasons his writing has endured, I think.

Kathleen wrote: "I really like this one. It feels so much like the Hardy I know from his novels, the fact that
heart of mine knows not that ease
Which they know
setting him as an outcast, which seems what many of h..."

I agree Kathleen, it really feels like the voice of Hardy we know from all his novels.

I love this poem. I love the rhythm and rhyme scheme, which makes it flow easily, and which contrasts nicely with the seriousness of the theme.

I know the poem is about questioning faith, especially Christian faith; but I also think the poem works if you think of the narrator as someone experiencing depression. At least that's what it made me think of. Especially these lines: "Why always I must feel as blind/To sights my brethren see,/Why joys they've found I cannot find,/Abides a mystery./Since heart of mine knows not that ease/Which they know"

Maybe that doesn't work as a way to read the entire poem, but I got a strong sense of the narrator as being depressed while I read it.

Thanks so much Natalie for introducing me to this wonderful poem.

As well as his nature poems this is one of my favourites. It both speaks to me, and as several have said it seems to convey Hardy's real self.

Thanks so much for choosing this one Natalie. Everyone's personal take on it has enriched the reading for me a lot.

Sorry for the delay - linking now.

I especially like the end of this piece, the section that starts with "Yet..." the last four lines especially. An ellipsis can seem like an affectation, but it does not seem so here.

Thank you.