The Under-Tone
The poem explores the theme of a woman's unexpressed emotions and desires in a stifling marriage. The narrator describes her feelings as an "under-tone" that runs beneath the surface of her polite conversations with her husband, revealing a deep sense of discontent and longing for passion and romance. Through the use of metaphor and imagery, the poem conveys the tension between the woman's outward appearance of happiness and her inward turmoil, highlighting the societal pressures that restrict women's emotional expression.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1896 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric · 294 words
First lines
In the dull, dim dawn of day I heard The twitter and thrill of a brown-backed bird, As he sat and sang in the leafless tree, A herald of beautiful days to be.
But the minor running under the strain Went to my heart with a sudden pain, For never so sad a sound I heard As the troubled thrill of the brown-backed bird.
Not in the wearisome wash of waves, With moaning murmur of wrecks and graves, Not in the weird winds' wildest wail, Not in the roar of the rushing gale.
Not in the sob of dying years Are sounds so solemn and full of tears. O herald of days that are green and glad, Why was your morning song so sad?
What this Textopian page supports
The Under-Tone is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Lyric, Symbolism, Pastoral
- Length: 294 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Under-Tone by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs rhyme and meter typical of poetry.
- Romanticism — The themes of nature, emotion, and introspection are central to Romantic literature.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Symbolism — The bird and its song serve as symbols for deeper emotional and existential themes.
Tags
Poetry · Philosophy · Spirituality · Mysticism · Occultism · Esoteric · New Thought · Metaphysics · Inspirational · Motivational · Self-Help · Personal Growth