Saying Good-Bye by Thomas Hardy
The work explores the theme of farewells and the transient nature of human connections. It reflects on the inevitability of parting, whether in moments of joy or sorrow, and the emotional weight carried by these goodbyes. The speaker acknowledges that throughout life, individuals frequently bid farewell at various stages, from youth to old age. The poem contrasts different types of departures. Some farewells are hopeful, as individuals return from journeys, while others are tinged with regret, suggesting that some should have remained away rather than face the pain of returning. The speaker highlights the ambiguity of goodbyes, where the true implications of parting are often unrecognized. The emotional landscape is rich with unexpressed grief and fear, as the speaker notes that goodbyes can signify finality, with some never to return. The repetition of "Good-bye" emphasizes the cyclical nature of these experiences, underscoring the bittersweet reality of human relationships. Ultimately, the work encapsulates the complexity of farewells, revealing both the joy of reunion and the sorrow of loss.
By Thomas Hardy · First published 1912 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism · 265 words
First lines
(SONG)
WE are always saying / "Good-bye, good-bye! " / In work, in playing, / In gloom, in gaying: / At many a stage / Of pilgrimage / From youth to age / We say, "Good-bye, / Good-bye!"
We are undiscerning / Which go to sigh, / Which will be yearning / For soon returning; / And which no more / Will dark our door, / Or tread our shore, / But go to die, / To die.
Some come from roaming / With joy again; / Some, who come homing / By stealth at gloaming, / Had better have stopped / Till death, and dropped / By strange hands propped, / Than come so fain, / So fain.
What this Textopian page supports
Saying Good-Bye is listed on Textopian as a poem by Thomas Hardy, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Thomas Hardy
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Romanticism, Elegy, Philosophical
- Length: 265 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Saying Good-Bye by Thomas Hardy
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
- Parting by George William Russell
- The Last Time by Thomas Hardy
- Epitaph by Thomas Hardy
- The Going by Thomas Hardy
- Tout Passe by Frederic Manning
- On Now Although The Year Be Done by Robert Louis Stevenson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured as a poem, utilizing rhythm and meter to convey emotions and themes.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and reflections on farewells, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of emotion, nature, and the human experience of loss align with Romantic literary ideals.
- Elegy — The poem reflects on loss and the act of saying goodbye, fitting the elegiac tradition.
Tags
loss · grief · farewell · love · heartbreak · nostalgia · separation · memory · relationships · change · acceptance · emotional