Describe the mood of the poem "the darkling thrush" and explain how hardy uses imagery to create the mood.

The first two stanzas, with the images of a sunset, a frosty evening, and barren tree stems, reflect a gloomy and desolate mood. The implicit comparisons of humans to ghosts and the references to a crypt and to a death-lament reinforce the grim, somber mood. Hardy uses these grim images as metaphors for the end of the nineteenth century.

The mood changes markedly in the second half of the poem. The last two stanzas do not sound as grim as the first two, though the tone is still contemplative. The description in the last two stanzas relies heavily on the effect of the thrush's sound, which is both the symbol and the voice of hope. The old, diminutive thrush filling the gloomy surroundings with a melody is a poignant image of an individual doing his or her best regardless of the dimness of the immediate prospect. The stanzas subtly suggest that such an attitude is divinely inspired, and it represents the main source of hope for a better future.

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