As I was reading selections from Thomas Hardy, I really enjoyed “The Convergence of the Twain.” It is an interesting depiction of the sinking of the Titanic, which is an event in history which most know quite well. Hardy depicts the Titanic as a ship which was built in vain. At the same time that the Titanic was being built, the iceberg was being made my God to be able to converge with it one day. The poem describes the two meeting as if it were fate that brought the two together. Both were enormous, filled with vanity and pride. It was only fitting that the two collide and find their destiny together according to Hardy.
In the first few lines of the poem, Hardy mentions that the Titanic, now in the sea, is “Deep from human vanity, / And the Pride of Life that planned her.” (2-3). Although the Titanic was once filled with human vanity and luxury, it is now far from that under the sea. Because of its vanity, it has fallen from humanity. An eerie image is given in lines 7-8. “Over the mirrors meant / To glass the opulent / The sea-worm crawls – grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent.” Hardy seems to be mocking the ship in this poem. This ship was built for the most luxurious and wealthy people. It was certainly a privilege to be able to ride on such a marvelous ship. Ironically, the only thing seen in the mirrors now are the sea-worms indifferent to the ship. The ship is not quite so vain now.
Hardy describes a “sinister mate” being prepared for the ship while the ship is being built in following passages. He states:
“Well: while was fashioning
This creature of cleaving wing,
The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything
Prepared a sinister mate
For her – so gaily great –
A shape of Ice, for the time far and dissociate” (16-21).
The Immanent Will for Hardy is the force that directs events in the way that they are supposed to go. The poem makes the point that the iceberg was made for the Titanic for a reason and the two were bound to collide while they were still being created. As the Titanic grows in “stature, grace, and hue” the iceberg grows as well matching the greatness of the ship. While the two are being created in vanity and greatness, they appear to be “alien” from the other. “No mortal eye could see / The intimate welding of their later history” (26-27). The two were meant to soon be embraced together, yet no one could see this. In the next stanza, they are described as being “twin halves.” Hardy again stresses that the two help to complete each other and were made to “weld” together.
The final stanza appropriately completes the poem. Throughout the poem, Hardy builds up both the iceberg and the Titanic and the fact that the two are meant to be together. In the final stanza, the two final collide. “Till the Spinner of the Years / Said “Now!” And each one hears, / And consummation comes, and jars two hemispheres” (31-33). Finally the two collide and meet their destiny. They are described as “two hemispheres” finally coming together as one. One half is made by God, the other by humans. It is fitting that the two great forces from God and humanity come together.
While reading the poem, it is evident that Hardy believed that the Titanic deserved its fate. Hardy seemed to despise such indulgence and luxury in the boat and saw its vanity as being the flaw that brought it down. Ironically now, the ship is far from being vain. It now lies humbled at the bottom of the ocean away from everything it once was.
3 comments:
The Titanic was such a marvel in its time and was thought to be unsinkable. The poem emphasizes the craftsmanship of the lavish and opulent ship that now rots at the bottom of the ocean. Kelly did a great job of explaining the poem and pointing out the main theme which was that the Titanic and the iceberg were destined to collide. I think the speaker is expressing a sense of loss over the Titanic, and I agree with Kelly that vanity is what took it down.
I thought this was a great post on explaining the theme and idea of the poem. During this time society was very vain and focused primarily on superficial aspects of life. I think Hardy used this poem to write out against this sort of lifestyle. The Titanic was certainly larger and more beautiful then any ship society was customed too, but Hardy looks past this and questions it's importance. To him this is all vain and thus deserving to meet its fate of colliding with the iceberg. I thought you did a great job using quotes to explain your ideas!
Kelly,
Excellent commentary on and exploration of Hardy's "The Convergence of the Twain." You present and discuss good quotations from the poem. My only suggestion is that Hardy may not be saying that God is involved--the terms he uses for the forces are a bit different.
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