Afterwards Themes

In this poem, the speaker reflects on how he will be remembered after he is dead. Oddly, the poet never once uses the word "death" or "die" – go to "Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay" for some of th...

If you're all depressed from the death stuff in "Afterwards," don't worry; there are plenty of natural images that suggest life and renewal, to counteract all the doom and gloom. Hardy liked balanc...

This poem is a meditation on death, but it's not just about the act of dying – it's about how the speaker imagines that he will be remembered after his death. Will he be remembered as a poet?...

Unsurprisingly, given the importance of "Memory and the Past" to "Afterwards," Hardy also has a lot to say about the passage of time, aging, and the way our consciousness changes through time. He p...