In the poem “Afterwards,” Hardy uses figurative language, including euphemism, to develop meaning and tone. What is the meaning
of the figurative language used in the poem? How does the use of euphemism when addressing the idea of death affect the meaning? In your response, identify and interpret the use of euphemism and other figurative language; then explain its impact on the meaning and tone of the poem. Use evidence from the text to support your response. Your response should be two to three complete paragraphs.
Euphemism is defined as the use of an indirect word or expression as a substitute of the actual word or expression that is either too harsh or blunt when referring to something embarrassing or extremely unpleasant. Afterwards is used as a euphemism for death. Each stanza refers to the narrator dying in a certain season or time. 1st stanza deals with dying during the month of May and spring time. 2nd Stanza deals with dying on an autumn season. 3rd stanza deals with dying on a summer night. 4th stanza deals with dying on a winter night. 5th stanza deals with the funeral of the person. Death is a very unpleasant topic to talk about and in the poem, it is being discussed in line with nature and its seasons. The poem uses metaphors and personification to make the subject more relatable to the readers and to enable the readers to appreciate the beauty of death without fearing it.
In the poem "Afterwards," Hardy uses many euphemisms to refer to death. He never actually says the words die, dead, or death.
Instead, he says things like: "If I pass during..." Here, the term "pass" is replacing the word "die." He also uses the very wordy "When the Present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay" (which basically means "When the present is behind me" or "When I am part of the past").
The effect of these euphemisms is to have a quiet, calming effect on the reader. If he constantly used the words "die" and "death" throughout the poem, the dreamlike quality of the poem would be altered.
Instead, using terms like "afterward" and all the other euphemisms allows Hardy to discuss death without actually discussing it. In this way, he wonders what the rest of the world will do "after."
