Tracing Biblical elements from Poems.

Thomas Hardy's Channel Firing

- By Sumer Pawar

Before I commence the analysis or interpretation of the poem, I would like to present a short summary of it. Many scholars believe it to have prophetic elements, why? Because, shortly after the publication of the poem, the World War I broke out. The whole poem is a parley between the dead. The venue for this conference is the graveyard, this is not an organised conference but totally unorganised. The dead entities started discussing after the loud sounds of bombardment caused due to a firing exercise by the military near the “English Channel” hence the poem gets it title “Channel Firing”. The dead consists of people from various social strata. The lead spokesperson is the one whose identity is unknown. Most importantly God too speaks and reveals a chain of events that fragile and weak humans plan. He also puts forth the distasteful and distressful world that the people have made. Another speaker is a Pastor who regrets preaching God’s imperishable word to mankind, to make amends for peace rather men are engaged in wars.

The poem begins with “That night your great guns…” the sentence construction leads to the sensation of alienation of the “speaker” from “your” the other people. Night is symbolic, it may also mean some horrible yet unknown plan is made, yes, a plan seems to be made of waging a World War. That is why for the war, soldiers were trained near the English Channel. “…unawares,” the incident of practice firing or target practice took us “the dead” by surprise, it maybe, due the loud sound of the weapons. “Shook all our coffins…” there is an element to notice, coffin is something which is buried a several feet down the ground and, on the top, it has a tombstone. But Hardy uses this image, “shook all our coffins” it indicates the direct penetration as well as the intensity of destruction that is caused due to a war, again usage of “all” tends to exemplify the destruction that spreads like a wild fire to every section of the community and society. This imagery may also indicate penetration of hatred, racial superiority, pursuit for power & authority into the dead as well as the living. The state of War brings chaos and news of distress, which brings us out of the peace and rest that we once enjoyed. The state of the dead is similar they are said “to rest in peace” but due to this target practice at the English Channel they are brought out from “peace” and “rest”. Noise pollution was so intensely loud that it “broke the chancel window-squares”. So much, disturbing and destructive noise made the dead think that is it “The Judgement Day” which the Bible refers is a scheduled event when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to set everything in harmony. Let us refer the Book of Revelation for more clear perspective, this is what he says, “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Last.” Goes on to add “Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him—the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.  Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating).” – Revelation 22:12-15

Now, the expression “And sat upright…” is it out of joy of the coming of the Lord Jesus that signifies resurrection and finally entering the City of God. Or is it due to the fear of judgement. Well, there will be these two kinds of people. This destructive “gunnery practice” not just woke up the dead and the living but also the “hounds”. Hardy uses quite disturbing or offensive imagery “The mouse let fall the altar-crumb”. I would like to make a remark now, the “chancel” is a place where the altar is as well as the choir sings. The venue is of a church accompanied by a graveyard. The “altar-crumb” denotes the “Lord’s Holy Communion” the “the bread and the wine” (Refer 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Perhaps, this is an imagery that people have left their faith in God and have become sceptics or agnostics. Autobiographically, Hardy himself was an agnostic and turned away from faith. Now, mounds are a shelter, for various organisms, here “worms”. Now, the worm also has a Biblical element from the book of Isaiah 41:13,14 it says, 

For I am the Lord your God
    who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
    I will help you.

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
    little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

There is a comparison of man to worm. Now, the worms are basically, weak creatures, fragile and tiny. In this infinite universe, if our galaxy is just a blob of light, how tiny is our planet then? And how much tiny and minute we are then? Even if people, now have turned away from faith in the Lord Jesus, caused havoc in the world God created, where no man, or Government, or Nation promises to make things right. God of the Bible, can restore this, he is eagerly waiting for us to ask for help.

This the appreciation of the first two stanzas of the poem, remaining stanzas would be uploaded soon. SHALOM!