This document is a summary of 'A Hard Frost' by C.D. Lewis. The document includes analyses regarding each line, tone and mood, structure, themes, diction, imagery etc. Furthermore, a collection of contextual questions from past papers is included in the summary.
A Hard Frost
“A frost came in the night and stole my “And left this changeling for it - a
world” precocious
Image of spring, too brilliant to be true:”
Frost is referred to as a “hard” frost He comments on how the world’s
which could mean it is a severe, appearance has been radically altered by
extremely cold frost or that the rain has the layer of frost, and in such a way that
been frozen into hard icicles of frost. suddenly the surroundings seem almost
spring-like. The glittering and sparkling
Frost is personified into a thief which of the reflected frost creates a bright
comes under the cover of darkness to image but, as the speaker admits, this is
steal: “came in the night” and “stole” my ‘too brilliant to be true’ (line 3).
world.
(Metaphor) Changeling is a creature that
‘Frost’ – symbolises the arrival of winter. is deceiving and this is the metaphor of
It is a thin layer of ice that forms when the frost the poet creates, to be
the air becomes cold. distrustful of it and its beauty.
‘came in the night’ – change happened ‘changeling’ – Something secretly
suddenly. This creates an image of a thief exchanged for something else/ A baby
who takes whilst the occupants are that is secretly left to replace another
sleeping at night baby. Tone: dissatisfaction.
‘stole my world’ – Tone is accusatory. He ‘precocious’ – Developed pre-maturely. A
accuses the frost of theft as it has stolen child that has certain attributes of an
the expected scene and replaced it with adult at a very early age.
a fake. The frost is given magical,
mystical powers in its ability to ‘Image of spring’ – The day is sunny and
accomplish this transformation. He has bright and looks like it may be spring.
been robbed of something that he
‘too brilliant to be true’ – The ice has
cherished, something that was valuable
covered everything and the light of the
(my world).
sun makes it sparkle. Despite the
‘my world’ – emphasises that he was glittering beauty, the speaker points out
having difficulty adjusting to the change. that this appearance is deceiving. He
His “world” has been transformed or elaborates on the deception in the next
“stolen” by the frost and is no longer the few lines.
same.
“White lilac on the window-pane, each “The elms behind the house are elms no
grass-blade longer
Furred like a catkin, maydrift loading the But blossomers in crystal, stems of the
hedge.” mist
That hangs yet in the valley below,
amorphous
As the blind tissue whence creation
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, formed.”
The imagery suggests spring flowers and ‘are elms no longer’ – even the elm trees
the freshness of new growth. This is a are different. This emphasises the extent
false image of spring because it is winter. of the transformation. They look totally
different.
‘white lilac on the window-pane’ – An
extended metaphor is used to compare ‘blossomers in crystal’ – (Metaphor) The
the ice patterns on the windows to white frost on the elm trees look like flowers
lilacs (type of flower). Lilacs are made out of ice.
frequently herald the arrival of spring.
‘stems of the mist/ That hangs yet in the
White lilacs represent youthful
valley below’ – Double deception: the
innocence.
elm trees look like stems of a flower
‘each grass-blade/Furred like a catkin’ – growing out of the mist. Mist is also
(Simile) The frost-covered grass is associated with early spring. The mist is
compared to catkins, a long, thin cluster a metaphor for the ephemeral, those
of tiny, petal-less flowers growing on dreams that do not turn into reality and
oaks, poplars, and other trees. This yet appear real.
emphasises that everything was covered
The diamonds appear to be a metaphor
by the frost, including every blade of
for the materialistic nature of people.
grass.
‘the mist/That hangs yet in the valley
‘Maydrift’ – Another flower associated
below’ – there is no mist except in the
with spring.
valley. All other traces of it have
disappeared.
‘amorphous/As the blind tissue whence
creation formed.’ (Simile) Amorphous
means without a specific form, like the
mist. The mist is compared to how life is
created. This is a comparison of the mist
which is impenetrably thick, which limits
sight. This is also indicative of the
primitive matter from which nature
formed.
“The sun looks out and the fields blaze “Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear
with diamonds”
For a few hours to a raw country maid,”
(Personification) Sunrise is compared to a ‘Mockery spring’ – the reflected light
person the fields blaze with diamonds – creates a false sense of spring. He
metaphor the droplets of water, that form regards this as an absurd imitation
as the frost melts, reflect the light of the because nothing grows in winter.
sun. This is compared to the way a
‘bridal gear . . .country maid’ –
diamond reflects light. The reflection of
(Metaphor) Compares the way the ice
the sun on the ice looks like a field of
beautifies the country to a wedding
sparkling diamonds.
dress that is being lent to a country maid
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