Analyzing Thomas 'Melancholy'

The poem shows Thomas ' depression and his battle with it. The title "Melancholy" draws the reader to reflect upon the theme of the poem, and to sympathise with the feeling of never ending depression and sadness that Thomas felt throughout most of his life. Making it one word causes the reader to want to know why Thomas is feeling such and how he became like this. It also shows the anger Thomas felt towards his inability to make himself be happy, especially around the beautiful things in the world, also how he found solidarity calming but his conflicting emotions and his battle with depression made him desire people to be around him and fearing loneliness. These confusing emotions are shown throughout the poem, as he does not truly know what …show more content…
This contrast with the title as the beginning appears to be aggressive and angry, though the title of "Melancholy" expresses sorrow, depression and sadness. Thomas could have done this to confuse the reader, such as he was about his desires and emotions. The bold letters also draws the reader in and emphasises the beginning of the poem. The emphasis is used to express his anger about rain and it raving endlessly, much like his depression. Typically rain is associated with sadness and gloom, and could be a metaphor for his emotions. The first line also using the repetition of "the rain and wind", but goes on to speak that it "raved endlessly". This emphasises the idea that the rain and wind would not stop and is effective as it makes the reader feel as though there was a never ending amount of "rain and wind". Along with this the poem also repeats the "r" sound in the first line. This makes the poem mimic the sound of the rain and wind, allowing the reader to feel as if they were there with Thomas. Thomas goes on to compare his depression to a "fever", which is typical of those sick. This is odd, as the societal views of depression at this time was that it was not an illness, though Thomas has chosen to compare it as such. It is used so Thomas can relate to audience and make it easier for them to understand, instead of saying it was …show more content…
The poem is written as one continuous stream of consciousness, as though this is what depression feels like. The changing of ideas within the single stanza shows the reader how Thomas must have been feeling at the time of writing this. The poem also contains a rhyme scheme. The single stanza contains rhyming couplets throughout. However, Thomas, through the use of punctuation does not allow the reader to read the poem in the traditional way rhyming couplets allow the reader to be read. As rhyming couplets are traditionally associated with happy and upbeat poems this contradicts the tone of what Thomas is trying to explain. However, by not allowing the reader to read the poem in the traditional way, it leaves the reader reading it in a much more staggered way, which could reflect Thomas ' desire to be happy but his inability to know how to become that. It presents to the reader a sense of confusion about what he wants and what he wishes, as the poem reflects this too.
Overall the poem reflects Thomas 's deep depression and perhaps reflects his desire to be happy again. He contradicts himself slightly by talking about nature, positively, and says that without his depression he would not be able to see nature in this way. It is mostly negative however, and is clear to the reader that he feels very lonely in his depression, as perhaps many people who suffer from it