Comparing Convergence Of The Twain 'And Titanic' By Thomas Hardy

A magnificent ship heading to the New World discovered its final resting place when ice and metal collide. In “The Convergence of the Twain” and “Titanic”, the poems visualize the Titanic meeting its resting place by the impact with the iceberg. In “The Convergence of the Twain”, Thomas Hardy writes his poem by romanticizing the events of the Titanic. He shows that the events of the Titanic was by fate, and no one could see it coming. On the other hand, “Titanic” reveals that the events of the Titanic has been romanticized, but, in reality, the sinking of the Titanic should be mourned for. The poems use tone, theme, and organization to challenge the view of the Legend of the Titanic.
The poems use tone to challenge the legend around the sinking
In “Titanic,” Slavitt explains, “To go down… We all go down, mostly alone. But with crowds of people, friends, servants, well fed, with music, with lights!Ah!” (4-6). Slavit is showing at first the Titanic sinking, but he then reveals about how it is perceived. He is being ironic in this stanza because he is showing all the good things on the Titanic, but in the beginning, he shows the people going down with the ship. He reveals the bad part of the Titanic, but later in the stanza he shows the good part. On the other hand, “The Convergence of the Twain,” Hardy starts off by showing the good things of the Titanic such as the jewels. Then, the latter part of the stanza shows how the Titanic is now. Also, he goes back in time before the sinking of the Titanic to reveal why the sinking of the Titanic happened. For example, Hardy writes, “Jewels in joy designed to ravish the sensuous mind lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind,” (10-12). Later in the poem, he states, “And as the smart ship grew in stature, grace, and hue, in shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too,” (22-24). The organization of the poem is able to show the Titanic might have been glorious, but in the end, it was