At the Railway Station, Upway - THOMAS HARDY

Summary: At a railway station, a poor little boy with a violin sees a convict handcuffed and guarded by a constable. Feeling pity, the boy offers to play his fiddle since he has no money to give. As he plays, the convict smiles and begins to sing cheerfully about a 'life so free,' revealing a moment of unexpected joy despite his situation. The constable also smiles quietly, and the three share a brief, human connection before the train arrives and they depart.


Exercises

A. Questions

1. Where are the characters? What are they waiting for?

Answer: They are at the railway station in Upway, waiting for the train to arrive.

2. How many characters are there in the poem?

Answer: There are three characters - the little boy with the violin, the man in handcuffs (the convict), and the constable.

3. Which characters speak?

Answer: The little boy and the convict speak.

4. Which characters remain silent?

Answer: The constable remains silent.

5. Why does the boy play his violin?

Answer: The boy feels pity for the convict and wants to offer something kind, so he plays his violin since he has no money to give.

6. What tells us that the constable ignores the singing and music?

Answer: The line 'The constable smiled, and said no word, as if unconscious of what he heard' shows that he ignores the singing and music.


B. Reference to context

with grimful glee

1. Why might the convict be grim?

Answer: He might be grim because he is a prisoner, handcuffed, and facing a difficult or hopeless situation.

2. What has delighted him?

Answer: The boy's kind gesture and cheerful violin music delight him, lifting his spirits for a moment.

3. What does he do next?

Answer: He begins to sing happily, expressing his brief feeling of freedom and joy despite being a convict.

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