Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The language is archaic. Here it is in colloquial form.
Hap means luck or fortune.
"If some god told me that he caused my misfortunes for his own amusement, then that would bring me some relief. At least I'd know that I'd done nothing to deserve my misery. But I know this isn't true. It just happens that my pleasure has led to pain and my hopes were unfulfilled. It's a matter of lucky and I was unlucky. I might have had a life of happiness instead."
In Hardy's day the church was an important part of social life. Hardy didn't have conventional religious views. He believed that events were controlled by the will of the universe which he hoped was sympathetic: a kind of fatalism. Philip Larkin was interested in Thomas Hardy and his views - you can read more here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hardy
In Greek mythology, the way that the gods are responsible for all the joys and sorrows of mankind is described in the tale of Prometheus and Pandora. The subtitle of Frankenstein is "A Modern Prometheus". Byron, Shelly and his wife all decided to write a modern version of the myth of Prometheus.
theoi.com/Titan/TitanPrometheus.html
It's too easy to offload responsibility, to blame it all on fate or the will of the gods. It's partly luck but mostly the consequence of the choices you make. Here's a few ideas.
A major source of our misfortune comes from interaction with other people. Learn to recognise people who are harmful by nature and cut them out of your life - or, if that's not possible, limit your interaction with them. Rule 1: Have nothing to do with bastards.
There are certain activities that are exciting at the time but could prejudice future happiness, such as getting drunk, smoking or jumping off trains before they've stopped. Even though you may have consummate skill and the risk is only small, be aware that taking a large number of small risks will add up to total disaster. Look before you leap or, better still, don't leap. Rule 2: Don't take unnecessary risks.
Before you embark on any venture or project that will change the rest of your life, be sure that the life you will get is the life you really want. When kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, the most popular answer was "famous". Being famous can be sheer hell. You can get caught in a perpetual bind, answering the same questions, doing the same things over again. You're constantly asked to do things you don't want to do. You're constantly criticised for doing things you do want to do. Every word you speak in public is taken down in writing and may be held against you. You're one ill-considered remark away from being treated like vermin for the rest of your life. Rule 3: When making choices, consider the consequences.
The picture of Prometheus came from here:
http://www.xenites.fr/wordpress/1055/promethee-et-pandore/
The other pictures are from paintings by MichaelAngelo.
If but some vengeful god would call to me
From up the sky, and laugh: "Thou suffering thing,
Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting!"
Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die,
Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited;
Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I
Had willed and meted me the tears I shed.
But not so. How arrives it joy lies slain,
And why unblooms the best hope ever sown?
—Crass Casualty obstructs the sun and rain,
And dicing Time for gladness casts a moan. . . .
These purblind Doomsters had as readily strown
Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain.
The language is archaic. Here it is in colloquial form.
Hap means luck or fortune.
"If some god told me that he caused my misfortunes for his own amusement, then that would bring me some relief. At least I'd know that I'd done nothing to deserve my misery. But I know this isn't true. It just happens that my pleasure has led to pain and my hopes were unfulfilled. It's a matter of lucky and I was unlucky. I might have had a life of happiness instead."
In Hardy's day the church was an important part of social life. Hardy didn't have conventional religious views. He believed that events were controlled by the will of the universe which he hoped was sympathetic: a kind of fatalism. Philip Larkin was interested in Thomas Hardy and his views - you can read more here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hardy
In Greek mythology, the way that the gods are responsible for all the joys and sorrows of mankind is described in the tale of Prometheus and Pandora. The subtitle of Frankenstein is "A Modern Prometheus". Byron, Shelly and his wife all decided to write a modern version of the myth of Prometheus.
theoi.com/Titan/TitanPrometheus.html
It's too easy to offload responsibility, to blame it all on fate or the will of the gods. It's partly luck but mostly the consequence of the choices you make. Here's a few ideas.
A major source of our misfortune comes from interaction with other people. Learn to recognise people who are harmful by nature and cut them out of your life - or, if that's not possible, limit your interaction with them. Rule 1: Have nothing to do with bastards.
There are certain activities that are exciting at the time but could prejudice future happiness, such as getting drunk, smoking or jumping off trains before they've stopped. Even though you may have consummate skill and the risk is only small, be aware that taking a large number of small risks will add up to total disaster. Look before you leap or, better still, don't leap. Rule 2: Don't take unnecessary risks.
Before you embark on any venture or project that will change the rest of your life, be sure that the life you will get is the life you really want. When kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, the most popular answer was "famous". Being famous can be sheer hell. You can get caught in a perpetual bind, answering the same questions, doing the same things over again. You're constantly asked to do things you don't want to do. You're constantly criticised for doing things you do want to do. Every word you speak in public is taken down in writing and may be held against you. You're one ill-considered remark away from being treated like vermin for the rest of your life. Rule 3: When making choices, consider the consequences.
The picture of Prometheus came from here:
http://www.xenites.fr/wordpress/1055/promethee-et-pandore/
The other pictures are from paintings by MichaelAngelo.
If but some vengeful god would call to me
From up the sky, and laugh: "Thou suffering thing,
Know that thy sorrow is my ecstasy,
That thy love's loss is my hate's profiting!"
Then would I bear it, clench myself, and die,
Steeled by the sense of ire unmerited;
Half-eased in that a Powerfuller than I
Had willed and meted me the tears I shed.
But not so. How arrives it joy lies slain,
And why unblooms the best hope ever sown?
—Crass Casualty obstructs the sun and rain,
And dicing Time for gladness casts a moan. . . .
These purblind Doomsters had as readily strown
Blisses about my pilgrimage as pain.
