Rain, Edward Thomas: Summary, Analysis & Themes
A Comprehensive Summary and Analysis of Edward Thomas's ‘Rain’ Edward Thomas 's poem, " Rain ," written in 1916 amidst the tumult of the First World War, explores the somber reflections of a soldier confined in a hut, listening to the relentless sound of rainfall. This poem captures the profound loneliness and meditation on mortality that came with life in the trenches. Thomas tragically died at the Battle of Arras in 1917 , making his contemplations in "Rain" a haunting foreshadowing of his fate. Summary of 'Rain' Setting : The speaker, alone in a hut at midnight, listens to the wild, midnight rain. The wartime setting is bleak, likely resembling the trenches of Northern France or Belgium , where soldiers often endured extreme isolation. Reflection on Mortality : The sound of the rain reminds the speaker of his own mortality, acknowledging that one day he will no longer hear or feel this rain. Spiritual Cleansing : The rain is symbolic of a cleansing, making hi…
