"At an Inn" is a poem written by Thomas Hardy, a composition highlighting Hardy's desire for another woman who is not his wife, Florence . In this work, Hardy focuses on the misinterpretations of the nature of the two men's relationship by strangers at an inn. It questions the idea of ​​fate, but also alludes to the idea of ​​morals and societal expectations, and their impact on love. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayHardy argues that love is very limited and controlled by societal norms. The most obvious allusion to this is the quote "O laws of men", which refers to the idea of ​​the unwritten rules of humanity, acting as a silent reminder of what is considered right and wrong. While love is so often described as purely feelings and passion, this quote seems to suggest that there is some form of "law" or moral code that everyone is supposed to follow when it comes to love. It is the law that states that Hardy and Florence cannot be together and the use of the "O" creates a sense of hopelessness from his point of view, in that he seems sad that he cannot do anything. For this reason, we can infer that interpretations of morality play a more important role in romantic love than originally thought. Hardy also articulates this theme using the quote "The veiled smiles spoke their thoughts of what we were", which alludes to the assumption the audience obviously makes about the couple; that they are very in love. The use of "veiled" connotes the idea of ​​an obstructed and blurred view, suggesting that people cannot see properly, so they lack clarity in the things they see, misinterpreting the couple as something which they are not. The people at the inn may be looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, being swayed by their good intentions and seeing the couple as something they are not. This is indeed pulling the wool over its eyes and could be extended to the idea that people are in love with the idea of ​​love. These people observe the couple and want to see love between them, that's what they do. It's interesting to note the obvious reliance on perspective when it comes to love and the way appearances seem to result in false conclusions. Likewise, if you see two people holding hands, it doesn't necessarily mean they are in love - the fact that the two are together in this inn makes one assume that they are lovers. Despite what Hardy perceived them to be like "never did the light of love shine between us there", the people at the inn can only use what they see to pass judgment. The word "veiled" could also be linked to the idea of ​​a veiled man. the threat, in the way that something that would usually be considered a bad thing, is hidden under the guise of love. In reality, there is a more sinister side to the couple, in that he is married to another woman, yet finds himself in an inn with another woman, perhaps with less than innocent intentions, despite the religious commitments of Florence. There is also the cruel way Hardy treats his wife; his wicked nature is buried beneath the facade of love with another woman. This deceptive nature almost acts as a metaphor for human existence, in the same way that appearances can be deceiving and not everything is always as it seems. Finally, “veiled” evokes the idea of ​​weddings, creating a kind of irony..