# Old Man — Poetry character guide

> Old Man in Poetry by Edward Thomas.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Old Man Old Man, Man

**First appearance:** 0000-the-trumpet

## Who they are

An elderly figure appearing in several poems.

## Relationships

### [Old Jack Noman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/old_jack_noman)

_rivalry_

Old Jack Noman and the Old Man are locked in a tense, antagonistic relationship, possibly over identity or territory.

### [Lob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/lob)

_friendship_

Lob is a loyal companion to the Old Man, often assisting or accompanying him.

### [The Huckster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/the_huckster)

_rivalry_

The Old Man and The Huckster are adversaries, likely over trade or deception.

### [The Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/the_child)

_family_

The Old Man appears to be a guardian or grandfather figure to The Child.

### [Bob Hayward](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/bob_hayward)

_professional_

Bob Hayward serves or works for the Old Man, possibly as a laborer or assistant.

### [Walker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/walker)

_friendship_

The Old Man and Walker share a bond of mutual respect or shared history.

### [Young Jack](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/young_jack)

_family_

The Old Man is a mentor or grandfather to Young Jack, guiding him through hardship.

### [Old Jack Noman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/old_jack_noman)

_rivalry_

Old Jack Noman and the Old Man are locked in a tense, antagonistic relationship, possibly over identity or territory.

### [Lob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/lob)

_friendship_

Lob is a loyal companion to the Old Man, often assisting or accompanying him.

### [Walker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/walker)

_friendship_

The Old Man and Walker share a bond of mutual respect or shared history.

### [The Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/the_child)

_family_

The Old Man appears to be a guardian or grandfather figure to The Child.

### [Lob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/lob)

_friendship_

Lob is a loyal companion to the Old Man, often assisting or accompanying him.

## In the story

### [The Sign-Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/the-sign-post)

The voice that speaks with gentle scorn, recalling the speaker's youthful despair.

### [Head and Bottle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/head-and-bottle)

The man in the cart who drinks, oblivious to his surroundings, until he is motionless.

### [The Green Roads](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/the-green-roads)

An old man who strays along the green road to the forest.

### [Haymaking](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/haymaking)

Implied among the haymakers resting in the field, part of the timeless tableau.

### [Under the Woods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/under-the-woods)

The old keeper who once patrolled the woods, now gone from memory, leaving only a shriveled stoat skin.

### [The Cuckoo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/the-cuckoo)

The man who shouted 'Ho! Ho!' to his sheep and died that summer, whose voice now drowns out the cuckoo for the speaker.

### [Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/home)

A labourer walks past his cottage and the sound of sawing comes from his shed.

### [Wind and Mist](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/wind-and-mist)

The man who lived in the house, recounting his experiences of mist, wind, flint, clay, and childbirth, and his conflicted feelings about the place.

### [The New Year](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/the-new-year)

The bent old man raking leaves, who exchanges a brief New Year's greeting with the speaker.

### [The Other](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/the-other)

The 'other' who eventually confronts the speaker in the tap-room.

### [Man and Dog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/chapters/man-and-dog)

A lame, elderly man walking to Alton, reminiscing about his past work as a navvy and soldier, and whose three sons are fighting in the war.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters/old_man
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_5_se/characters