Final answer:
In 'Neutral Tones,' Hardy conveys that love is unreliable and fleeting, indicating a world without divine guidance might lack lasting purity and truth in love and human relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Thomas Hardy's poem Neutral Tones, the poet's conclusion that "love deceives" suggests a bleak view of love, reflecting the notions of existential disillusionment and the absence of religious comfort. Hardy's poetry often grapples with themes of disappointment and the harsh realities of life, and in this case, the phrase conveys that love is unreliable and fleeting.
It signifies a world where love's promises are not necessarily eternal truths but can be false and misleading, hence leading to the understanding that without a divine presence or God, the world, and love within it, may lack lasting purity and truth.
The reference to a world without God in the context of love's deceit also suggests a larger commentary on the nature of human relationships and the quest for meaning. It underscores the lack of inherent significance in the natural world, a common thread in Hardy's work, implying that without a transcendental anchor, human experiences and emotions, including love, might just be transient and without deeper purpose.