I'm surprised that this thread has run so long; not a reference to the image that kicked it off, of course, but at the emotional investment made by several of us people here as consequence.
I think that's a good thing, however contradictory (even better a thing?) the opinions may be. I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that Parr would eventually have me thinking of the heartaches of the young Hamlet for what's probably the second or perhaps third time in my life since I left school...
And Parr himself had almost nothing to do with it: it was Russ's poem. Surprising, as I said.
Rob C