When the speaker in The Darkling Thrush is in the woods where is everyone else?

In Thomas Hardy's poem "The Darkling Thrush," the speaker finds himself alone in a desolate winter landscape, suggesting a sense of isolation and melancholy. The absence of others indicates a world that feels empty and lifeless, reflecting the speaker's own feelings of despair. This solitude heightens the contrast when the thrush sings, introducing a glimmer of hope amidst the bleakness. The overall scene encapsulates both the physical emptiness of the woods and the emotional state of the speaker.