Robert Brooke lived during the First World War. He is one of the war poets who became famous with his sonnet ‘‘The Soldier’’. The war, as the main motif of this historic period, inspired majority of artists who gave effort to depict their reality. In that historic period poets were writing about either patriotism or the horror of the war. Brooke was a man of traditional beliefs, therefore he firmly believed that his country has more value than his life and it is an honourable act to die for it. This sonnet was written at the beginning of the First World War, when Rupert Brooke was inspired by the noble idea of protecting his country. Nowadays his poem can serve as a motivation for the young people who are yet to become soldiers and fight for …show more content…
He was facing death, yet he did not give up but rather think in a way that it is the only noble thing to do. The pain or the fear of the possible consequences did not stop him to make everything that is in his power to protect his beloved England. It can be clearly seen in the poem that Rupert Brooke is raised in England. He was one of ‘‘whom England bore, shaped, made aware’’ (Brooke 5). His self-sacrifice was led by the idea that he will give the descendants the opportunity to live and enjoy in England like he did. ‘‘The Soldier’’ and other poems written by Rupert Brooke are ‘‘brimming with patriotism and a graceful lyricism, reflected the hopes and beliefs of a country that had yet to feel the full, devastating effects of the war’’ (Bloom 11). This ‘begloried’ sonnet is written in the first person singular, which makes it self-referential. The memories of his land, for instance, which he recalls while writing this poem, give him strength to continue. Unlike the author’s contemporary poets, who wrote about the disasters caused by the First World War. He, on the contrary, praised the land in a pastoral way i.e. in an idyllic way. For Rupert Brooke, England was a beautiful country which symbolized the perfect place on earth for
“The Soldier” written by Rupert Brooke in 1914 is a pro-war poem to express the bravery of soldiers going to war and fighting for their nation. Brooke's poems use of extended metaphors “Earth a richer dust.” Is used to explain that when a brave soldier dies the ground will forever hold its value. This allows him to convey his message of bravery by fighting for your nation because the earth will forever be grateful of your brave actions. He also uses personification “A dust who England bore, shaped aware,” To compare England to a mother as it gave life to the soldier and molded the
Using references and quotes from three wartime poems I will explain what they tell us about wartime life and the thoughts and feelings of civilians and soldiers. I will also clarify how the poets communicate emotional and moving responses to the disturbing war. The three poems that will be analysed are: · Route March Rest - by Vernon Scannell, · Night Raid - by Desmond Hawkins, · The Battle - by Louis Simpson. I have selected these poems because they contain both similarity and contrast. These aspects are important in order to produce a high-quality essay as they provide a more balanced view of the poems.
As he never actually reached the front line, Brooke’s form of idealistic imagery was fueled by the extensively patriotic propaganda of the time. Death as a theme in ‘The Soldier’ is therefore depicted simply as more of an accepted cost for the country, with Brooke envisioning dying itself, rather grandly as leaving ‘Some corner of a foreign field…forever England.’
In conclusion, depending on the position from which one views war, the standpoint may vary ranging from being supportive of the soldiers because those who die are dying for the country or they are completely unsupportive of war activities because it is a brutal and gruesome experience involving countless unnecessary injuries and deaths. Affected by a number of factors, the authors of the two poems have chosen opposing standpoints on the issue of war where Tennyson glorified it with the main message that it is an honour to die for one's country whereas the other, Owen suppresses the idea of war by illustrating all the horrid experiences of a soldier.
War and its ramifications for those who are unfortunately entangled in it, is an issue that has fueled both political discussion and literary exploration throughout the previous century. Underived, authentic accounts of the experience and effects of war, from those who have served in it, can be especially enlightening for the majority of society who have had the fortune of not being intimately familiar with war. Through the examination of poems and stories written by soldiers, who were inspired by their involvement in conflict, one can obtain a greater understanding of this gruesome aspect of life, without having to directly experience it. Similarly, soldier turned poet, Bruce Weigl, has contributed his perspective on war through his literary
Autobiographies, diaries, letters, official records, photographs and poems are examples of primary sources from World War One. The two primary sources analyzed in this essay are the poems, “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen and “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae. Primary sources are often personal, written from the limited perspective of a single individual. It is very difficult for the author to capture their own personal experience, while incorporating the involvement and effects of other events happening at the same time. Each piece of writing studied describes the author’s perception of the war. Both of the poems intend to show to grave reality of war, which often was not realized until the soldiers reach the frontlines. The poems were both written at battle within two years of each other. However, the stark difference between the two poems is astonishing. “Anthem for Doomed Youth” gives a much different impression than “In Flanders Field” despite the fact that both authors were in the same war and similar circumstances. The first two lines in “In Flanders Fields” “…the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row.” are an image o...
In 'The Soldier', Brooke's sense of indebtedness to his country completely blots out any sense of loss or regret over possible death on her behalf. Brooke doesn't even mention war in his poem. He is ready to give "back the thoughts by England given". He accepts death in war as a suitable repayment to his country for what England has done for him.
Comparing and Contrasting the Portrayal and Warfare in Poetry War poetry A Comparattive Essay Choose two poets that we have studied so far. Compare and contrast the portrayal of warfare in four of the poems studied. This essay will compare and contrast the portrayal and warfare in four of the poems studied. The first world war was portrayed as a glorious and credible cause, fighting war for your country was deemed as the duty of any credible man. Being able to represent your country on the battlefield was the greatest honour a man could have.
World War One had an inevitable effect on the lives of many young and naive individuals, including Wilfred Owen, who, like many others, joined the military effort with the belief that he would find honour, wealth and adventure. The optimism which Owen initially had toward the conflict is emphasised in the excerpt, in which he is described as “a young poet…with a romantic view of war common among the young” (narrator), a view which rapidly changed upon reaching the front. Owen presents responders with an overwhelming exploration of human cruelty on other individuals through acts of war and the clash of individual’s opposed feelings influenced by the experiences of human cruelty. This is presented through the horrific nature of war which the
Brooke’s poem expands on this familiarity, while Owen attempts to deliberately sabotage it. In regards to content, Brooke shows throughout his perception of the nobility of dying for one’s country, whilst Owen uses all of his poetic techniques to show the opposite.
‘Poetry can challenge the reader to think about the world in new ways.’ It provokes the readers to consider events, issues and people with revised understanding and perspectives. The poems Dulce Et Decorum Est (Wilfred Owen, 1917) and Suicide in the Trenches (Siegfried Sassoon, 1917), were composed during World War One and represented the poets’ point of views in regards to the glorification of war and encouraged readers to challenge their perspectives and reflect upon the real consequences behind the fabrications of the glory and pride of fighting for one’s nation.
Once the reader has been successfully drawn into the poem it becomes clear that the soldier telling the tale is both proud of his Queen and scornful of his role in her life. Pride for Queen and country shines t...
It is evident that the socio-cultural context in which Wilfred Owen operated had a powerful impact upon his poetic motivation and the messages he conveyed through his work. Before exploring Wilfred Owen’s work we first must understand the society that Wilfred Owen lived in, to be able to really understand appreciate his poems and their impact on society. At the time in which he operated, Britain’s public opinion on warfare and conflicts were astonishingly positive, especially in the early stages of WW1. These false perception on war led the vast majority of male citizens to perceive war recruitment as an opportunity to set off on ‘terrific adventures’ and earn immense amounts of honour for their families and nation. Government propaganda meant that soldiers believed that they were gathering fame and fortune in the name of Great Britain. This cruel and false perception of warfare which in turn led to a steady rate of volunteers for the war and included Wilfred Owen himself. The men who did not go and fight for their nations were perceived by society as cowards as
Rupert Brooks loved his country, England. He was kind of a patriotic soldier who wanted to be honoured for his efforts at war. The poet states “If I should die … there’s some corner of a foreign field. That is forever England”. This emphasises that where-ever he ends up that place is be known as a foreign area to the locals.
Many poems have been written about warfare, some romantic and others imbedded with the realities of war. In this paper I would like to compare two such poems and hopefully show the reader that the glories of war fall short of its realities. We will be looking at "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson and "Dulce Et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen.