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Introduction to an essay about a poem about war
Discuss the poet's attitude to war in the poem
Brief essay on war poetry
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How does Betchman portray the weakness of English Middle Classes in
Westminster Abbey?
In the poem 'In Westminster Abbey' the poet (John Betchman) speaks in
from the view of a lady living in the English middle classes in the
period, in which the Second World War took place. The poet has set the
poem in the head of the heart of England's church, Westminster Abbey.
The poet narrates to the reads the feelings of this lady and her
feelings of the war, but what the poet does in mainly stereotype all
women in the English middle classes at the time. In the following I
shall talk about how poet portrays the weakness of the English middle
classes.
The poem starts of with the lady talking to god and continues through
out with this lady talking to god. The poet sustains a continues
rhythm through out with a regular four beats in each line, for example
'LET me TAKE this OTHER glove OFF' , this technique retains the
readers interest in the poem since the this technique has been used
consistently through out the poem. An additional technique that the
poet has used is couplets this is another method that stays persistent
through the poem, for example in the first stanza lines two and four;
'Let me take this other glove off
As the vox Humana swells
And the beauteous fields of Eden
Bask beneath the Abbey bells.'
This is another example of the poet trying to keep the reader
attracted to the poem through out, and keep a persistent flow.
As one reads the poem they expected to realize that that the lady has
a selfish attitude, this is shown in many aspects of the poem one of
which is shown in the second stanza;
'Gracious Lord, OH BOMB THE GERMANS,
Spare their women for thy sake,
If that is not too ea...
... middle of paper ...
...mpire, this I think
the poet also narrates this fact in the third stanza;
'Keep our Empire undismembered
Guide our forces by Thy Hand,'
Here the lady is asking God keep the Empire united and to guide them
to victory.
In conclusion the poet portrays a major weakness of the English middle
classes in the poem 'In Westminster Abbey', although they were
wealthy, well educated for the time's standards and considered as of a
superior status than others. One is led to believe that they lacked
the understanding and wisdom that people generally have today, also
they were selfish and ironic which have learnt from lines like 'Don't
let anyone bomb me' and 'If that is not too easy'. I have made these
statements from the assumption that the reader is led to believe that
this poem is a stereotype and a generalized view or opinion of the
English middle classes.
Two Works Cited In John Updike’s "A & P," Sammy is accused of quitting his job for childlike, immature reasons. Nathan Hatcher states, "In reality, Sammy quit his job not on a matter of ideals, but rather as a means of showing off and trying to impress the girls, specially Queenie" (37), but Sammy’s motive runs much deeper than that. He was searching for a sense of personal gain and satisfaction. By taking sides with the girls, he momentarily rises in class to meet their standards and the standards of the upper-class.
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at the local pub. He is not too proud to beg for money, even from
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