Rupert Brooke's 'The Soldier'

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

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