“THE SOLDIER” (Rupert Brooke)

"The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke is a sonnet that reflects the poet's patriotic feelings and idealized view of
war. Written during World War I, the poem is often seen as a romanticized and sentimental portrayal of a
soldier's potential death.

If I should die, think only this of me: In the first stanza, Brooke imagines his
That there's some corner of a foreign field possible death on a foreign battlefield. He asks
That is for ever England. There shall be that his death be viewed as a contribution to
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed; England, symbolizing that a part of England
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, will forever remain in that foreign land. He
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, poetically describes his body, which will
A body of England's, breathing English air, become part of the soil, as "a richer dust"
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home. because it is an English soldier's body. He
reminisces about being nurtured by England,
from the flowers and rivers to the air and
sunlight, highlighting a deep sense of
connection and gratitude to his homeland.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away, In the second stanza, Brooke continues to
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less idealize his sacrifice. He imagines his soul in a
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; state of eternal peace, free from evil, and
contributing to the greater good. The soldier's
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; thoughts, dreams, and memories, all
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness, influenced by England, will persist. He
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven. imagines an idyllic afterlife, "an English
heaven," where the beauty, joy, and tranquility
of his homeland are eternally preserved.

THEMES
1. Patriotism: The poem is a testament to Brooke's intense love for England, expressing a noble and
romantic view of dying for one's country.
2. Idealism: Brooke's portrayal of war and death is highly idealized, focusing on the glory and honor rather
than the brutal reality.
3. Nature and Nurture: The poem emphasizes the connection between the soldier and the English
landscape, suggesting that the land and the people are intertwined.
4. Eternal Peace: Brooke envisions an afterlife that mirrors the peace and beauty of England, reinforcing
his romantic and serene view of death.

Overall, "The Soldier"

captures the idealistic and
patriotic sentiments of its
time, portraying the
soldier's death as a noble
sacrifice that eternally
enriches the land he
fought for.

“DULCE ET DECORUM EST” (Wilfred Owen)

"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen is a powerful anti-war poem that provides a stark and harrowing
depiction of the realities of World War I. Owen, who served as a soldier in the war, uses vivid imagery and
stark language to convey the horror and futility of battle, countering the romanticized view of war often
promoted at the time. The title of the poem is derived from the Latin phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro
patria mori," which means "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country." However, Owen's poem refutes
this idea by exposing the brutal truth of war.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, In the first stanza, Owen describes the
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, soldiers as weary, broken, and
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs dehumanized, comparing them to "old
And towards our distant rest began to trudge. beggars" and "hags." They are
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, exhausted, limping, and suffering from
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; fatigue and injuries. The imagery
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots conveys the severe physical and
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind. psychological toll of the war on the
soldiers.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling, In the second stanza, the poem
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; suddenly shifts to a gas attack, capturing
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, the chaos and panic as the soldiers
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.— scramble to put on their gas masks. One
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, soldier fails to get his mask on in time,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. and Owen describes his horrific suffering
as he is engulfed by the gas, likening it
to drowning in a "green sea."

In all my dreams before my helpless sight, The third stanza is brief but impactful,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. revealing that the traumatic image of the
dying soldier haunts Owen in his
dreams, emphasizing the lasting
psychological damage inflicted by the
war.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace In the final stanza, Owen addresses the
Behind the wagon that we flung him in, reader directly, describing the gruesome
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, aftermath of the gas attack as the dying
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; soldier is thrown into a wagon. The
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood graphic imagery of the soldier's suffering
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, serves to underscore the poem's
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud message. Owen denounces the notion
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,— that it is sweet and proper to die for
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest one's country as "the old Lie," arguing
To children ardent for some desperate glory, that such glorification of war is both
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est deceptive and dangerous.
Pro patria mori.

THEMES
1. Horror of War: Owen vividly portrays the physical and psychological horrors of war, countering the
romanticized narratives often propagated.
2. Dehumanization: The soldiers are depicted as broken and dehumanized, emphasizing the brutalizing
effect of war.
3. The "Old Lie": The poem challenges the patriotic ideal that it is honorable to die for one's country,
revealing it as a misleading and harmful myth.
4. Trauma: Owen highlights the lasting impact of war, both on the battlefield and in the minds of those who
survive.

Overall, "Dulce et
Decorum Est" is a
powerful condemnation of
war, exposing its grim
realities and challenging
the false glorification of
military sacrifice.