Poem summaries Flashcards
Summary of “In Flanders Fields”
about the duty of the living to carry on the fight and honour of the sacrifice of the dead in the war - page 173
Summary of “An Irish Airman Forsees His Death”
a eulogy to Major Robert Gregory. A dead man is given a voice by the poet (Yeats), it describes his joy in flying and found to be transcendent to all other claims on him and provides an insight of his sole motivation / justification for going to war - page 182
Summary of “The Volunteer”
the poem tells the story of an office worker who has died on the battle front, and it explores his satisfaction in dying for his country - page 166
Summary of “Into Battle”
describes the inspiration that a soldier can take from nature when going into battle - page 171
Summary of “Dulce Et Decorum Est”
the poem condems those who glorify war and whom tempted young men to join the army with heroic rhetoric - page 204/5
Summary of “Sergeant Major Money”
the poem is narrative and tells the incompetence among soldiers as well as the psychological problems caused by war and what it can lead men to do. It describes a flawed Sergeant in the war - page 214/5
Summary of “My sweet old Etcetera”
the poem contrasts the experiences of the soldiers family at home during WW1 to his experiences in the trenches. He lies in the mud dreaming of the person he loves whilst his family’s life goes on - page 224
Summary of “Olaf”
the poem depicts the life of ‘Olaf’, a conscientious objector and pacifist during WW1 who is tortured by the US army - page 225
Summary of “6 Young Men”
The poem explains how 3 of the men in the photograph died and says how the other 3 causes of death aren’t known. It shows the lack of identity war causes and Ted Hughes shows this through anger at the end of the poem - page 246/7
Summary of “1914”
Poem is about how all the men are lined up, waiting to sign up to war, on an ideallic day, yet not knowing what the reality is - page 244
Summary of “The Hero”
An officer delivers a consolatory letter to a grieving mother concerning the death of her soldier son, Jack. - page 192
Summary of “The General”
The general plans attacks but doesn’t participate in them. He sends others to their deaths without really risking much himself. - page 193
Summary of “Glory of Women”
This poem accuses British women of gaining vicarious pleasure from the war, and glorying in the fighting of soldiers abroad. - page 193
