The man he killed Flashcards
Meaning
Irrationality of war - friends in other circumstances. The voice of the poem is considering his own actions and attempting to justify them
“Had he and I but met
“had he” - ALLITERATION of H creates exasperated tone. PLUPERFECT tense further shows regret
Right many a nipperkin!
COLLOQUIALISM shows friends in other circumstances.
Positive tone JUXTAPOSES the coming VOLTA, expressing his emotional irrationality
“But ranged as infantry,
Sudden change in language from friendly to more menacing - VOLTA. Reader back to reality instead of what could have been.
Infantry distances his actions from an individual. War reason for his actions
“ranged” suggests external forces opposing them against each other. Pawns in a game, removes his moral responsibility
I shot at him as he at me
INTERNAL RHYME and BALANCED sentence structure links 2 men fate.
And killed him in his place
MONOSYLLIBIC creates abrupt and shocking end to stanza. Naturally creates PAUSE at end, leaving reader shocked.
“I shot him dead because–Because he was my foe
“because” - CAESURA creates hesitation, searching for a reason - guilty can’t justify.
REPETITION emphasizing narrators’ uncertainty - internal conflict and failure to justify
“Foe” - no other justification, brandishing man as enemy blindly. Shows conditioning of soldiers, no rational response
Just so: my foe of course he was;
BROKEN SYNTAX, narrator showing signs of doubt
“foe” only way he can justify actions, highlighting absurdity. DEHUMANISES other soldier, showing his regret. “Foe” REPETITION as if propaganda repeated to him, ingrained as his only response even after
That’s clear enough; although
CAESURA shows his doubt. EXCESSIVE PUNCTUATION reflects internal struggle.
ENJAMBEMENT shows he no longer contain thoughts and is impulsive in speech
just as I…Was out of work – had just sold his traps –
Links own expereinces to man. More personal as link that transcends war.
Broken syntax as well as hesitation of the aside used. Uncertainty
“Yes; quaint and curious war is!
EUPHEMISM of evils of war, showing disconnect from reality and inability to understand. Light tone, ironic of moral complicity.
You’d treat if met where any bar is
Returning back to the subject of the bar/inn makes them seem like friends in different circumstances,
CIRCULAR STRUCTURE Cyclical “bar” returns continually to regret
Structure 1
Repeated ABAB rhyming scheme throughout. REGULAR STANZA structure but complicated and becomes more profound through IAMBIC TETRAMETER.
Reveals complexity and internal conflict of voice
Structure 2
Stanza’s 3,4 reflect soliloquy-like poem showing narrator’s struggle.
CIRCULAR STRUCTURE Cyclical “bar” returns continually to regret
