the man he killed Flashcards
Who was Thomas Hardy?
Victorian poet , studied Realism and romanticism, highly critical in victorian society , openly against the second boer war where britain was fighting when the poem was written
How does this poem link to conflict?
Conflict in wartime
Reality of conflict
Memories of conflict
What are the two themes Thomas Hardy explores?
Theme 1 - The Futility (pointlessness) of War ,strong anti-war message,colloquialisms (slang for it)
What are the two themes Thomas Hardy explores?
Theme 2 Dehumanisation , taking away emotions from man kind , removing what its like to be human
their identity has been removed This represents the idea that they do not matter to those in power.
how is the poem structured
Dramatic monologue, drama filled poem , Friendly idea of two men drinking together, to brutally killing each other on a battlefield.
Slow realisation (marked by the caesura) throughout stanza 3 and 4 that the man killed was in fact not an enemy.
(he had done nothing wrong)
effect on those that are fighting
What quote could you use to show this?
“Yes; quaint and curious war is! You shoot a fellow down”
‘Quaint’ and ‘curious’ are not two words used to describe war, but suggests to the unusual experience of being violent towards someone he does not know.
an incredulous /disbelieving tone, questioning why a more modern solution has not yet been found.(! shows disbelieving tone)
What are the terms used to describe how punctuation is used in the poems?
Enjambment/ Caesura
used to affect the rhythm and pace of the poem, and to emphasise meanings.
in order to slow the pace of the poem, and leave the reader paused on the idea of there being little reason for the two men to kill one another both are used
what quote can we use to show this?
“Was out of work — had sold his traps — No other reason why.” creates a stuttering affect
Why is repetition and fillers used in the poem?
Words are repeated, and fillers are inserted, to show the speaker struggling to think about why he had to kill the man.
stanza 3 ‘because’ is repeated over a line break, buying the speaker thinking time.
‘although’ and ‘perhaps’ show his hesitancy – he is clearly unsure about why he must kill. ( these are fillers)
Why does Hardy use colloqualism ? what quotes show this?
Enables the reader to view the speaker and his foe as ordinary men.
‘Wet/ Right many a nipperkin’, implying that in a different situation they may well drink together - ‘Nipperkin’ was a term most used in the West Country.
where the speaker suggests that the man he killed may have, like he, ‘sold his traps’ (his belongings).
These colloquialisms helps to contextualise the speaker and foe as common men, and emphasises Hardy’s message to his reader’s.
Much of the poem uses simple and matter of fact language - why?
This reflects the speaker’s background and character: a working class, ‘everyday’ man.
It is important that these common features of the speaker and the man he killed are understood by the reader, in order to get across the message that regular people are being placed into these horrific situations.
Much of the poem uses simple and matter of fact language - why?
Simple language is perhaps most evident in the short description of the killing – no emotive language is used or details given as the man has to do in his role
What quote shows this?
“I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place.” internal rhyme
