The Soldier

Question 1

title

Answer 1

definite article ‘the’ - soldier is representing all soldiers especially as there are no other specific details.

Question 2

stanza 1-1

Answer 2

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England.

• imperative ‘think only this of me’ - makes the reader feel responsible for carrying out the soldier’s request - shapes readers opinion of the soldier.
• determiners ‘sum’ and ‘a’ - creates vague sounding second line - persona doesn’t care about this location because it is part of a ‘foreign field’ and isn’t ‘English’ - hints to the persona’s patriotism.
• saying that the plot of land will be ‘for ever England’ simply because the soldier is buried there - imperialistic - suggests England’s victory in war - British imperialism created tension between Britain and Germany - may have been a contributing factor in the start of World War one.

Question 3

stanza 1-2

Answer 3

• extended metaphor - to describe England as a mother: verb ‘bore’ means gave birth to; verb ‘shaped’ means raised and verb ‘made aware’ means taught the soldier.
• highlights personas loyalty to England & desire to defend her as men would have been encouraged to enlist to protect the women left at home including their mothers.
• repetition of ‘England’ across short linguistic space - deep admiration and love for the country – obsessive nature - shows extent of their devotion to their country.
• noun ‘home’ at the end of the octet, makes it stand out while referring it to England - suggests the personas love for England - reveals his patriotism.

Question 4

stanza 2-1

Answer 4

• Repeated use of caesurae - helps slow down the pace of the poem - creates a reflective tone - increases potency of religious language in the phrase ‘all evil shed away’ - shows that death is purifying and brings him closer to ‘the eternal mind’ (god).
• alliteration - ‘sights’ / ‘sounds’; ‘dreams’ / ‘day’ and ‘laughter’ / ‘learnt’ creates echo effect - reflects how happy memories won’t disappear but will instead be passed on.

Question 5

stanza 2-2

Answer 5

• ‘English heaven’ - very positive and euphemistic image - suggests that by dying for their country the persona is dying in glory - This image sums up the personas overall attitude towards war.
• harsh realities of war aren’t discussed in this poem - the poet had no experience of them - he wrote the poem before going on the battlefield. Dying for your country is glorified - poem expresses a jingoistic viewpoint turning this poem into something like propaganda.

Question 6

stanzas

Answer 6

stanza 1-1
* imperative ‘think only this of me’
* determiners ‘sum’ and ‘a’
* ‘for ever England’

stanza 1-2
* extended metaphor - to describe England as a mother - ‘bore’ / ‘shaped’ / ‘made aware’
* repetition of ‘England’
* noun ‘home’

stanza 2-1
* Repeated use of caesurae
* alliteration - ‘sights’ / ‘sounds’; ‘dreams’ / ‘day’ and ‘laughter’ / ‘learnt’

stanza 2-2
* ‘English heaven’
* harsh realities of war aren’t discussed