The Soldier Flashcards
He was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy but never saw active service
As Rupert Brooke never saw active service, he did not know the harsh realities of war. He was only part of the Royal Navy and may have felt proud of being part, however he did not experience the consequences such as PTSD
Sonnet with iambic pentameter…
Sonnet is associated with love, so it is an obvious structure adopted by Brooke to convey the love he has for England. His love is part of every aspect of the poem.
Iambic pentameter used despite the sonnet not being Shakespearean. Possibly a reference to Shakespeare’s sonnets to showing Shakespeare = epitome of English
A lot of alliteration and repetition of words
Alliteration: foreign field; body, breathing, blest
Repetition: England, English; rich, richer; dust
Possibly, repetition and alliteration indicate how he expects the English heaven to be a repetition of life on Earth; he’ll still be happy - a reason why he is patriotic
Patriotic intensity
Laughter; gentleness; peace
Softening the effects of war; it will not be as bad as it can be made out to be; conveys naivety as he did not get to experience war
Soldier is unnamed
Possibly speaking for other soldiers as well as himself and how all soldiers are patriotic and are doing it for the love of their country
Caesura in the line “If I die, think only this of me”
Caesura puts emphasis on the latter part of the line so that the soldier’s family only think good things and celebrate his life, creating a hero
Foreign field that is…
forever England
Gives a sense that despite the soldier dying, he will have conquered the part of the land, which was the aim.
Alliteration adds softness so gentleness and removes the harshness and brutality people associate with war
A dust whom England…
bore, shaped, made aware
Shaped = to be brave
Made aware = it is right to die for your country
England has provided many things for the soldiers and it is right to die for their country
Gave…her flowers
“her” = female giving = motherly
Death is nurturing and caring
Body…
of England’s
The soldiers are collectively a body formed by England - close relationships formed
A connection between the soldiers and England
