The Solider Flashcards
Context
Rupert Brooke shows war as glorified and focuses on the courage shown by soldiers
Could be considered as propaganda which was written at the time to influence people and it could have inspired a song called rivers
Motif is the idea of persuasion and glorifying war
Form
It is written in 14 lines in the farm of a Petrarchan sonnet, shows that he is almost like in love with war
Volta occurs after the fourth line from going form the death of the soldier to his accomplishments
Structure
Octet and then a sestet
Octet is Shakespearean form (ABABCDCD)
Sestet is Petrarchan/Italian form (EFG EFG)
Used to present the love and then the valance and honour he fought with
First point
Idea of death and how it is represented in a positive light
Second point
Very patriotic and honourable
2:1
“Her flowers to love, her ways to roam”
Asyndenton (lack of conjuctions) maybe shows the lack of stability of life when in war yet somehow portrayed in a positive light and it is good and better
2:2
“A body of England’s, breathing English air”
Polypoton the repetion of English/ the same word which indicates the patriotism
2:3
“Washed by the rivers, blest by the suns of home.”
“Blest” has religious connotations
there is also the noun “home” which shows off the patriotism to him
“Washed by the rivers” it again has religious areas
3rd point
Gives an idea of idealistic person and society/ utopian
3:1
“All evil shed away”
Shows a pantheistic views in how they all show relation to god, this also uses a hyperbole to exaggerate how good war is
3:3
“In hearts at pace, under an English heaven”
Utopian ideology displaying the war that it is a heaven and a good area
1:1
“If i should die,think only this of me:”
Colon used to add a pause for tension and allow thought
The definitive “only” portrays how the ideas of death in war are being shown positively
1:2
“In that rich earth a richer earth concealed;”
Again semi colon used for the same pause purpose to allow for reflection
Metaphorically speaking relates to how everyone has more good inside them could also be talking about how the deeper in ground you go the better the treasures are
1:3
The Volta is used here to allow for a change of tone as the death is presented which is somber but in a good light which leads on to the glorification of war
