Analysis Of ' The Soldier ' And Seaman 's ' Pro Patria '

Throughout the history of war poetry, no aspect of war can be said to feature more prominently than the representation of death and dying. While such representations are constant in their inclusion in war texts, the nature of the representation varies greatly, be it as a noble act for ones country, or as the defining negative of war. Poems such as Brooke’s ‘The Soldier’ and Seaman’s ‘Pro Patria’ are strong examples of the former; while others such as ‘Dolce et decorum est’ by Owen and ‘The Rear Guard’ by Sassoon best exemplify the latter. The question remains however as to why these representations of death and dying differ so, and whether there is a relevant relationship between the type of depiction and the time period or conflict, as well as the author’s proximity to death’s harsh reality.

Rupert Brooke’s ‘The Soldier’ is a fitting example of the kind of naivety displayed by many of the enlisted, with a more nationalistic kind of death being the central focus.

As he never actually reached the front line, Brooke’s form of idealistic imagery was fueled by the extensively patriotic propaganda of the time. Death as a theme in ‘The Soldier’ is therefore depicted simply as more of an accepted cost for the country, with Brooke envisioning dying itself, rather grandly as leaving ‘Some corner of a foreign field…forever England.’

Dying then, is depicted as the only fitting payment to his motherland for her ‘sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day.’ Brooke’s romanticism is such that he feels that to die would be one final redemption, or a ‘Pulse of the eternal mind’, which would give readers a feeling of fulfillment on behalf of this dying solider.

While Death is what drives ‘The Soldier’, the actual description of what it is to ...

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...ntation in 20th century war poetry undoubtedly shapes its type and purpose, be it for nationalistic propaganda or to prompt a global paradigm shift, the purpose can be seen to stem largely from the author’s involvement in combat or war life. Authors such as Owen Seaman, who have no first hand experience of the content of their poems, create patriotic propaganda in an attempt to keep young men enlisting, and others such as Rupert Brooke who exemplify blind optimism and nationalistic intentions in a romanticised view of what it would be to die.

On the other hand, the horrific experience that drives the poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon provides them with the tools to accurately represent the ugly and tragic truth of death, as well as motivation to awaken other young men from the accepted delusion of pride and valour that dying for ones country guarantees.