Rupert Brooke [1887-1915] and Wilfred Owen [1893-1918] have written poems named

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Poems about war often convey powerful messages and feelings to the reader.  Choosing 2 poems you have studied, comment on how the poets have done this in their writing.

Poets such as Rupert Brooke [1887-1915] and Wilfred Owen [1893-1918] have written poems named “The Soldier” and the “Anthem of Doomed Youth”, respectively.  Commonly, both poems involve strong emotions, feelings and thoughts about the various aspects of war.  

‘The Soldier’ happens to be a highly passionate and patriotic poem showing a soldier’s appreciation for his country.  Much of the poem is very positive and encouraging.  The persona has described his passion for his mother country England.  As he writes,  “A dust whom England bore,” he shows that he was once an English man and will forever be one.  In this poem Brooke constantly deals with death in a very positive manner and frequently mentions “dust” and how the persona will always be a body that belonged to England.  Brooke may have attempted to represent dust as the very beginning of man, the religious side to his poem.    

The poet writes, “A body of England” and “richer dust concealed” which directs the audience to think that even though an English man may possibly die, he will always be apart and will turn back to ashes to where he was before.  Perhaps this poem may be religious as death and dust are linked together to mean going back to the original state as an element of Earth and the first creation of God.  Not only does Brooke touch on the subject of death, but nature is mentioned as well.  Brooke explains how he as a soldier is linked to nature and how it has played a part in his life.

These quotes, “Under English heaven” and “Breathing English air,” suggest the patriotism and loyalty the persona has for his country.  He was proud to die for his country and will feel proud and at peace to have died under an “English heaven”.  Being able to fight and possibly die for his country was worth his life after all, England made him what he was and he was willing to return something back.  England has made the persona into what he is today, his life, his personality and who he is.  It has given him the opportunity to laugh, feel and appreciate his life and everything else that is around him.

The line “Blest by suns of home”, suggests that the persona is entirely grateful towards his mother country for keeping him safe and sound.  As the persona relates to the different sides of nature such as the elements of air, light, water and fire he gives the audience a feeling of calmness.  The few lines that describe the nature of England give a slow and gradual flow to the poem adding to the calmness.  By saying this, being blessed by the sun of the persona’s home country may also be an equivalent to being blessed by God.  It is something that could have made a big impact on the soldier’s life.

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In the second stanza, Brooke clearly declares that, “All evil shed away”. This gives an impression to the audience that the persona is determined to fight back against evil in reference towards his enemies, “All evil” regardless of what others may think as well as people’s values or countries.  Being part of the war and a soldier fighting his enemies made them a personal matter and goal to fight against however he can.  Whether it means losing his life he will continue to fight.

Also in the second stanza, on the last line, “In hearts at peace, under English ...

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