Happy is England Now

   The opening line in the second stanza begins with repetition of the title ‘Happy is England now, as never yet!’ the use of repetition and exclamation mark reinforces the sense of patriotism and the personified happy England. The phrase is suggesting that even with the beginning of the war England is still brave and strong as it was before war. Freeman shows a balance with the glory and the sadness of the war which can be seen in the phrase ‘And though the sorrows of the slow days fret, Her faithfullest children, grief itself is proud.’ This portrays the idea of mother England and how the soldiers are her sons and how they share a deep love. It is saying that even if England’s children are killed, England is still proud from the grief that the war has caused. The statement ‘faithfullest children’ suggests the soldiers have belief in England as it is their duty to fight which has a deeply patriotic tone.

   Freeman then writes about the mixed feelings for war. ‘Ev’n the warm beauty of this spring and summer, That turns to bitterness turns then to gladness, Since for this England the beloved ones died. The phrase suggests the power of England with its warm beauty which has a sense of patriotism. There is bitterness as war comes even though there is gladness and glorification as fighting for England turns to honour and glory. The opening line of the third stanza again repeats the title ‘Happy is England in the brave that die, For the wrongs not hers so sternly hers.’ The phrase is implying that England is deeply grateful for the men who die fighting for England and that she is not wrong to go to war it is having to fight because of an aggressor. In the phrase ‘Happy in those that give, give and endure, The pain that never the new years may cure,’ Freeman uses repetition and a use of rhyme to reinforce the idea that men are ‘giving’ for England by sacrificing their lives which brings us back to the ‘faithfullest children’ and belief for the country and cause. Freeman is implying that even though the men endure pain for England it is terrible but it is worth the sacrifices. In the following phrase there is a deeply patriotic tone ‘Happy in all her dark woods, green fields, towns, Her hills and rivers and her chafing sea. Freeman portrays England as a picture of beauty as he captures all parts of the country and where the men come from and by personifying England makes her worth fighting for.

   In the third stanza there is repetition of the idea of importance ‘Whate’er was dear before is dearer now.’ Suggesting this is more important than any other incident. Freeman uses repetition of the importance of the war to reinforce the state of England at the time as all its efforts and minds were focused on the stirring war. Freeman goes on to talk about the changing England ‘There’s not a bird singing upon this bough, But sings the sweeter in our English ears:’ The phrase is suggesting that the birds are singing with such sweetness as they are proud to be in a glorified nation whereby men are sacrificing their lives for the good of the county and for the sweetness to remain in England. In the ultimate phrase Freeman uses idealism that England is now purer as the men have sacrificed their lives to save the beauty and the goodness of there cherished home ‘There’s not a nobleness of heart, hand, brain, But Shines the purer; happiest is England now, In those that fight, and watch with pride and tears.’ Freeman is implying that no matter what people were like in the past England will be a better, purer place. The use of the word ‘tears’ is implying the recognition  that the war has caused sorrow however it is worthwhile to protect the beauty of our mother England.

    The poem ‘Happy is England’ has a tremendous patriotic sense behind the fear of the unknown future which drives it on. Freeman writes the poem which such passion and the theme of idealism runs throughout the poem. I enjoyed the poem as it had a balance of the positive and negative aspects of the war, unlike other early war poems. It uses a symbolism of the natural England which portrays the idea of home of the soldiers and expresses the beauty and how we value our loving England.