How far do you agree that The Volunteer is typical of poems in the early section of the anthology

by shannon94 (student)

Shannon Flynn 12JA

How far do you agree that The Volunteer is typical of poems in the early section of the anthology?

The Volunteer is about a clerk who is unsatisfied with the everyday city life which is described as “toiling” and “city grey” and he then goes on to fight in the war but dies fighting for his country yet Asquith describes his death in a heroic manor rather than unnecessary proving that this is a patriotic poem that glorifies the men that fought and died in the war; comparing them to the heroes of Agincourt. The simple message of sacrifice and nobility is shown in the regular pattern of the poem which consists of two stanzas of 8 lines. The first stanza simply compares the boredom of city life and the chivalry of fighting in a war; whereas the second stanza simply talks about dying in honour and concludes the poem. There is also simplicity to the rhythm of the poem; the two stanzas consist of the same rhyme scheme of ABBA CDCD. The poem is also written in a rather rigid iambic pentameter.

The Volunteer is typical to that of Rupert Brooke’s poems for example The Soldier is also a patriotic poem; it describes that of an idealistic England which the men of our country should preserve by fighting in the war, this is shown in the chosen language such as “English heaven” “Peace” and “gentleness”. And death is described as the ultimate sacrifice and joy for your country just like in The Volunteer. The Soldier also has the simple message of sacrifice and patriotism for example England and Englishmen is mentioned six times throughout the poem which continually reinforces this message by ...

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Peace is typical to The Volunteer too. Again it’s a patriotic poem; the line “God be thanked who has matched us with His honour” shows this as it means that god has given them the honour to fight and it’s a privilege for them to fight for their country. Peace also contrasts life at war with everyday life like The Volunteer saying that everyday life has “grown old and cold and weary.” Yet peace also contrasts with the Volunteer therefore not following the ‘typical pattern’ it does this by referring to “agony” and that death could be seen as the worst friend and enemy, therefore not typically following the pattern of glorifying dying in the war.

‘Men who march away’ also doesn’t follow in the typical pattern of Brooke’s poems and The Volunteer. The poem depicts doubtfulness towards people’s perception of it being necessary and honourable to go to war. The fact that it is a marching song to raise spirits tells us that not all the men have the view that only war can fulfil your life (like expressed in ‘peace’). The reader can tell that it is a marching song by the way the poem is structured. The same words are repeated in lines one and six, and the same rhymes at the end of lines two and seven. This makes this a very structured poem and slightly repetitive, both being appropriate to a marching song. There is also a variety in the line length- lines two, three, four and seven are shorter and snappier than the longer other lines, and this has the effect of bringing a strong rhythm to the poem— again appropriate to a marching song.

But overall I agree that The Volunteer is typical of poems in the early section of the anthology as the majority of them express the same message/view as ‘The Volunteer’ – that the British men will come back home or die as a hero/warrior just like those of Agincourt.

Anonamous