In what way does Sassoon create a sense of hopelessness and finality in the poem "The Death Bed"?
by
hazelnalimogmailcom (student)
In what ways, and with what effects does Sassoon create a sense of hopelessness and finality in the following poem
Through the tone symbols and language Sasson creates a certain atmosphere of lost hope and finality even from the the title itself being The Death-bed
From the title itself there are negative connotations from the onset. The way that Sasson uses "the" a defite article makes the bed being described as a final place where one is assured to die. This is mainly because it's like once one reaches there they have nothing to do but die. There is an eerie atmosphere created because already we know that if it has been described as the deathbed it means many have died there which means that bed is associated with death
Sasson uses descriptive language when talking about all the emotions that the "he" is experiencing. The hopelessness is created by the way the man seems to have given up already "he swallowed, unresisting" it's as though he doesnt have the will power to do anything else he just swallows the water without putting up a fight "moaned and dropped" further emphasizes that he has no power in him to fight. This makes the reader empathize with his because it's like I want to reach out to him and help him, at least give him the strength to fight because it's like he needs it
