Poetry from Anthology
I will be exploring how the poets expressed their views in a strong and effective way. I shall be writing about three poems. • Base Details by Siegfried Sassoon • On the life of man by Walter Raleigh • Those bastards in their mansions by Simon Armitage Base Details Siegfried Sassoon In this essay I will be describing the contrasts and explore the attitude of the poet in a strong and effective way. This poem is written by Siegfried Sassoon, who was a soldier during the First World War. He used the majors and the soldiers as protagonists of this poem.
The poet has described the physical attributes of the majors who would stay at the base, because they were fat, short of breath. Siegfried uses number of abusive and mockery words to describe their behaviour towards one another. In the beginning of the poem the poet says that he’d live in with the majors at the base. He used abusive and mockery words to describe the physical attributes they posses. The poet says that “Bald”, “short of breath” and “scarlet”. The word “bald” means that they didn’t have any hair on their head, and “short of breath” refers towards their shape and body figure.
The lexis” scarlet” has a lot of meanings, but in their case it means that they were guilty. The majors were the main reason for the death of the soldiers. These three words highlight the characteristics of them, as well as it was mentioned in the first two lines of the poem. Afterwards, Siegfried immediately talks about the soldiers whose fate was inevitably a fateful misery. The author observes the fact that, they were active and they used to get forced towards the frontline. This is evidenced from the poem he states that: – “And speed glum heroes up the line to death”.
Nevertheless, since they met their fate bravely and gave their life in the war, this made them a true hero. Additionally, the poet goes back to the description of the major’s actions. So the poet uses the word “Guzzle” and “Gulp” in the “best hotel”. In this context the poet describes that the poet himself and the majors would eat and drink in an excessive manner. Therefore the word “guzzle” means to eat in an excessive manner, and the word “gulp” to drink in an excessive manner as it makes a gulping sound, therefore the poet used them two word to make it effective.
Moreover, since the war is still happening the majors would continuously eat and drink. To such an extent that the poet has described their faces as “Puffy” and “petulant”, the poet has used the mockery words again to describe the majors. The word “puffy” means that they would be fat and “petulant” means to be swollen. Afterwards he uses the sarcasm attitude towards the soldiers by stating: – “Poor young chap, Roll of Honour is an alliteration which the poet has used. I’d say”.
He’d say “poor young chap” to show their grief towards the soldiers, and “Roll of Honour” is a faceless list of names of the soldiers. In reality the majors weren’t really cared for them whilst they were burying the soldiers. Nevertheless, after burying them they would continue their sarcastic conversations about their innocent soldiers. Siegfried proofs this from the poem he says that “I’d say I used to know his father well; yes, we’ve lost heavily in this scrap”. This shows up their fake and strong relationship between them. He also mentions the word “scrap” to describe the war.
The majors would describe this war as a scrap. This war means nothing to them, regardless they’ve lost heavily amount of soldiers. This part of the poem is a technique of euphemisms. This war was like a board games, how a player would sacrifice a counter to gain victory. In conclusion, the poet gives a scenario or a clear contrast of the soldiers and the majors. They’d be scattered everywhere. I mean that the majors would “toddle” due to their fat and overeating. Therefore they’d walk slowly and safely, since they are not at the battlefield.
On the other side, the soldiers would be “stone dead”; this means that they would be still dead at the battlefield. Finally, the rhyming scheme of this poem is (ab, ab, cd, ee,). Also the last two lines of this poem is known as” Rhyming Couplet”. Since they rhyme at the end and those two words are “dead” and “bed”. Those Bastards in their mansions Simon Armitage This poem is written by Simon Armitage, he has dedicated this poem towards the poor people, and this poem is from the collection of ‘taking a stand’. This poem features the division between the poor and the rich.
Simon Armitage is totally against it; therefore he is taking a stand protecting the poor from the rich. Thus, I will be explaining this poem. Firstly, the author is referring the rich people as ‘bastards’ which is on the first line of the poem, because if there was to be a poor walking in front of their house they would ask each other “who is he? ”, “why is he dressed in that manner? ” where is he from? ” etc. That’s why the author referred them as ‘bastards’. In this situation the rich people would be alarmed and clutch their possessions closer.
After while, he says that he would save the poor masses and protect them from different kind of destruction, and bring them a form of benefit. “I’d poisoned the dogs and vaulted the ditches” gives a form of proof from the poem itself. Moreover, there state is really ragged because not only there’s a division between them, the poor people would also get oppressed by the rich. Thus, Simon Armitage decides to break through the front door, it is also evidenced form the fifth line of first stanza, so that he would bring them benefit.
This is clearly observed in line six. ” The gift of fire from the burning torches. These properties are like gift thus he used the word ‘gift’ to show the preciousness of it. This part of the poem refers towards the Greek mythology about Prometheus and Zeus. Prometheus was Greek God and also the first god to create human beings. Not only that he stole fire from Zeus and distributed it towards the whole of humanity. Zeus became really furious, upon knowing that Prometheus gave a precious element to the mankind.
Therefore, Zeus punished Prometheus by chaining him to the peak of a mountain, so that everyday eagles would peck from his liver. Since, Prometheus was immortal each night his liver would grow back. Nevertheless, after distributing the properties he would teach them how to get rid off themselves from the great oppression and how to take a stand against the cruelty of the rich. Thereafter, since they don’t have any weapons to face against the rich, what they would do is that they would use the same chains and shackles which they were tied by.
They use those chains to take a stand against the rich and break the division of the privileged ones and the non-privileged ones. In conclusion, the poet is alarming himself bravely in the second line of third stanza that “they’d have me sniffed out by their beagles”. Simon speaks regarding their troops of dogs, which the rich would keep to guard their properties. Since in the beginning of the poem talks about poisoning the dogs, therefore the dogs certainly will be able to catch and he’ll get imprisoned as well as face other severe consequences.
But on the last stanza he says that “me, I stick to the shadows carry a gun”, here the poet clearly and bravely shows himself that he’s fearless and he’d hide himself from those bastards in their mansions. On the life of Man Sir Walter Raleigh This poem has been written about the life, by using extended metaphor throughout the poem. It also gives a bit of idea by looking at its title. It has been written by Sir Walter Raleigh. He has expressed his attitude and his views towards this life as a form of ‘Sacrifice’. There are other numerous views regarding this life.
I will be exploring his attitude in a strong and effective way. In the beginning, Sir Walter Raleigh asks a rhetorical question that “What is Life”. Then he gives immediate response by saying “A play of Passion”. The word “ play” is referring towards the life, meaning that how it works or it carries on etc. in this context it is blatantly giving the indication towards a theatre play. The poet has used the theatre play to show the example of life. Then he tells the situation of life, therefore he says his opinion upon saying the word “passion”.
Passion is giving the meaning of going through strong emotions and lot of sacrifices. There are many people who’d go through sacrifices in their life. The most famous example is Christ, who went through lot sacrifices, to such an extent that he died to take away his people’s sins. Later on, he states that there is a small amount of laughter or amusements takes place in our life. He compares this amusement as a small amount of time. Therefore, he says that “Our mirth the music of division. ” He indicates this back to the play, this shows that when all the actors go for a short interval.
Whilst some orchestra will appear on the stage to entertain the audiences as well as some will eat, talk, or go to the toilet. This is done so that they can split up the acts. Additionally, the poet talks about the beginning of life. He takes the human beings as actors and a place where they would get dressed. He states “Our mother’s womb the tiring houses can be”. He uses the word “womb” to link it towards the green room, and then the poet elaborates more about this point to show what happens. He states further upon saying “Where we are dressed for this short comedy”.
Sir Walter supports the view of life as short progression of time; therefore he has mentioned the word “short” as well as “comedy”. The word “comedy” refers towards a play which ends happily. Moreover, Sir Walter Raleigh identifies a link of life with God. He asserts that God is watching us sharply, thus he quotes “Heaven the judicious sharp spectator is”, he is using metaphor to make God as our audience. The poet strongly believes that he will get accounted for whatever he does in this life. Therefore, he explains further that god is looking over us continuously and judging us according to our actions.
He says “That sits and marks still who doth act amiss”. Meanwhile, the author describes the grave where everyone will end up at the end of their life. He quotes” our graves that hide us from the searching Sun”. The poet is using the word “hide” to show that the earth will be filled over us. He uses metaphor of the stage again, like the way he has mentioned at the beginning. He gives an example on saying that “ Are like drawn curtains that when the play gets done the curtain draws close, exactly the same way a life of a person ends by filling earth over him/her.
Finally, the poet ends this poem describing the progression of time. He states “thus march we playing to our latest rest”. The word “rest” shows that they’ll be in luxury in the next world, since a person has sacrificed or take this life as strong emotions. It also show that the poet is being theist based on this fact. Then on the last line he says “only we die in earnest and, that’s no jest”. He is referring towards the poem once more that, this life is nothing or it has no value to him. Therefore, he has mentioned the word “earnest” and “jest” to show that we truly die and that’s no joke nor it’s fake.