The Man He Killed is a poem written by Thomas Hardy in 1902. The poem is written from the perspective of a soldier who has just killed another man in battle. The soldier reflects on the man he killed and the circumstances that led to their confrontation.
The poem begins with the soldier stating that the man he killed was someone he "met but yesterday." This suggests that the soldier did not personally know the man he killed and that their meeting was purely a result of the circumstances of war. The soldier then goes on to describe the man he killed as "poor devil," implying that the man was not a willing participant in the conflict and was just caught up in the violence of war.
The soldier then reflects on the irony of their situation, stating that "if he thought he'd 'a' done as much / At such a time, he might have saved his life." This line suggests that the soldier believes that if the man he killed had acted in self-defense and killed him first, he might have survived the confrontation. This highlights the random and unpredictable nature of war and the way in which it can bring people together in violent and unexpected ways.
As the poem continues, the soldier begins to question the reasons behind the conflict and the justification for the violence. He wonders why they are fighting and what they are fighting for, stating that "I shot him as he fled— / It was as if we were two ships, of course." This metaphor suggests that the soldier and the man he killed were like two ships passing in the night, each on their own course and with no personal connection to one another. The soldier's use of the word "of course" implies that he sees the violence of war as a given and that he does not question the necessity of it.
The final stanza of the poem is particularly powerful as the soldier grapples with the guilt and sadness he feels over the man he killed. He states that he "dream[s] of the old-stone savage" and that he "could see his face," suggesting that the man he killed haunts him in his dreams. The soldier also describes the man as "pitted-faced," possibly implying that the man had scars or other physical markings from the violence of war.
In conclusion, The Man He Killed is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that reflects on the human cost of war and the way in which it can bring people together in unexpected and tragic ways. Through the perspective of the soldier, Hardy highlights the random and meaningless nature of violence and the way in which it can leave a lasting impact on those who are involved in it.
The Man He Killed Summary
Hardy is examining the morals of war and the inhuman, mindless killers it turns its participants into. Humanity and civilization demand cooperation and harmony among human beings and these thoughts are well-reflected in this poem. In this poem, the sound is not really outstanding, in the beginning and the end, which is soft and full of felling of sympathetic. Thomas Hardy is a poet born in England, who died at the age of 87 in Dorset. The main action in the poem takes place here.
"The Man He Killed" Poetry Analysis
In this poem, Thomas Hardy constructs a narrator who is still preoccupied with thoughts of human life he devastated while serving his country in the war. War is definately strange to me. Yes, unusually old-fashioned and mysterious war is! Thus, the speaker implies, two men might have been friends, drinking together and enjoying one another's company. The poem is spoken in first person, using the soldier as the speaker. Thomas Hardy explained the stupidity of war by thinking about the things that were the same between the two men, who were enemies. Thomas Hardy explores the futility of war in his poem "The Man He Killed" by displaying the similarities between two men who called oneanother their 'foe.
The Man He Killed, Thomas Hardy Poem Analysis/Annotations
The poem is written in a conversational tone, with speech marks included, making us feel that the soldier is telling us personally in an informal way, and debating with us to understand his action in killing his enemy. No requests for explanation or general short comments allowed. Stanza 4: In this stanza, the narrator mentions the reason what would make his victim fight on the frontline. This defines a hopeless tone that is set into the plot of the novel. Regardless of rationale, hate is a powerful emotion that can cause people to turn on one another and in turn to do drastic and terrible things.
The Man He Killed Poem Analysis
The three selections also give examples of how they follow good poetry. The poem is written in a conversational tone, with speech marks included, making us feel that the soldier is telling us personally in an informal way, and debating with us to understand his action in killing his enemy. That is because this poem's written in a pretty strict meter and it follows a strict rhyme scheme as well. Both men were just doing their duty, the speaker implies. The Premature Burial is about a mans fear of being buried alive. They met in some other place, and it wasn't over drinks. You shoot a fellow down You'd treat, if met where any bar is, Or help to half a crown.
Analysis: the Man He Killed
It makes us wonder what happened to humanity? This verse is the introduction to the poem. The lack of wealth and self-worth unemployment gives them drives them to enlist, just like hardship forces people towards drugs and gambling. Yes, war is strange, the speaker muses. In the first stanza, the poet said if they had met the man he killed at an inn or a bar, he would gladly have shared a few drinks with that man he killed. In the first stanza of the poem, the narrator suggests that if he met the man in a bar while not in a war then they would be surely having a drink together. Staring Gazing Foe Enemy Quaint Strange; unusual. I shot and killed him because he was my enemy.
Stanza
A Posted on 2010-09-15 by a guest. These metaphors are not specifically hard; they are just adjectives that we uses in our everyday life. He is telling several stories in different points of views, of things that happened to him and his buddies while at war and on how you or someone else might believe or not believe a true war story. You shoot a fellow down you'd treat, if met where any bar is, 0r help to half a crown. There is no magnificent oversimplification of war in the poem regarding grandeur, martyr and battle scenes. Apparently, the speaker possessed the better aim or speed, for the other man fell down dead right where he stood. ANS : The poet has displayed his viewpoint of humanism, universal love, and mutual happiness in the poem.
