Poem 'the Soldier' by Rupert Brook

The Soldier

The poem 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke is about patriotism and sacrifice, it is about an English soldier who goes to war for the love of his country. This poem justifies the soldier's reasons for fighting. When Brooke says "If I should die, think only this of me: that there's a corner of some foreign field That is forever England." We can see the soldier's thoughts of his possible death, these thoughts must be shared by all soldiers who go to war. The line shows that war in its nature means death and the soldier still goes, accepting his fate for love of his country. When Brooke says "there's a corner of some foreign field That is forever England. There shall be in that rich earth a richer dust concealed." He believes that the ground he dies on will be made better, because he died there and it now holds the soul of a great man who died for his country. "A dust whom England bore, shaped, and made aware; Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam Washed by the rivers, blessed by the suns of home." This shows that England was his land of birth and it shaped him into the person he is. It influenced his thoughts and beliefs, it taught him about loyalty and honour. His death will be forever blest by his country, and his soul will be immortal, because he fought for England.

Examples of imagery that Brooke uses in this poem to make his point are: "Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam." This line creates images of a beautiful woman cherishing and caressing the man who stands at her side. Also "Washed by the rivers, blessed by the suns of home." This line creates feelings of peacefulness and a unity with nature. And "Her sights and sounds, dreams as happy as her day." This line gets the reader to see and feel things that the author feels and believes about his beloved England.

Symbolism also plays a key role in this poem, examples are: "And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness." - we know that the land does not laugh and is not gentle, therefore this symbolises how wonderful a place England is to live in. Also in the lines "If I should die, think only this of me: that there's a corner of some foreign field That is forever England. There shall be in that rich earth a richer dust concealed." As mentioned earlier, Brooke believes that his dust will somehow enrich the land because it will now have a piece of England in it.

The two things this poem uses to evoke feelings in people are death and love. They help to create an image in the poem of a man who is very brave and would do anything for his country, including dying. The character in the poem truly believes in his country. He describes England by saying "And think, this heart, all evil shed away." These words show that the soldier believes that his country is the