Question

Write the summary of the poem: The Soldier

Hint:

Focus on the tone and central message of the poem. The key to summarizing "The Soldier" is to capture its idealistic and patriotic tone, which contrasts sharply with later, more realistic war poetry.

Answer 1

"The Soldier" is a sonnet by Rupert Brooke, written during the early days of World War I. The speaker, an English soldier, contemplates his own death. He expresses a deeply patriotic sentiment, stating that if he should die in a foreign country, his resting place will be forever a piece of England. He believes his body, formed and shaped by England's air, rivers, and sun, will enrich the foreign soil. His thoughts are not of the horror of war but of an idealized and romantic death for his country. He sees death not as an end but as a transition where his soul, purified of all evil, will give back the English thoughts of peace, joy, and gentleness that his homeland gave him. The poem is a powerful expression of nationalistic pride and the romanticization of sacrifice.