Post by Admin on Oct 4, 2016 18:58:21 GMT
Theme:
Anti-war poem. The poet is angry at the officers, (majors, generals, colonels) the higher ranks in the army who had privileged lives,
“guzzling and gulping in the best hotels”
While the young soldiers fought at the front line and lost their lives, in World War 1.
“Reading the roll of honour; poor young chap”
Thousands of young men lost their lives, while the officers,
“Toddle safely home and die - in bed”
Tone/Mood:
Sassoon is bitter and angry at the officers. He mocks them, their appearance.
“fat”, “bald”, “short of breath”, “puffy petulant faces”
The tone is extremely ironic. He speaks in the tone of an army major, or pretending he wants to be one. This allows him to show us what the army majors are like.
“speed glum heroes up the line to death”
Pun:
‘Base’ Details. There is a pun on the word, ‘Base’. Base can mean ‘army base’, ‘headquarters’ or base also refers to something that is inferior, unworthy, low standard. Sassoon is suggesting that the army majors are base, base in character, unworthy people.
Rhyme:
Regular end of line rhyme pattern. Every second line rhymes - breath/death, base/face, dead/bed, chap/scrap.
Rhyme adds to the meaning of the poem.
Alliteration:
Reading/Roll/ - rolling sound - indicates all who died in the war.
Onomatopoeia:
“guzzling”, “gulping” indicates that the officers are only interested in drinking, only having a good time.
Imagery:
Unattractive visual images of the majors.
“scarlet majors”, “puffy petulant face”
Anti-war poem. The poet is angry at the officers, (majors, generals, colonels) the higher ranks in the army who had privileged lives,
“guzzling and gulping in the best hotels”
While the young soldiers fought at the front line and lost their lives, in World War 1.
“Reading the roll of honour; poor young chap”
Thousands of young men lost their lives, while the officers,
“Toddle safely home and die - in bed”
Tone/Mood:
Sassoon is bitter and angry at the officers. He mocks them, their appearance.
“fat”, “bald”, “short of breath”, “puffy petulant faces”
The tone is extremely ironic. He speaks in the tone of an army major, or pretending he wants to be one. This allows him to show us what the army majors are like.
“speed glum heroes up the line to death”
Pun:
‘Base’ Details. There is a pun on the word, ‘Base’. Base can mean ‘army base’, ‘headquarters’ or base also refers to something that is inferior, unworthy, low standard. Sassoon is suggesting that the army majors are base, base in character, unworthy people.
Rhyme:
Regular end of line rhyme pattern. Every second line rhymes - breath/death, base/face, dead/bed, chap/scrap.
Rhyme adds to the meaning of the poem.
Alliteration:
Reading/Roll/ - rolling sound - indicates all who died in the war.
Onomatopoeia:
“guzzling”, “gulping” indicates that the officers are only interested in drinking, only having a good time.
Imagery:
Unattractive visual images of the majors.
“scarlet majors”, “puffy petulant face”
