analysis of home they brought her warrior dead

Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead

Summary
Tennyson imagines that a lady of high birth in ancient times receives the dead body of her husband, killed in a battle. When they brought her husband-the slain warrior- home, the lady neither fainted nor cried out. All the servant girls who were watching her at this time said that she must either weep or she will die in sorrow. Her servant-women are afraid when they see that she does not move or shed tears, and try to make her weep by reminding her of her husband. All the servant girls praised their dead master in a soft and a low voice and said that he is worthy of all their love. He is the best and the truest friend and noble and diplomatic even towards his sworn enemies. Yet she did not hear them speak and she herself did not speak nor moved. Then another servant girl moved quietly from her place where she was mourning and went quietly to the altar where the slain body of the warrior laid. She took off the cloth covering the face of the dead warrior for the lady to see but she did not break down into tears nor moved. Finally, an old nurse of ninety years old came up with the most noble idea. She took the newly born child of the warrior and placed it on the lady's knees. Then suddenly like an out break of heavy rain, thunder and lightning of summer, she broke down into solid tears and wept profusely. She looked at her child and vowed to continue living and watch her child grow. In the old nurse solution, Tennyson shows a good knowledge of the workings of the mother's heart.

Commentary
There are so many people who give their lives for the sake of the country. The soldiers posted into war wake up each day not knowing if that day would be their last. Their families suffer, day in and out and hoping that their beloved ones are safe. This poem bows to us, the soldier, who places his country above everything else including near and dear family for his supreme sacrifice in times of peace and also in war. This poem by Tennyson drips of sorrow and is based on the family of a soldier, dead, and has a very silent and poignant feel to it. In the background of love and affection and the veins of death, the coupled factors delineate the reactions wore by the people gathered around the carcass of a warrior in the pre-funeral functions. His young and beautiful widow is not giving signs of depression or pain even though she carries a crushed heart. The maidens praised him “soft and low”; they said that he is a good noble man; a true friend toward his friends, and noble toward his enemy. Here the poet has not made any exaggerations or so much of poetic effects. But the genuine reason why it has a touchy value in every heart is the simplicity. The poem depicts in it an ever-green truth. ‘Look forward to the future. Regret about past life weakens one and the hope for the future strengthens the desire to live’. The character specialties of the warrior in the poem is described here with proper stress through which the poet possibly enhances the readers to be honest, faithful, noble and most importantly patriotic and dedicative. The poem also depicts the faithfulness of the Victorian women toward their husbands and family. This poem is truly relevant in the present day society lacking moral values.

Form
The poem consists of 4 stanzas, each of 4 lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB. The meter is iambic tetrameter. The poem is very simple structured.

Imagery
The poem is very simple, yet, the poet uses certain keywords that have a deep meaning in it:
HOME: The word “home” is fully capitalized to drag our attention to it. It’s a symbol of love, security, passion, and peace of mind. The word denotes that home is everything for the family and the whole society.
Her Warrior: The word “warrior” denotes that the man is a great and honorable man who supports, protects, and defends his country. However, the pronoun “her” relates the warrior to his wife; meaning that he is not only a warrior for his country, but also for his wife and family. It also means that she needs him and that she is weak and vulnerable without hm.

Dead: The word dead is a catastrophic word. The poet didn’t use wound or hurt, but dead. The sound of the word on the wife put her into a psychological shock, that’s why she didn’t swoon or cry. Ninety years: The poet’s use of the number ninety here denotes wisdom and experience. He means to say that this old lady is experienced; during her life, she must have witnessed such cases like this. That’s why she was the only one able of making the wife cry. “Sweet my child, I live for thee.”
This line gives the moral of the poem. It shows the loyalty and faithfulness of the Victorian woman who supports her family and is willing to sacrifice herself for the sack of her children.

The poet also uses antithesis to assert the idea and make it clear. This is shown in:
Soft and low
Friend and foe

There is simile in line 15 “Like summer tempest came her tears”.
The poet here compares the tears of the wife to a storm in summer in that both come heavily.

There is alliteration in
Home & her /h/
Weep & will /w/
Friend & foe /f/
Nurse & ninety /n/
Tempest & tears /t/