The Man He Killed By Thomas Hardy Essay
Krystal Fail
English Comp 112
Professor Cipko
11 November 2014
“The Man He Killed” has a powerful title for a poem. An English Victorian poet from 1902, Thomas Hardy, who is against the war, wants the reader to know that he is not the one who has killed someone. Hardy characterizes the main character as a casual guy who joined the military out of hope to have a more stable lifestyle. The themes of this poem are guilt, society, and anti-war. Hardy uses good imagery while letting the reader feel as though they could picture the whole incident.
The first stanza indicates that the “he & I” meant the speaker was referring to the man he will end up killing. The speaker is saying that there could have been a possibility of the two of them being acquaintances at a pub. It was simple to recognize the speaker is reminiscing that if he was not in the military, this wouldn’t have happened. In the second stanza, the setting was serious and adrenaline-charged during the killing of the other soldier. The speaker says, “But ranged as infantry” because he is reassuring himself that he signed up for this and has to do his duties as an infantryman. Infantry is the rank of …show more content…
military that are usually called “footmen” because they are right in the front of the action marching and shooting. The third stanza implies that the speaker is comforting himself that killing that man was his duty as a soldier. The speaker is questioning his actions with guilt not knowing if he really did the right thing.
Society has a major role in his decision to enlist in the military in the fourth stanza. The speaker says that the man he killed was perhaps; very similar to himself. He enlisted in the military because he was out of work and felt that there was no other option. Society was going through economic problems which influenced many men to enlist in the military in order to provide for their families. The time period of 1902, women were not permitted to work so men were the ones supporting the household. In my own experience, being engaged to a man in the military, I learned that he joined the military for the same reason. His priority was to make a career out of being in the Army and providing for me and my son, not because he wanted to be a soldier, but he wanted to have the security of a government job. After years of being an active duty soldier, the love of my life tragically took his own life due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which very common in veterans and active duty soldiers. The speaker shows signs of PTSD while replaying the scene of killing the other man. Society in this poem is much like society today. Men and women enlist in the military not grasping the fact that they will possibly have to look “an enemy” face-to-face and kill them.
The last stanza where Hardy writes, “Yes; quaint and curious war is!” in a sarcastic tone.
The speaker is implying that this war is old-fashioned and senseless, while questioning why he is involved in such war. The speaker goes in to say that perhaps he and the man he killed would have been buddies and he may have even bought him a brew out at a pub if they met on different terms. Being Anti-War, Hardy tries to put himself in the situation of regretfully joining the military and having to kill someone. Hardy characterizes the speaker by the way he might have felt in those circumstances. It is clear that the speaker is Anti-War by the tone and guilt throughout the poem. The speaker is questioning his actions because he does not believe that he has made the right choice by enlisting in the
military.
Although there is a need for the military, one should not place their life on the line because of Society is pushing for it. Rather than feeling the Guilt of taking someone’s life when one does not agree with the war in the first place is corrupt. Hardy explains the feelings of those soldiers who are Anti-War in an in-depth view. Overall, this poem was a good way to see other viewpoints on how the soldiers who are financially forced to enlist feel about the things they’ve done or seen.
Works Cited
Hardy, Thomas. "The Man He Killed." Poetry Magazine. Poetry Foundation. 2013. Web. 4 Sept.
2013.
English Comp 112
Professor Cipko
11 November 2014
“The Man He Killed” has a powerful title for a poem. An English Victorian poet from 1902, Thomas Hardy, who is against the war, wants the reader to know that he is not the one who has killed someone. Hardy characterizes the main character as a casual guy who joined the military out of hope to have a more stable lifestyle. The themes of this poem are guilt, society, and anti-war. Hardy uses good imagery while letting the reader feel as though they could picture the whole incident.
The first stanza indicates that the “he & I” meant the speaker was referring to the man he will end up killing. The speaker is saying that there could have been a possibility of the two of them being acquaintances at a pub. It was simple to recognize the speaker is reminiscing that if he was not in the military, this wouldn’t have happened. In the second stanza, the setting was serious and adrenaline-charged during the killing of the other soldier. The speaker says, “But ranged as infantry” because he is reassuring himself that he signed up for this and has to do his duties as an infantryman. Infantry is the rank of …show more content…
military that are usually called “footmen” because they are right in the front of the action marching and shooting. The third stanza implies that the speaker is comforting himself that killing that man was his duty as a soldier. The speaker is questioning his actions with guilt not knowing if he really did the right thing.
Society has a major role in his decision to enlist in the military in the fourth stanza. The speaker says that the man he killed was perhaps; very similar to himself. He enlisted in the military because he was out of work and felt that there was no other option. Society was going through economic problems which influenced many men to enlist in the military in order to provide for their families. The time period of 1902, women were not permitted to work so men were the ones supporting the household. In my own experience, being engaged to a man in the military, I learned that he joined the military for the same reason. His priority was to make a career out of being in the Army and providing for me and my son, not because he wanted to be a soldier, but he wanted to have the security of a government job. After years of being an active duty soldier, the love of my life tragically took his own life due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which very common in veterans and active duty soldiers. The speaker shows signs of PTSD while replaying the scene of killing the other man. Society in this poem is much like society today. Men and women enlist in the military not grasping the fact that they will possibly have to look “an enemy” face-to-face and kill them.
The last stanza where Hardy writes, “Yes; quaint and curious war is!” in a sarcastic tone.
The speaker is implying that this war is old-fashioned and senseless, while questioning why he is involved in such war. The speaker goes in to say that perhaps he and the man he killed would have been buddies and he may have even bought him a brew out at a pub if they met on different terms. Being Anti-War, Hardy tries to put himself in the situation of regretfully joining the military and having to kill someone. Hardy characterizes the speaker by the way he might have felt in those circumstances. It is clear that the speaker is Anti-War by the tone and guilt throughout the poem. The speaker is questioning his actions because he does not believe that he has made the right choice by enlisting in the
military.
Although there is a need for the military, one should not place their life on the line because of Society is pushing for it. Rather than feeling the Guilt of taking someone’s life when one does not agree with the war in the first place is corrupt. Hardy explains the feelings of those soldiers who are Anti-War in an in-depth view. Overall, this poem was a good way to see other viewpoints on how the soldiers who are financially forced to enlist feel about the things they’ve done or seen.
Works Cited
Hardy, Thomas. "The Man He Killed." Poetry Magazine. Poetry Foundation. 2013. Web. 4 Sept.
2013.