The Redeemer
Sean Stix
1E-1
The Redeemer Siegfried Sassoon’s “The Redeemer” portrays a realistically believable encounter with the figure of Christ as an English soldier amidst the horror of the front line. “The Redeemer” opens up describing what it is like on the front line. Sassoon uses words such as “Darkness” “sluiced” and “mire” (1) to show the horrible conditions on the “mid-winter night” that is associated with sadness and melancholy. The first stanza tells us that the spirits of these men were crushed and they were hopeless and how there is nothing new going on day by day. In the next stanza, the soldier is amidst a terrible storm that he hates so dearly, when suddenly he turns and sees the Christ. The second stanza is the first time that Christ is mentioned (line 14). The reason why this is done is to build up how much the men need someone divine to help them out. Sassoon rightfully used phrases such as “leaning forward from His burdening task, both arms supporting it; His eyes on mine stared from the woeful head that seemed a mask of mortal pain in Hell’s unholy shrine.” (14-18). This description of Christ shows how strong he is even through a great amount of pain and His “burdening task” (15). The third stanza shows that even though He is divine and very powerful, He is also human. Sassoon describes Christ as “white and strong” (20) because every regular English person had white skin, yet He is different because of His strength. Line 21 does a similar thing and shows that Christ and “any simple chap” are the same because they both love their country. Sassoon shows Christ is very passionate for his country and will do what he must to save it, but can still endure pain in line 25-27, “he’ll endure horror and pain, not uncontent to die that Lancaster on Lune may stand secure.” In the second line of the fourth stanza, “Shouldering his load of planks” represents the cross He carried to redeem us in a realistic and modern way by using a load of planks instead of a big
1E-1
The Redeemer Siegfried Sassoon’s “The Redeemer” portrays a realistically believable encounter with the figure of Christ as an English soldier amidst the horror of the front line. “The Redeemer” opens up describing what it is like on the front line. Sassoon uses words such as “Darkness” “sluiced” and “mire” (1) to show the horrible conditions on the “mid-winter night” that is associated with sadness and melancholy. The first stanza tells us that the spirits of these men were crushed and they were hopeless and how there is nothing new going on day by day. In the next stanza, the soldier is amidst a terrible storm that he hates so dearly, when suddenly he turns and sees the Christ. The second stanza is the first time that Christ is mentioned (line 14). The reason why this is done is to build up how much the men need someone divine to help them out. Sassoon rightfully used phrases such as “leaning forward from His burdening task, both arms supporting it; His eyes on mine stared from the woeful head that seemed a mask of mortal pain in Hell’s unholy shrine.” (14-18). This description of Christ shows how strong he is even through a great amount of pain and His “burdening task” (15). The third stanza shows that even though He is divine and very powerful, He is also human. Sassoon describes Christ as “white and strong” (20) because every regular English person had white skin, yet He is different because of His strength. Line 21 does a similar thing and shows that Christ and “any simple chap” are the same because they both love their country. Sassoon shows Christ is very passionate for his country and will do what he must to save it, but can still endure pain in line 25-27, “he’ll endure horror and pain, not uncontent to die that Lancaster on Lune may stand secure.” In the second line of the fourth stanza, “Shouldering his load of planks” represents the cross He carried to redeem us in a realistic and modern way by using a load of planks instead of a big