War poems – 995 words – College Essay Example

taken to the hospital. Although his condition was initially low, it was soon expected to improve. Despite the hopeful expectations of Pete's siblings, their mother knew that her son was already dead, thousands of miles away from their Ohio home. Though Pete's death had the biggest impact on their mom rather than the loss of a potential farm heir.

During the day, she doesn't eat, sleeps poorly at night and becomes isolated. Unfortunately, the only solution for her insanity is to follow her deceased son into the afterlife. This is the only way for her to be reunited with him. Thomas Hardy's poem "Drummer Hodge" also demonstrates the foolishness and agony of war. Hardy, who hailed from Dorchester, gained fame with his works including the 1874 novel "Far From the Madding Crowd".

Back in 1899, he observed as soldiers headed towards South Africa and composed a series of Bore War verses, celebrated for their astuteness and sensitivity. After stumbling upon news of the demise of a drummer boy who hailed from a settlement situated near Dorchester in his local publication in Dorset, Hardy resolved to employ the word 'Hodge' (a term for a rustic) to communicate through his poem the sorrow of a boy who lacked understanding of war and was interred miles away from his hometown on an unfamiliar terrain. The commanding terms 'throw in', 'uncoffined' and 'they' demonstrate the frigidity of the funeral.

The process of ceremoniously burying each corpse is deemed too time-consuming, resulting in them being thrown in as they are found. This highlights the cruelty shown towards Hodge, who failed to comprehend the significance of the fight for 'the broad Karoo', which refers

to the dry uplands of South Africa. The use of indigenous words such as 'Veldt' and 'Kopje-crest' enhances the harsh reality of the poem and emphasises the foreignness of these terms. Additionally, it offers a clearer depiction of what is being communicated.

Harvey believes that Hodge's death is more strange than tragic because he had no idea what he was getting into, unlike most military servers. "His homely breast and brain Grow to some southern tree" suggests that a young boy from the north of England, thousands of miles from the fighting, is now contributing to a Southern tree's growth. Hardy also wrote "A wife in London," another Boer War poem. It depicts a lonely woman anxiously waiting for news of her husband fighting in South Africa, referred to as "the far southern land" in the poem. The woman's thoughts are with her husband, who is thousands of miles away, as indicated by the dulled and damp description of her emotions.

Having finally heard the knock of the messages, she quickly scans through the writings, much like the mother in 'Come up From the fields Father.' The meaning of the flashed news dozes her until she reaches the conclusive line, 'he-has-fallen-in the far southern land.' Hardy further emphasizes the geographical distance of the couple with his use of the phrase 'far south land', referring to South Africa.

The story presents a twist of fate where the wife believes her husband is dead, although he's alive but stuck in the hospital. This highlights how war and its consequences can victimize people even from miles away. War is a powerful event that continues to affect people across generations and media,

including books, films, songs, poems, detailed pictures, and cartoons. This diverse range demonstrates the universal impact of war and its accurate portrayal in words, sometimes even surpassing visual representation.