The Whisperings of the War A poem is composed of a general theme that sets the mood. The mood of the poem varies form happy to sad, anger to pleasant, or many others. The theme is a general overview of what the poem is stating, but the poem itself has a much deeper meaning and stands for valuable interpretation. Among the words and phrases of a poem, there are certain characteristics and underlying ideas that need to be noticed in order for the poem to be understood. The use of war is a general theme used very often. The following authors and there poems use the theme of war: Rupert Brooke’s, “The Soldier”; Wilfred Owen’s, “Anthem for Doomed Youth”; and William Butler Yeats’, “An Irish Foresees His Death”. Even though the three poems use the theme of war, they seem to be whispering other underlying ideas which are patriotism, realism, and destiny.Robert Brooke’s poem, “The Soldier” is a great representation for the patriotism of an English soldier. At the time that the poem war written, World War I was in full force, so that may have affected Brooke’s to write this poem. The poem is written from the aspect of an English soldier. Throughout the poem, implications of patriotism are subjected through the words chosen. “If I should die, think only this of me/ That there’s some corner of a foreign field/ That is for ever England. There shall be/ In that rich earth a richer dust concealed” (320). Brooke’s portrays this soldier to be willing to die for his country, just so he will be able to add to England’s victory. The soldier feels that his life will be held in honor and that his bones are much more valuable than some piece of land. Also, the soldier thinks that when he dies, he will be leaving a little piece of England there on the battlefield, making it a better place. Brooke’s describes patriotism very well and the mindset ...
