i'm really lousy at PC so you may want to get a second opinion about what i'm about to state
Themes:
1) the mindlessness of war
2) the fragility of human relations
Techniques:
1) Structure
5 stanzas of quatrains with a rhyme scheme of ababcdcdefefghghijij.
Effect: irony.
The subject matter of the poem is war and how the persona has killed someone because of that war. It is a grave matter. The structure and rhyme scheme makes the poem flow very smoothly. A stark contrast is created between the subject matter and the structure of the poem, resulting in an ironic effect. This brings up the theme of the mindlessness of war.
2) Irony
used as both at technique and as an effect to show how ridiculous war is and how people mindlessly submit to it.
3) Aposiopesis
this can be seen every time there is a dash, as in “I shot him dead because - ” and a few other lines.
Effect: uncertainty.
Amidst the structured poem, aposiopesis breaks the flow of the poem, signifying the persona’s inability to voice the reason he killed the other man. eg: in the line “Off-hand like – just as I -” the dashes break the flow of the poem and it shows the persona’s uncertainty. This brings up the theme of the mindlessness of war as the persona himself is finding it difficult to justify the reason he killed. This is justified when he says “No other reason why”. It also shows the fragility of human relations. The persona killed because of war and “no other reason why”.
4) Juxtaposition
Can be seen when comparing the first and second stanza.
Also can be seen in the tone of the poem- stanza 1 and 2 VS stanza 3 and 4.
Effect: irony.
Re stanza 1 and 2: The persona first shows what he and the other would be like outside the battle ground. He then goes on to show what he and the other were like on the battle ground. The reader sees a major difference shown in both cases involving the same people. Such great difference adds to the irony of the poem. Again, this brings up the theme of the fragility of human relations.
Re tone: the tone of the poem changes from one that is strong to one that is uncertain. Brings up the theme of the mindlessness of war and fragility of human relations.
5) masculine rhymes
as seen in “met” and “wet”, “face” and “place”…
6) Tone
The tone in the poem is made strong and sure by the use of masculine rhymes in stanza 1 and 2.
There is a change in the tone in stanza 3 and 4 due to the use of aposiopesis.
7) Repetition
seen in stanza 3- “because”
Effect: uncertainty
This uncertainty on the part of the persona adds to the ironic effect of the poem. He is on one hand trying to justify himself with a tone that shows that he is trying to be sure of what he is saying.
8 ) Personification
War is personified in the last stanza- “quaint and curious war is!”
Effect: war is shown to be as powerful as people as its quaintness and curiosity is satisfied. The reason this is so is because people allow it to. Brings up the theme of the fragility of human relations-
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