Rupert Brooke - The Soldier - Analysis. Poetry Lecture by Dr. Andrew Barker 

Literally , this is the best poem analysis.. The fact that there isn't many explanation and analysis of other poems makes me sad ...

Sir , You are the spitting image of Rupert brooke.😇

One can go on listening to your lecture for ever,such a passionate way of looking at poetry.Thanks a much.

From my knowledge, Rupert Brooke had not experienced even a day of front-line combat. Rather, he died from a mosquito bite infection en route to one and was buried in an olive grove on the island of Skyros. It’s ironic that he should die this way when all he wanted was fighting a glorious battle for his country, as expressed in this poem, written a year before he set sail for war. Indeed, The Soldier is very idealistic about war. But I am not convinced that it has everything to do with Brooke’s ‘imperialist leanings’, or the contemporaries’ failure to recognize the potential scale of a general war and the possible heavy casualties involved in it. I am more inclined instead to think his idealism, or optimism if you like, has to do with his, as well as his contemporaries’, desire for war, which was glorified as heroic and manly in the early 1900s and offered escape from the so many problems besetting their country around that time - problems creating from modernity such as social disparity and moral and physical degeneracy as a result of urbanization and industrialization. Unable to find solutions at home, the British, especially the educated elites, looked to war as a panacea for these problems. Brooke, as the president of the Fabien Society that promoted a moral reconstruction of society according to socialist principles, was one of them for sure. In addition to that, Brooke and so many other elite Britons wanted a war from the bottom of their hearts without a fear for death because they were brought up on heroic classics such as Peter Pan, which promotes the idea that ‘to die would be an awfully big adventure’; and were fuelled by the 20th century Futurist movement, whose followers such as the painter Marinetti regarded mass destruction of modern war as ‘the world’s only hygiene’. I didn’t know the poem was originally called ‘The Recruit’. But the knowledge of this only confirms my reading of this poem - that it is not a recruiting, or propagandist poem. Britain did not have conscription before 1916. In other words, soldiers before that - Brooke included - were voluntary recruits. I believe the ‘recruit’, and later the ‘soldier’ in the title refers to none other than Brooke himself; and that he’s using this poem to reflect his feverish excitement of going to war - an excitement that was shared by many of his fellow Britons. If the poem is less about promoting ‘a civilising mission’ and more about an expedition for a way out of the problems stemming from modernity, then we should have little difficulty in decoding the pronounced religious elements in the concluding sestet. Would one with hopes of a grand empire on earth in mind envisioning a more graceful afterlife in heaven? I should think not. I believe what Brooke is trying to say in the poem is that when (if) he dies he would be in a better place - in heaven - where ‘all evil’, the decadence of modern society, would ‘shed away’; and the things being taken away - ‘Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness’ - all the great attributes of Britain before her decay, would be given back; and his heart would eventually find peace again.

I'm going to present a presentation about the analysis of this poem on Monday; this lecture is really wonderfully useful for me. THANK YOU

Yes, Dr Andrew you are the spit of Robert Brooke!

Throughout the poem, the poet repeatedly mentions “England” by name - six times in all. The patriotic message of the poem is quite obvious as the poet portrays death for one’s motherland as a noble end. Though the poem is written in the pre-war period, it is not about war. Rather, it is about England. The poet expresses that his love for England is equivalent to a son’s love for his mother. Added, I think the poet is highly optimistic and patriotic since he believes that the English value and the pride of being an English which offer them courage and pluck will last forever.

my grandma is 85 with borderline alzheimers. She loves Rupert Brooke so I put this on for her, and she loves it

I have to write a term paper comparing "The Soldier" and "Dulce et Decorum est" at the moment. Your lectures are so helpful, thanks a lot!

my grandma is 85 with borderline alzheimer's. She loves Rupert Brooke so I put this lecture on for her and she loves it

I'm a dtudent of Literature in Spain and, thank you so much, it's a great helpful to me!!

I like the way that this poem can be interpreted in several perspectives. Between the lines, Rupert Brooke is convincing the young soldiers that their possible death will make tribute to his home country and will never be a waste: It is an honour to die for one's country. While at the same time, I am surprised that Brooke acknowledges the evilness of soldiering which involves killing, when one dies, "all evil shed away", yet he is supposed to convince others.

Dr andrew. why is it that you look like Brooke? scary

Great presentation and very useful to non-English teachers and students. Thanks a lot!

Perfectly explained and interpreted by Dr. Barker. Useful to present the poem to students of Literature. Thanks a lot Dr, Barker!!!!

I wouldn’t say he’s proud to die, it’s more of a statement of comfort I believe, comforting his mother / family or even sweetheart possibly, England it’s self takes on the maternal/caring familiar role for me, how he refers to “her” and “suns of home” remind me of and invoke a sense of brotherhood and kinship, along with its literal meaning of the sun light, the poem invokes a spiritual connection, an unbreakable connection to a land rooted in what I would consider Christian values “gentleness” and no evil, and on one that no matter where on earth it will be preserved and concealed.

Thank you very much! Your lecture was wonderful!

Tremendously clear and a godsend for essays!

Great lecture! Thank you. I’ll share it with my students.

Really intelligent analysis! Thank you for that!

Thank you so much for this lecture. I have always seen this as a poem encouraging and supporting the idea of war. Your insight was highly appreciated and the fact that Brooke experienced a single day of combat and then died right before experiencing warfare makes this poem tenfold more insulting to every soldier actually experienced the grotesque consequences of war. Owen is one of my favourite poets. Your reading of Dulce et decorum est gave me chills and brought me to tears. That poem is what war actually is, ugly and brutal.

nice one man i needed this for my school end of unit test thanks!!

Rupert Brooke is my ancestor!

A very nice video, a clear explanation and a great reading voice. Thank you!

Excellent critique, insightful and very enjoyable lecture

It seems like a poem about war, but actually it can be a love poem. The line “Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam.” This line evokes the image of a beautiful lady who is cherishing and caressing the man. On the other hand, symbolism plays an important role in this poem, for example, ''and laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness.” we all know that the land does not laugh and is not gentle obviously, and actually he is trying to tell us that, England is a awesome place.

This lecture is really wonderful & Thanks a lot.....

Great explanation sir i hv been watching ur videos since 2018 it helped me alot thanks alot once again

Superb!!! Thank you very much!!!!!

A wonderful lecturer indeed

Greetings from Texas. I did enjoy it very much, your lecture. Thank you. I found this after I fished reading today, George Dangerfield’s THE STRANGE DEATH OF LIBERAL ENGLAND. The English gentile civility with which politicians made catastrophic policies, seems to me to to be something still idolized by the British and thought by the British to be unique only to them. Here, in Texas its the extreme opposite: primitive ruthlessness is what is glorified. It seems, however, the outcomes remain the same.

you are so helpful and so intelligent

ありがとう。楽しめました。

Brilliant.

thank you!! very helpful =]

Thank you

When I read this poem, the line “blest by suns of home” particularly sounds peculiar to me for I have been to England and it was always cloudy even in summer. The poet is probably a patriot to praise England in almost everything with such superiority. However, I do not quite see this as a recruiting poem. The line “That there’s some corner of a foreign field/ That is forever England” gives a very strong certainty of victory even the war has not yet started. I would think this is a eulogy of victory if I do not know it was written before the start of WWI. Considering it was composed in 1914, I would agree with the interpretation that this is a love poem to England.

The fact that i am a distance mode student. So we only need to go and give the exams. Your lecture sir really satisfy my urge .

Obviously, the poem is ambiguous to different readers with different background. But for me, I think it is a love poem because I do not share the same background of the English young people at that time. The first impression that this poet has given me through this poem is that he is a peaceful person. He talks about gentleness, peace and heaven. By comparing this poem to other war poems you have included in the video, the words used in this poem is more peaceful and calm to me. Moreover, you have given some background information of the poet that he has not experienced any warfares, the interpretation of looking at the poem at a love poem has become even more convincing to me. Still, the ambiguity of the poem is very interesting, and it can only be revealed once you read it out. Imagine that line "Suns of home" was being read in front of the crowd at the First World War period, young people would definitely be encouraged by this line and join the army, since they might have misheard that line. Before watching this video, I did not notice the use of the word 'dust' has implied biblical meanings in it and the technique used to answer to another poem at the first stanza. Thank you for giving us the background information of the poem, as well as reading it out with emotions that the poet really wanted to poem to be read, this helps me to understand the poem and provide another perspective for me to interpret the poem.

Thank you Sir

Sir please give a analysis on "Now the leaves are falling fast" a poem by W.H Auden. I really enjoyed ur lecture.Became huge fan of urs(Indian)

Sir,you look ptetty much like Rupert Brooke.. Amazing

pretty good but he missed some details and a few questionable interpretations "English ways" seems far more likely to just mean "English mannerisms" or "characteristics", consider that in context with his general wish to go (possibly die) somewhere far away and "roam" could refer to his "English liberties", to be contrasted with Prussian/Austrian paternal autocracy. (as perceived by Brooke) compare "English sun" to "sun never sets", as poetic device The choice of "dust" (note: Hardy also uses "dusty loam") as a way corpse/body is much earlier than Hardy. Considering the themes of military death, it's likely referencing the burial service from the Book of Common Prayer: "we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." (1662 ver.) This takes the "dust" metaphor from the frequent use of the word in the KJV (1611 version used here for historicity with the BoCP): "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, & breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a liuing soule." (Gen. 2:7), "And Abraham answered, and said, Behold now, I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes." (Gen. 18:27), etc. Even the idea of bodily "dust" fertilizing the earth can be found in the KJV: "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South." (Gen. 28:14) However, using "mud" would also give the same Biblical allusion, though likely not as familiar to English Protestants. While the Masoretic text, Samaritan Torah, and the Septuagint all use terms that translate to "dust", the Vulgate uses "limo" ("mud", "slime"). English Vulgate translations maintain "limo": Wycliffe used "sliym" and "the Douay-Rheims uses "slime". Why would a "post-colonial reading" see "all evil shed away" as referring to his living heart when he just died in the previous stanza? How about his sin is shed away as he dies and ascends. (referred to as 'katharsis in Orthodox Christianity) "Pulse of the eternal mind" refers to that Brooke has ascended and united with God ('theosis' in Orthodoxy) and that a small part (a "pulse", i.e. Brooke's soul) of the Godhead thinks on England. He's giving back the thoughts, i.e. repaying the thoughts given by England to him, because he died. (which was certainly true, see Churchill's obituary for Brooke in The Times) Brooke did know enough Greek to perform The Eumenides at Cambridge and English Poets going back to Byron often had a fascination with Greek "mysticism". Theosis also influenced Protestant theology much more than Catholic: Lancelot Andrewes uses the phrase "partake His divine nature" and union with Christ ("unio cum Christo") was a key concept in Calvin's writing. So I don't think the idea that Brooke would be directly or indirectly familiar with the concepts of katharsis and theosis would be unfounded. Also while Brooke did not see practically any combat, it is worth remembering that 1/3 of all soldier deaths in WW1 were caused by disease, as was Brooke's. In any case, I think "Peace" is a far more telling example of the British "Augusterlebnis" than "The Soldier".

For me, reading this poem as a love poem to England was more convincing. I won't deny that the poem itself or the content of the poem has some backgrounds of colonialism because we can easily see that this poem contains some sentences that show his awareness of superiority of 'Englishness'. However, I think that's not the poet wanted to reveal. I think that awareness came from his strong patriotism. Even though it may seem like glamorizing war for some people, I would say that he is expressing his love and pride as an English because of the privilege that he was given by England. We cannot say that it's just jingoism or glorification of warfare just because the poet himself was not a veteran, fighting and experiencing the awful warfare.It's a totally different poem with Dulce et Decorum est which shows an awfulness of war but since literature shows a lot of different aspects even with the same thing, I would say that it's definitely a love poem to beloved England from a privileged English young man who never experienced an awfulness or flaws of his country. Since he is showing his patriotism towards England strongly, he might want to appeal and request to other people in his country to feel the same thing as he did and to ask them to show their respect and love by joining the army and protecting England. I think it can also be a devoting poem for respectful soldiers at that time who would protect his country(even if the poem was written before the first war because protecting the country doesn't necessarily mean participating in warfare) and that's probably why it is still famous poem used for eulogy in the funeral for departed soldiers.

Nice explanation

Before the war period, many British people believed that the war could bring them better lives. I think it is normal that as a youngster, Brooke had a strong sentiment on his home country as this is where he was born and raised. The uniqueness of being an English is also promoted till now, it is a kind of imperialism that they always believe themselves as the most privileged ones, and this sentiment is being taken advantage of when it's to recruit soldiers. For example in Hong Kong, some younger generation will tend to be more violent and aggressive when talking about politics, I think this sense of protecting their own city is similar to how the teens reacted during Brooke's time. But besides the hot-blooded side of this poem, I can also see many romanticised parts. The repeated use of 'England' and 'English' are to remind the audience of their identity and responsibilities as citizens. And the way he used words with positive image like 'love', 'blest', 'suns', 'home', 'happy', are to evoke emotions of the readers.

Thanks, this helped me with my GCSE revition

Thanks for your teaching! In my opinion, this sonnet is quite special because most of the sonnets that I've heard before are usually about love or the one the poet loves. This one reminds me of love also but it's the love to the poet's country: the idea of patriotism. Combining the historical background of Robert Brooke and the era that he is in, it is not too difficult to understand why he has such a yearning to terminate all evils as United Kingdom is the most powerful country of the world in that period of time. Those biblical allusion that he uses in the sonnet can probably prove that he has faith in Catholic idea of Manifest Destiny which is a kind of catalyst to boost him to such high level of patriotism. When he writes this sonnet, he is still a young folk. It is no wonder that he would think that by killing all evils in the world we could make a better place. It is quite crestfallen to know that he died so young because of the infection. If he could be through the coming European War, I can assume that he would have a totally different perspective of the idea of Manifest Destiny that he tries to praise in the sonnet.

Nice

RB - was ever the "sentimental exile" - he travelled extensively but always viewed England as the most special place. This old BBC documentary (linked below) gives some insights as to his true character - and clues to the drives/inspirations for some of his poems. In particular his literal love of English soil. Rupert Brooke - So Great a Lover - BBC Documentary 1982 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lNLagc7Khlg.html

who else is here for because of GCSE Anthology

It is very romantic to say that his body will rot in some other place and that place will be a place of England. Death usually brings people in pain and sorrow but in this poem death seems to offer closure -- which works quite well as propaganda. Also, the original title "The Recruit" also has less romantic element compared to "The Soldier", I think the poem might be renamed to hide its propagandistic nature as "The Soldier" seems to care for the individual endeavor one offers to the country, whereas "The Recruit" objectifies noble Englishmen as weapon and resources . However, I do not think Rupert Brooke wrote this poem with full intention to ask Englishmen to join the army, but to express what he believed as noble and righteous. He represents the general English men and women at 1910s who believed going to war could make the world a better place and Englishness was the best quality in the world. He is one of the victims to believe what the government wants people to believe in, I use the word "victim" because he is fooled, lied to, cheated on by the superficial picture the English authority put in front on him, making him think that his death was a glorious attempt to beautify the world. Brooke died in 1915, which is the beginning of the first world war. He could not have guessed how long the war would last or what effect could it have. It is the young ideal versus reality.

The way I see this poem is that it is a poem about both colonialism and a love story to Britain. I agree that it is not the post-colonial reading as suggested above. It is not a critquie of the colonialism that critized colonialism and imperialism that tried to bury the horrors and exploits under the theory that they were providing civilization to other "uncivilized' countries. In fact, it was a love letter to Britain. The soldiers had no fear and only England at his heart, which he would teach the ways of Britishness to other colonies. This is a very patriotic poem about Britain. No wonder it was used to recurit people to join the British army. Although the poem was not opposing colonialism, we would be if we placed the poem into historical context. From this poem, we can see the British education and ideas that influenced this poem. It was all about patriotism and the pride of being a British like the British air, waters, ways of living. In fact, it was not. There were a lot of death and many societies collapsed like the Qing China. When reading the Dulce et Decorum est of Wilfred Owen from 1918, we can really see the difference there. As Rupert Brooke was more of a highly patriotic poet, Wilfred Owen was not. In his poem, he was critizing the war by showing the horrors and deaths brought by the war. We see the difference between the two as one could be easily identified as not having been in the battlefield and the other had been there and seen it all. We can actually feel the dangers of the war and the saddness of the soldier which he saw his comrades fall. I want to ask something about the poem. In the poem - "blest by suns of home", can the "suns of home" be seen as the whole British Empire as the British generally identified their counrty as "the empire on which the sun never sets", and the poet was blested with such a great empire and her colonies, which made Britiain so great?And why this poem was used as an eulogy? It was beautiful and had a lot of Biblical images but it was mainly a patriotic poem of Britain and a recuritment advertisement.

Through reading this highly patriotic poem, it is shocking to see how the poet ,someone privileged and well-educated, expresses his pre-war idealism in the poem. He didn't write about the brutal or bloody combats, but about Englishness, nature and religion, it is a sign where consciousness of the realities of the war is yet to develop. I think the poet has a passive character under strong influence of his homeland. He receives everything imposed on him “bore, shaped, made aware, washed and blest” by England-which I deduce as upper class values adopted by the aristocracy. For the biblical connotation, it maybe used to describe how powerful England was at the time by how England shape and made aware of something as insignificant as dust-just like God created the first human. Although the poem a solider died in foreign land, it is hard to imagine he died in a battle field around dead bodies. It is important for the poet to die as an English man, and this identity is made through his love of his country. His love is pure, everlasting and noble, as a reason he made his request of remembrance at the start of the poem. And this poem help reminding us of the importance of national identities and pride in wars nowadays.

Can you help me understand the poem called "God made the country" by william cowper..thank you

who here has got this set as a work video

But Sir, You and Rupert Brook in the picture and video look alike

احتفظ بكتاب للشاعرروبرت بروك اسمه ...احزان المساء ..من دموع الشموع والاضواء ...والضلال ابكئيبة الخرساء

Notes~ 11:40 40:00 42:56

As a Scot I challenge your use of 'British'. This is a very, very, very ENGLISH poem, using the word England 6 times. Yes Scots served but very few would relate to this. In fact I'd cite as an example of the myopia some people have in assuming English = British.

Agreed with others, this poem can be interpreted as a love poem, a propaganda or a poem about the dedication of a soldier. I guess for a person from ex-colonies, this poem shows a very jingoism and very kamikaze-like. By referring himself as a fertilizer, he dehumanizing himself as a tool for England, and death itself was something pure, not gruesome, bloody like in reality. With all the biblical connotations, maybe they could also lead to the monarchy, as they also claimed to have the Divine Right given by God, so the suns, aside from the "sons", maybe it can also imply blest by the royalty. Also before knowing the dust's biblical connotation, I at first thought it means the soldier was at first nothing but dust as in something insignificant and dirty, but it was becoming one of the Royal Army and under God's command (essentially joining a Holy War as-if), making their "all evil shed away".

Alas, since Brexit this poem's been rendered obsolete.

You look like Rupert Brook

he looks like Rupert Brooke himself. lol that is shocking

Text and Experience 2020.

Quite a few problems here with this interpretation, but let me address just one as an example. The line “all evil shed away” would have been a mystery to no one reading this poem in 1914, and yet that meaning completely escapes Andrew here. The line does not refer to England, nor is the line a commentary exclusively on the business of soldiering (although we shouldn’t exclude that). “All evil shed away” refers to the universal fallen nature of mankind, which one escapes in death upon reunion with Christ. This is basic Christian teaching, and the line would have been written and understood that way in America as well as England as well as in Pretoria. The poem inescapably reminds the Christian reader about the destination that awaits those who hear the call of Christ-like sacrificial love. I’m reminded of a speech one colonel gave to his troops departing for battle. He reminds the troops that at home they have problems such as racial strife and other things that separate them. All that, he says,will disappear on the battlefield, the implication being that they are about to put their lives down for one another. Then he says to these men who are about to die on foreign soil, “some say we’re leaving home,” and then he shakes his head no, “we’re going to What home was always meant to be.” Putting aside my last aside, Andrew has missed something fundamental to both the poet and to his readers at the time thisnpoem was written. There are other examples as well.

Which dentist do you go to? I really adore your teeth

I think you are so entirely wrong about Rupert Brooke and this poem’s legacy

Karen and Fedora.

yes, you do look like his reincarnation!

For fucks sake mate I’ve got to watch this for my English homework and take notes why the fuck does it have to be so long :/

Hindi ma padaw na

Dr. Barker seems to fail to make the case for British Exceptionalism that he regrettably confused with American Manifest Destiny.

Bakchhanor

stop fighting

This is so boring to watch.

Rubbish !!! -well mostly anyway. your alternative interpretations/assumptions are absurd. I'm sure RB wrote what he meant - and it was "suns" not "sons" nor was it meant to be implied thus. And that rot about rotting, superiority, religion etc is also rubbish. You're coming from a 21st Century post-imperialism perspective, ignoring the context of those times and of the personality and experiences of RB himself. You surely could not have the biography of RB by Keynes.

Thanks a lot sir