The Soldier by Rupert Brooke (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Written by: Helen Cunningham
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
What is the poem about?
Written shortly after the start of the First World War in 1914, Rupert Brooke’s ‘The Soldier’ was published in 1915 in a collection called 1914. The poem presents an idealised view of a soldier’s willingness to fight and die for his country. Highly patriotic and omitting the harsh realities of war, it glorifies a soldier’s unwavering devotion to England and his selfless allegiance to his beloved nation above all else, even his own life.
Language, structure and form revision | What happens in the poem? |
Language:
Form:
Structure:
| Stanza One:
Stanza Two:
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Poems for comparison:
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Key words
Context: | Imperialism | War | Naivety | Innocence |
Themes: | Patriotism | Death/Sacrifice | Devotion | Transcendence |
Poem analysis
'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke
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;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
Language
The title suggests that the soldier is an archetype and links to the idea of selflessness and sacrifice
“some corner” suggests an insignificance that is juxtaposed with repeated references to “England” and “English” to highlight the centrality and importance of his patriotism
The words “for ever” highlight the longevity and significance of the nation, contrasted with the fleeting and inconsequential nature of human existence
Sibilance creates a soothing effect reflecting an overall sense of tranquillity
Pastoral imagery of “flowers” and “rivers” idealise England and create a sense of tranquillity in juxtaposition to the reality of war
The metaphor “an English heaven” reminds us both of the context of war and death and the spiritual nature of
Structure
The full stop after “for ever England” stresses the poet’s certainty in the eternity of the nation
By dividing 14 lines into an octave and a sestet, Brooke divides the thematic focus; the octave explores all that England has bestowed upon the soldier, while the sestet focuses on the soldier’s contribution to his country
The volta signifies a shift from the physical (“bore”, “body”, “breathing”) in the octave to the spiritual (“eternal mind”, “dream”, “heaven”) in the sestet. The structure mirrors the movement from evil to peace
Enjambment adds a conversational quality between the speaker and listener
Form
Brooke adopts the style of a Petrarchan sonnet, often used in romantic poetry. This aligns with the idealised, reverential depiction of England and the pervasive patriotism throughout
By writing in iambic pentameter, Brooke adopts a traditional poetic form that gives a sense of formality and timelessness. The rhythmical pattern aligns with the contemplative tone
The alternating rhyme scheme within each quatrain creates a musicality, which complements the Romantic imagery
The simplicity of the rhymes (“me/be”, “field/concealed”) are reflective of Brooke’s surety; the words fit together as neatly as his moral conviction
The rhyme scheme shifts at the volta, signalling the transition between life — “bore”, “made” “roam” — and the afterlife, “A pulse in the eternal mind”
Overview of themes
Themes | Key quotations | Language, form and structure |
Patriotism | “That there’s some corner of a foreign field “A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
E | England transcends mere geography; the spirit of England is eternally interwoven with that of the soldier’s, wherever he is buried. Alliteration of “foreign field” underscores its foreignness, which contrasts with England Personification of England as a mother with idealised language (“flowers”, “love”, “roam”) is typical of a Romantic idyll and elevates England into something celestial, thus highlighting the poet’s adoration of his country
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Sacrifice/Death | “If I should die, think only this of me”
“And think, this heart, all evil shed away” | The grammatical separation of “think only this of me” shifts the focus away from the soldier and highlights England instead
This line appears at the beginning of the sestet, marking a shift in focus towards spiritual and eternal life. Death is presented positively here, conveying the idea that such a sacrifice brings an end to evil |
Devotion | “A body of England’s, breathing English air” “Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home” | The speaker’s devotion to England is highlighted by the notion that his body belongs to the nation; it has been shaped by England, making his “dust” a lasting testimony of England’s beauty and culture England is omniscient like a divine power: in the air, the rivers and the sun. These religious connotations suggest the poet’s devotion to his country is also a devotion to God |
Transcendence | “A pulse in the eternal mind, no less “Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given” | Brooke describes the speaker’s spirit merging with England and the “eternal mind” (God), suggesting he has transcended his earthly existence to endure in eternity
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Historical and literary context
Rupert Brooke was born in Warwickshire in 1887, privately educated at Rugby school and read Classics at the University of Cambridge:
He was academically able and his friends included those in the Bloomsbury Group such as the writers Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster
In 1913, Brooke toured America and Canada, from where he wrote travel dairies for a newspaper called the Westminster Gazette
He enlisted at the start of the First World War in 1914 and was assigned to the Royal Naval Division:
While on board a ship in Egypt, he was bitten by a mosquito and went on to contract sepsis, a type of blood poisoning
Despite efforts to save him, he died in April 1915 aged 27, having never experienced first-hand combat
He was buried under an olive grove in Skyros, where the ship was moored at the time
There is a dedicated memorial for him in Skyros called Brooke Square
Comparing poems
Look at this exam-style question about ‘The Soldier’:
How does Rupert Brooke present sacrifice in the poem ‘The Soldier’? Choose one other poem from the anthology in which the poet also writes about sacrifice. Compare the way the poet presents sacrifice in your chosen poem with the way Rupert Brooke presents it in ‘The Soldier’. In your answer you should:
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How you could approach this question:
Thesis/Essay introduction: In ‘The Soldier’ by Rupert Brooke and ‘A Wife in London’ by Thomas Hardy, both poets explore the themes of war and sacrifice through contrasting tone and imagery. ‘The Soldier’ presents an idealistic perspective, glorifying sacrifice as a noble act enabling the spirit of England live on. ‘A Wife in London’, in contrast, portrays the futility of war and the profound impact on the families left behind, suggesting that the true sacrifice extends beyond the battlefield to loved ones left behind. | |
Similarities | Differences |
Both poets explore the themes of war and the enduring legacies forged by the sacrifices made on the battlefield | The tone of ‘The Soldier’ is idealistic and tranquil, presenting sacrifice as a noble act that enables the spirit of England to live on. In contrast, in ‘A Wife in London’, Hardy conveys the futility of war and the impact it has on both soldiers and their families, whose lives are altered by the consequences of war |
Both poems use imagery of England to describe the nation’s landscape, culture and spirit. Brooke portrays England as an idyllic homeland with a sense of reverence and adoration. Hardy juxtaposes the cold setting of London with the jarring intrusion of war, symbolised by the telegram | In ‘The Soldier’, Brooke employs pastoral imagery of England to portray an idealised depiction; in 'A Wife in London’, Hardy uses the imagery of fog in London as a setting for the wife’s tragic news |
Both poets explore the idea of loss and its significance, from the heroic sacrifice of a soldier to the grief experienced by those left behind | In ‘The Soldier’, loss on a human level is presented as a moment of transcendence leading to eternal peace and glory through sacrifice; in ‘A Wife in London’, the poem portrays loss from a personal perspective in all its devastation |
Thesis/Essay introduction: In Rupert Brooke's ‘The Soldier’ and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's ‘Sonnet 43’, both poets explore the theme of sacrifice, employing the sonnet form to express a love and devotion that transcends death. While Browning’s poem delves into personal sacrifice, highlighting the speaker’s complete emotional and spiritual dedication to her beloved, Brooke’s poem elevates the sacrifice for the love of England, portraying the soldier’s death as a noble act that eternally binds his spirit to the nation. | |
Similarities | Differences |
Both poems explore the notion of sacrifice. Brooke’s poem portrays sacrifice as a noble act in service to England and Browning’s poem explores the personal sacrifice of love | In Sonnet 43, Browning explores personal sacrifice in terms of the speaker dedicating herself to her beloved. In contrast, the soldier’s sacrifice is motivated by his love for England |
Both poets use the form of a sonnet to explore the themes of love and devotion. Browning uses this form to explore the speaker’s boundless affection and Brooks uses it to explore the speaker’s devotion to their country | Brooke divides his poem into two stanzas, an octave and a sestet, whereas Browning’s poem has a single stanza. The structure of ‘The Soldier’ allows the poet to initially focus on what England has bestowed on the soldier, followed by what the soldier reciprocates to England. The single stanza in ‘Sonnet 43’ allows the poet to allude the idea of completeness through love |
Both poems convey the idea of their everlasting devotion going on beyond death for all eternity, suggesting a timeless connection that persists beyond the realm of life and death | In Brooke’s poem, the soldier’s spirit becomes one with England’s forever; in Browning’s poem, the eternal love is personal, with the speaker’s spirit forever dedicated to her beloved |
Predicted exam questions to prepare for
Compare the ways poets explore the theme of devotion in ‘The Soldier’ and in one other poem from the anthology.
Compare the ways poets explore the impact of conflict in ‘The Soldier’ and in one other poem from the anthology.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember to analyse the poems you write about in depth so that you can demonstrate your understanding of the subtext. In other words, poets use lots of devices to create meaning that go beyond the literal. For example, think: why was this word used? Is there a double meaning?
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