The Edwardian Age and modernist thomas and eliot.docx

\"The Edwardian Age,\" the speaker discusses the early years of the 20th century, a time of cultural, social, and political challenges that marked the end of Victorian certainties and the beginning of a new period. Known as the Edwardian period, it was a short but intense time of progress and change...

\"The Edwardian Age,\" the speaker discusses the early years of the 20th century, a time of cultural, social, and political challenges that marked the end of Victorian certainties and the beginning of a new period. Known as the Edwardian period, it was a short but intense time of progress and change. Edward VII became king in 1901, and the Liberal government continued social reforms, including the 1908 old-age pensions act and the 1911 National Insurance Act. However, the Liberals were divided between reformist and conservative elements, leading to the growth of the Labour Party and the recognition of trade unions. Political issues included the Irish question, the struggle for women\'s suffrage, and the growing economic power of the United States and Germany. The period was marked by significant events such as the Easter Rising in Ireland and the suffragette movement\'s militant actions. The economy was changing, with the British Empire expanding but being surpassed by the United States and Germany. Tensions between these countries eventually led to World War One, the most devastating period of war and crisis in human history. The war poets and modernist writers captured the horror and legacy of the war in their works. 00:05:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled \"The Edwardian Age,\" Ian Foster discusses how the confident and assertive values of the Victorian era have fallen apart. The Boy War, the independence of Ireland, and the British Empire, among other factors, had significantly changed the world. The new roles of women and the approach of World War One marked the end of the Victorian age. The Belle Epoque and the Roaring Twenties were on the horizon, bringing glamour but also a terrible crisis known as the Great Depression. For further exploration, Foster suggests reading novels and poems by authors such as D.H. Lawrence, Joseph Conrad, K. Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Giuseppe Goretti, Anita Loos, and Vivo. Edwardian period in English literature: 1901 a 1910 due to the fact that king Edward VII reigned over England during this decade. However, some historians think that the literary trends of this age continued until the outbreak of World War 1 in 1912 and others who think that those trends continued until the end of the first world war in 1918. The opinions about that time vary because the literary features od this period didn't have sharp closing point in time. Important facts which influenced the literature of this period are: 1. The ED. AGE covers a traditional time between VICT. Stability and the impending holocaust of the first world war. 2. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. 3. Power reduction of the parliamentarians thanks to the second Boer war in 1902 in south Africa split Britain into anti-and pro-war factions. 4. Women' social and political union founded in Manchester in 1903. 5. First congress for Freudian psychology was held in Salzburg in 1908. 6. The first transatlantic wireless signals were sent by Guglielmo Marconi. 7. Pablo Picasso started "cubism" between 1907 and 1911. 8. Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity in 1905. 9. Earest Rutherford published his book on radioactivity. 10. The write brothers invented the airplane engine and flew for the first time in 1908. 11. First woman in the world get to vote in Finland in 1906. 12. British class system remained rigid. 1. The change in economy brought new-found wealth and new demands. Literature of the time reflects indulgence in cuisine, fashion, entertainment and travels. 2. Advances in science had an effect in life and literature. Automobile, electricity, radio, film, etc, opened ned possibilities for art and artists. 3. The writers' attitude to the voice of the authority is critical unlike the submissive attitude of the Victorian writers. 4. The Victorian style still continues. 5. Women issues come to light in literary works. 6. The poor finds a stronger voice in literature. 7. Emphasis on moral conduct and prudery declines. 8. Creater awareness of human rights influences writings. **Attitude of the Speaker** **Attitude**: The speaker in "The Man He Killed" exhibits a reflective and somewhat conflicted attitude. He tries to rationalize his actions but is clearly troubled by the senselessness of war. [His tone is conversational and introspective, revealing his inner turmoil and confusion](https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-literature-gcse-level/poetry/pre-1914-poems/man-he-killed-thomas-hardy). **Choice of Language and Syntax**: - **Simple, Colloquial Language**: The speaker uses everyday language and short, simple words, which makes the poem feel like a casual conversation. [This choice of language helps convey the speaker's ordinary background and makes his reflections more relatable](https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-literature-gcse-level/poetry/pre-1914-poems/man-he-killed-thomas-hardy). - **Repetition and Pauses**: The use of repetition (e.g., "because --- / Because he was my foe") and pauses (caesura) highlights the speaker's hesitation and uncertainty. [These elements emphasize his struggle to justify the killing](https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-literature-gcse-level/poetry/pre-1914-poems/man-he-killed-thomas-hardy). - **Conversational Tone**: The poem's syntax, with its straightforward and unembellished sentences, contributes to a conversational tone. [This tone makes the speaker's reflections on war feel more personal and immediate](https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed/) **Switch of Tone**: Yes, there is a subtle switch in tone throughout the poem: - [**Initial Reflection**: The poem begins with a hypothetical scenario where the speaker imagines meeting the enemy in a peaceful setting, which sets a somewhat nostalgic and wistful tone](https://english-studies.net/the-man-he-killed-by-thomas-hardy-a-critical-analysis/). - [**Rationalization**: As the speaker recounts the actual killing, the tone becomes more matter-of-fact and detached, reflecting his attempt to rationalize his actions](https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-literature-gcse-level/poetry/pre-1914-poems/man-he-killed-thomas-hardy) - [**Irony and Absurdity**: In the final stanza, the tone shifts to one of irony and contemplation as the speaker reflects on the absurdity of war, where enemies are killed without personal animosity](https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-literature-gcse-level/poetry/pre-1914-poems/man-he-killed-thomas-hardy). - **Simplifying Figurative Language and Unclear Phrases** - **Stanza 1:** - "Had he and I but met\ By some old ancient inn,\ We should have sat us down to wet\ Right many a nipperkin!" - **Simplified**: If he and I had met at an old inn, we would have sat down and had many drinks together. - **Meaning**: The speaker imagines a scenario where he and the enemy soldier could have been friends, sharing drinks in a peaceful setting. - **Stanza 2:** - "But ranged as infantry,\ And staring face to face,\ I shot at him as he at me,\ And killed him in his place." - **Simplified**: But instead, we were soldiers facing each other in battle, and I shot him just as he shot at me, and I killed him. - **Meaning**: The speaker describes the reality of war, where they were forced to fight and kill each other. - **Stanza 3:** - "I shot him dead because ---\ Because he was my foe,\ Just so: my foe of course he was;\ That's clear enough; although" - **Simplified**: I killed him because --- because he was my enemy. Yes, he was my enemy; that's clear enough, although... - **Meaning**: The speaker tries to justify the killing by stating the man was his enemy, but the hesitation and repetition show his uncertainty and discomfort. - **Stanza 4:** - "He thought he'd \'list, perhaps,\ Off-hand like --- just as I ---\ Was out of work --- had sold his traps ---\ No other reason why." - **Simplified**: He probably enlisted in the army casually, just like I did, because he was out of work and had sold his belongings. There was no other reason. - **Meaning**: The speaker reflects that both he and the enemy soldier joined the army for similar, mundane reasons, highlighting the shared humanity and the senselessness of their conflict. - **Stanza 5:** - "Yes; quaint and curious war is!\ You shoot a fellow down\ You'd treat if met where any bar is,\ Or help to half-a-crown." - **Simplified**: Yes, war is strange and odd! You kill a man you would have treated to a drink or given some money if you met him in a bar. - **Meaning**: The speaker concludes by emphasizing the absurdity of war, where men kill each other despite having no personal animosity and could have been friends in different circumstances. - **Interpretation of the Poem's Meaning and Message** - **Meaning**: "The Man He Killed" explores the senselessness and irony of war. The speaker reflects on how he killed a man who, under different circumstances, could have been a friend. The poem highlights the shared humanity between enemies and questions the justification for killing in war. - **Message**: The poem conveys a powerful anti-war message, emphasizing the absurdity and tragedy of conflict. It suggests that war forces individuals into situations where they must kill others who are not fundamentally different from themselves, underscoring the futility and human cost of such violence. - ### Subject of the Poem - The subject of "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy is the senselessness and irony of war. The poem explores the personal impact of killing an enemy soldier and reflects on the absurdity of such violence. - ### Speaker of the Poem - The speaker is a soldier who recounts his experience of killing an enemy soldier during a war. [He uses a first-person point of view, making the narrative personal and direct^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed/). - ### Situation Being Described - The poem describes a battlefield encounter where the speaker kills an enemy soldier. [The speaker reflects on how, under different circumstances, they could have been friends sharing a drink at an inn^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed). [The poem contrasts this imagined peaceful scenario with the harsh reality of war](https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed/)[^3^](https://thinklit.co.uk/the-man-he-killed-thomas-hardy/). - ### Speaker's Feelings About the Subject - The speaker feels conflicted and reflective about the act of killing. [He tries to rationalize his actions by stating that the man was his enemy, but his hesitation and repetition reveal his discomfort and guilt](https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed/)[^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed). [The speaker's tone is conversational and somewhat detached, highlighting the absurdity and emotional numbness that can result from the horrors of war](https://thinklit.co.uk/the-man-he-killed-thomas-hardy/). "Portrait of a Lady" by T.S. Eliot is a poem that explores the complex relationship between a young man and an older woman. The poem is divided into three parts, each depicting different meetings between the two characters. The older woman expresses her desire for a meaningful connection, while the young man remains emotionally detached and unresponsive. The poem is known for its rich use of poetic techniques, including alliteration, enjambment, and caesura. It also features an epigraph from Christopher Marlowe's play "The Jew of Malta," which sets a tone of moral ambiguity. 1. **Alliteration**: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words close to each other. [For example, "arrange" and "afternoon" in the first stanza^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 2. **Enjambment**: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. [This technique helps to maintain the flow of the poem and create a conversational tone^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 3. **Caesura**: A pause in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation. [This can create a dramatic effect or emphasize certain words or phrases^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 4. **Anaphora**: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines. [This can create a rhythmic effect and emphasize key themes^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 5. **Imagery**: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses, helping to create a strong visual picture in the reader's mind. [Eliot uses imagery to depict the settings and emotions of the characters^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady). 6. **Irony**: The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning. [The poem often uses irony to highlight the disconnect between the characters' outward appearances and their inner feelings^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady). 7. ### Structure and Rhythm 8. The poem is divided into three parts, each consisting of uneven stanzas. [The longest stanza stretches to twenty-three lines, while the shortest is just one line^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). [The poem does not follow a strict rhyme scheme but includes various forms of rhyme, such as half, full, and internal rhymes^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). [The rhythm is predominantly iambic, with a mix of pentameters, alexandrines, and heptameters^2^](https://www.supersummary.com/portrait-of-a-lady/literary-devices/). 9. ### Title and Its Relation to the Poem 10. The title "Portrait of a Lady" suggests a detailed depiction of a woman, much like a painted portrait. It sets the expectation that the poem will explore the character and perhaps the inner life of the lady in question. [The title does not specify a time frame, setting, or action, but it hints at an intimate and possibly critical examination of the lady's personality and social interactions^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 11. ### Speaker and Point of View 12. The poem is narrated by a young man who visits an older female acquaintance. The speaker's personality is revealed through his detached and often critical observations of the lady. [He comes across as emotionally distant and somewhat callous^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/)[^3^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady). [The lady, on the other hand, is portrayed as sensitive and longing for a deeper connection^3^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady). [The speaker addresses the lady directly in parts of the poem, but his true feelings and thoughts are often conveyed through his internal monologue^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). 13. ### Speaker's Attachment 14. The speaker seems largely detached from the events and emotions described in the poem. [His observations are often critical and lack empathy, highlighting the emotional distance between him and the lady^3^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady). 15. ### Subject of the Poem 16. The subject of T.S. Eliot's "Portrait of a Lady" revolves around the complex and somewhat strained relationship between a young man and an older woman. The poem delves into themes of emotional detachment, unrequited affection, and the social dynamics between the two characters. 17. ### Speaker of the Poem 18. The speaker is a young man who narrates his interactions with the older lady. His perspective is central to the poem, and through his observations and internal monologue, we gain insight into his detached and often critical view of the lady. The speaker's tone and attitude reveal much about his character and his emotional distance from the lady. ### ### Speaker's Attitude The speaker in T.S. Eliot's "Portrait of a Lady" exhibits a detached and somewhat condescending attitude towards the lady. [He is emotionally distant and often critical of her attempts to connect with him^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/)[^2^](https://www.enotes.com/topics/portrait-lady-ts-eliot/in-depth). This detachment is evident in his internal monologue, where he often mocks or dismisses her feelings and expressions. ### Language and Syntax Eliot's choice of language and syntax plays a crucial role in creating the desired tone of detachment and irony. [The use of formal and somewhat archaic language, combined with complex sentence structures, reflects the speaker's intellectual distance and emotional coldness^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). [For example, phrases like "attenuated tones of violins" and "capricious monotone" convey a sense of artificiality and insincerity](https://www.enotes.com/topics/portrait-lady-ts-eliot/in-depth). ### Tone Switch There is a noticeable switch in tone throughout the poem. Initially, the tone is more observational and detached, but as the poem progresses, it becomes more introspective and self-critical. [The speaker begins to question his own feelings and the nature of his relationship with the lady](https://www.enotes.com/topics/portrait-lady-ts-eliot/in-depth). ### Figurative Language Translation Here are some examples of figurative language from the poem, translated into simpler terms: - **"An atmosphere of Juliet's tomb"**: The room feels as gloomy and lifeless as the tomb of Juliet from Shakespeare's play. - **"Among the winding of the violins"**: The sound of violins playing in the background. - **"Inside my brain a dull tom-tom begins"**: I start to feel a persistent, dull headache. ### Interpretation of Meaning and Message The poem explores themes of emotional isolation, unrequited affection, and the superficiality of social interactions. [The speaker's detachment and the lady's longing for connection highlight the emotional desolation of modern urban life^1^](https://poemanalysis.com/t-s-eliot/portrait-of-a-lady/). [The poem ultimately suggests that genuine human connection is difficult to achieve in a world dominated by social pretenses and intellectual posturing](https://www.enotes.com/topics/portrait-lady-ts-eliot/in-depth). ### Situation Described In "Portrait of a Lady," T.S. Eliot describes a series of meetings between a young man (the speaker) and an older woman. These meetings take place in a social setting, likely in the lady's home, where they engage in conversations about art, music, and life. The lady expresses her desire for a deeper emotional connection, while the young man remains emotionally distant and unresponsive. ### Speaker's Feelings The speaker feels detached and somewhat condescending towards the lady. He views her attempts to connect with him as futile and even slightly irritating. His internal monologue reveals a sense of superiority and a lack of genuine empathy for her feelings. Despite her efforts to engage him in meaningful conversation, he remains aloof and critical, highlighting the emotional distance between them. Poem an Irish airman Summary '*An Irish Airman Foresees His Death*' by is a reflective [[elegy]](https://poemanalysis.com/genre/elegy/) where an Irish pilot anticipates his death in combat. He expresses detachment from both the enemies he fights and the people he protects, driven by neither hatred nor love. The airman identifies his true homeland as Kiltartan Cross and feels his fate holds no significance for his countrymen. His decision to fight is not influenced by duty, public opinion, or patriotism, but by a solitary thrill. Weighing his past and future, he finds both equally meaningless, accepting his life and impending death as part of a larger, indifferent balance. Structure and Form '*An Irish Airman Foresees His Death*' is an elegy, memorializing the life of an unnamed Irish airman who predicts his own death in combat. Though [[elegies]](https://poemanalysis.com/genre/elegy/) don't have a set form, this poem is structured as a single 16-line [[stanza]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/stanza/), written in four [[rhyming]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/rhyme/) [[quatrains]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/quatrain/). The poem is fairly traditional in its form, maintaining a timeless feel despite being about a specific event during World War I. The poem is written in iambic [[tetrameter]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-meter/tetrameter/), which means each line consists of four [[iambs]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-meter/iamb/) (an unstressed-stressed syllable pattern, da-**DUM**). The poem follows this [[meter]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-meter/meter/) carefully, with few substitutions, maintaining a calm and controlled [[rhythm]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-meter/rhythm/) throughout. This metrical consistency reflects the [[speaker]](https://poemanalysis.com/diction/speaker-in-poetry/)'s calm acceptance and control over his impending fate. The poem employs an [[ABAB rhyme scheme]](https://poemanalysis.com/rhyme-scheme/abab/) in each [[quatrain]](https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/quatrain/), creating a consistent and harmonious pattern. The simple, [[perfect rhymes]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/exact-rhyme/) and the use of mostly one-syllable [[rhyme]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/rhyme/) words contribute to the poem's directness and clarity, reflecting the speaker's calm composure in the face of death. Line 1-4 In the opening lines of *'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death*,' the speaker allows the readers to understand that he faces certain death. He acknowledges that he will meet his fate. He expresses no hope of making it through the war. Perhaps his particular position merited such hopelessness. The speaker says his belief that he will die "somewhere among the clouds". This gives the reader the first hint concerning the speaker's [[personality]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/persona/). He is somewhere in the clouds, doing something dangerous enough to be considered a certain death. True, the title reveals that the speaker is an Irish Airman, but the poem itself is slow to disclose this information. The speaker seeks to first identify with the reader by expressing his own knowledge that he will die. Then, the speaker claims that he is fighting people, even though he does not hate them. He also says that he is guarding people, even though he does not love them. This reveals that he is fighting in a war, protecting a land he doesn't love, and fighting a people he doesn't hate. The reader can then conclude that the speaker is fighting in the air, and is certain of his death. Line 5-8 With these lines of *'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death*,' the speaker reveals why his heart is not in his service in the war. He acknowledges that his people, the Irish people, could not be made better or worse by the loss or victory of the war. He implies that he is fighting in a war that is not his own. At this point, the readers begin to question why the speaker is fighting in the first place. The Irish were not drafted into this war but went as volunteers (Gerry White). The speaker has yet to offer his explanation, especially if he did not hate the enemy nor love the ones he was fighting to defend. Line 9-12 It would seem that the speaker is well aware that his [[audience]](https://poemanalysis.com/literary-device/audience/) deserves an explanation. While most would go to war for the love of their country, or hatred for the enemy, this speaker has already ruled out both of those reasons for his going to war voluntarily. He claims that there was no law forcing him to go. Neither did he feel any duty to fight. He was not interested in "cheering crowds" or the honor and publicity that may have come with fighting. Rather, he claims that it was "a lonely impulse of delight" which "drove" him to enlist in the air force. Perhaps in a moment of loneliness, the Irish Airman thought it would be nice to be up in the clouds. The speaker reveals that it was an impulse that drove him to fight in a war that he cared nothing about. He implies that a mere moment of impulse and desire to fly in the clouds cost him his very life. In the final lines of *'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death*,' the speaker reveals that his thoughts in the final moments of his life were of his initial reasons for joining in the fight and risking his life. Although he has already said that he joined the Air Force on impulse, these lines reveal the true source of the deep-rooted urge to risk his life. After having thought about it all, and "balanced all," he realizes that the years behind him and the years in front of him were but a "waste of breath". Line 13-16 In essence, he concludes that everything is meaningless. If his life is short anyway, and everything seems meaningless, then dying for a cause would give his life more meaning than it had before. For this reason, he decides to risk his life and join in the fight. Although he does not love the people he is protecting, nor hate those he is fighting, he does want his life to have a purpose. Therefore, he risks having a shorter life in order to have a more meaningful life. This is the Airman's way of embracing his death in his final moments. About the title The title "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" indeed sets the stage for what to expect from the poem. Here's how it relates and what it conveys: 1. **Expectation**: The title suggests a reflective and somber tone, indicating that the poem will explore themes of mortality and foresight. It prepares the reader for a contemplation of death from the perspective of an airman. 2. **Relation to the Poem**: The title directly relates to the content of the poem, where the airman foresees his own death. This foresight is central to the poem's theme, as the airman reflects on his motivations and the inevitability of his fate. 3. **Imagery and Setting**: The title paints a vivid picture of an airman, which situates the reader in the context of World War I. It implies a specific action (flying) and a specific time frame (the war era). The word "Irish" adds a layer of national identity, hinting at the airman's personal and cultural background. Overall, the title effectively encapsulates the essence of the poem, providing a clear indication of its themes and setting. Is there a particular line or aspect of the poem you'd like to delve into further? Speaker The poem "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" is narrated in the first person by the airman himself. Here are some insights into the speaker and their perspective: 1. **Speaker's Personality and Point of View**: - The speaker is reflective and introspective, contemplating his fate with a sense of detachment. [[He acknowledges that his motivations for fighting are not driven by hatred or love, but by a \"lonely impulse of delight\"^1^]](https://poemanalysis.com/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death/). - The point of view is personal and intimate, providing a direct insight into the airman's thoughts and feelings. 2. **Age and Gender**: - While the poem does not explicitly state the age of the speaker, it is implied that he is a young man, given his role as a fighter pilot during World War I. - [[The speaker is male, as indicated by the historical context and the fact that the poem is a tribute to Robert Gregory, an Irish airman who was a close friend of Yeats](https://poemanalysis.com/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death/)[^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death)]. 3. **Who is the Speaker Addressing?**: - The speaker appears to be addressing himself or perhaps an undefined audience, sharing his inner thoughts and reflections. There is no direct address to another character within the poem. 4. **Attachment or Detachment**: - The speaker seems detached from the war and its causes. He expresses no strong feelings towards those he fights or those he protects, indicating a sense of isolation and resignation. [[His decision to fight is driven by a personal impulse rather than external influences like duty or patriotism](https://poemanalysis.com/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death/)[^2^](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death)]. Tone The speaker in "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" exhibits a reflective and detached attitude. Here's a closer look at how this is conveyed through language and syntax: 1. **Attitude of the Speaker**: - The speaker is contemplative and resigned, accepting his fate with a sense of inevitability. He does not express fear or regret but rather a calm acknowledgment of his impending death. - He feels disconnected from the broader motivations of the war, neither hating his enemies nor loving those he protects. [[This detachment is evident in lines like, \"Those that I fight I do not hate, / Those that I guard I do not love\"]](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death). 2. **Language and Syntax**: - **Simple and Direct Language**: The poem uses straightforward language, which enhances the sincerity and clarity of the speaker's reflections. Phrases like "I know that I shall meet my fate" are unembellished, emphasizing the speaker's acceptance of his destiny. - [[**Balanced Syntax**: The poem often employs balanced phrases and parallel structures, such as "The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind." This symmetry reinforces the speaker's sense of equilibrium and detachment, as he weighs his life and death equally]](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death) - **Repetition**: The repetition of phrases like "waste of breath" underscores the speaker's view of life's futility, adding to the tone of resignation. 3. **Tone**: - The tone remains consistently reflective and detached throughout the poem. There is no significant switch in tone; instead, the speaker maintains a steady, contemplative voice from beginning to end. - [[The use of phrases like "a lonely impulse of delight" introduces a subtle nuance, suggesting a personal, almost whimsical reason for his actions, which contrasts with the otherwise somber tone]](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death). Paraphrase: Certainly! Let's break down some of the figurative language and key phrases in "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" and interpret their meanings: 1. **"I know that I shall meet my fate / Somewhere among the clouds above"**: - **Simple Terms**: The speaker is certain that he will die while flying in the sky. - **Interpretation**: This opening line sets a tone of inevitability and acceptance of death. The airman is aware of the dangers of his role and accepts his fate. 2. **"Those that I fight I do not hate, / Those that I guard I do not love"**: - **Simple Terms**: He doesn't hate his enemies or love those he protects. - **Interpretation**: The airman feels detached from the typical motivations of war, such as hatred for the enemy or love for his countrymen. This highlights his personal isolation and the futility he sees in the conflict. 3. **"My country is Kiltartan Cross, / My countrymen Kiltartan's poor"**: - **Simple Terms**: His homeland is a small area called Kiltartan Cross, and his people are the poor of that area. - **Interpretation**: This emphasizes the airman's personal connection to a specific, small community rather than a broader nationalistic identity. It underscores the insignificance he feels his actions have on his community. 4. **"No likely end could bring them loss / Or leave them happier than before"**: - **Simple Terms**: No outcome of the war will affect his community significantly. - **Interpretation**: The airman believes that his participation in the war will not change the lives of his community members, whether he lives or dies. This further emphasizes the futility he perceives in his involvement in the war. 5. **"Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, / Nor public men, nor cheering crowds"**: - **Simple Terms**: He wasn't motivated by laws, duty, politicians, or public support. - **Interpretation**: The airman's decision to fight is not influenced by external pressures or societal expectations. This highlights his personal and individualistic reason for joining the war. 6. **"A lonely impulse of delight / Drove to this tumult in the clouds"**: - **Simple Terms**: A personal thrill or excitement led him to become a pilot. - **Interpretation**: The airman's motivation is a solitary, almost whimsical desire for the thrill of flying, rather than any noble or patriotic cause. This adds a layer of complexity to his character, showing a personal, almost existential reason for his actions. 7. **"I balanced all, brought all to mind, / The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind / In balance with this life, this death"**: - **Simple Terms**: He considered everything and concluded that both his future and past are meaningless compared to his current life and impending death. - **Interpretation**: The airman reflects on his life and future, finding both equally meaningless. This contemplation leads him to see his life and death as balanced and insignificant, reinforcing the poem's themes of futility and existential reflection. **Meaning and Message**: The poem conveys a sense of detachment and futility from the perspective of an Irish airman during World War I. The airman fights not out of hatred or love, duty or patriotism, but from a personal impulse. He feels disconnected from the broader causes of the war and sees his life and death as equally insignificant. [This reflects a broader critique of the war and the personal, often isolated motivations of those who participate in it](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-butler-yeats/an-irish-airman-foresees-his-death). Theme Let's break down the key elements of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death": 1. **Subject**: - The subject of the poem is the contemplation of death by an Irish airman during World War I. It explores themes of fate, motivation, and the futility of war. 2. **Speaker**: - The speaker is the Irish airman himself. He narrates the poem in the first person, providing a personal and introspective perspective on his thoughts and feelings. 3. **Situation Being Described**: - The poem describes the airman's realization and acceptance of his impending death. He reflects on his motivations for fighting, which are not driven by hatred, love, duty, or public support, but by a personal impulse. He also considers the insignificance of his life and death in the broader context of the war and his community. 4. **Speaker's Feelings About the Subject**: - The speaker feels detached and resigned about his fate. He does not express fear or regret but rather a calm acceptance of his death. He views his life and death as equally insignificant, seeing both the past and future as "a waste of breath." This detachment is further emphasized by his lack of strong feelings towards those he fights or protects. **Themes of the Poem** 1. **Mortality and Fate**: - The poem centers on the airman's contemplation of his impending death, reflecting on the inevitability of fate and the acceptance of mortality. 2. **Detachment and Isolation**: - The airman feels detached from the broader motivations of the war, neither hating his enemies nor loving those he protects. This sense of isolation is a key theme, highlighting his personal and existential reflections. 3. **Futility of War**: - The airman perceives the war as futile, believing that his actions will not significantly impact his community. This theme critiques the broader senselessness of war and the waste of human life. 4. **Personal Motivation**: - Unlike typical war narratives driven by duty or patriotism, the airman is motivated by a "lonely impulse of delight." This theme explores individual motivations and the personal reasons behind his participation in the war. **Figurative Language and Devices** 1. **Metaphor**: - "A lonely impulse of delight" is a metaphor for the airman's personal thrill and excitement, contrasting with the grim reality of war. 2. **Repetition**: - The phrase "waste of breath" is repeated to emphasize the airman's view of life's futility and the insignificance of his actions. 3. **Parallelism**: - The balanced structure of lines like "The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind" uses parallelism to reinforce the speaker's sense of equilibrium and detachment. 4. **Alliteration**: - The use of alliteration in phrases like "Those that I fight I do not hate" creates a rhythmic quality that enhances the poem's reflective tone. 5. **Assonance and Consonance**: - Assonance (repetition of vowel sounds) and consonance (repetition of consonant sounds) are used throughout the poem to create a musical quality, adding to its contemplative mood. 6. **Caesura**: - The use of caesura (a pause in the middle of a line) in lines like "I balanced all, brought all to mind," creates a reflective pause, emphasizing the speaker's introspection. 7. **Chiasmus**: - The structure of "The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind" is an example of chiasmus, where the order of words is reversed in parallel phrases, highlighting the speaker's balanced view of life and death. ### War and Death This is not a poem about heroism or patriotic fervor---though it could be: as a fighter pilot in World War I, its speaker* *certainly* is *brave, even heroic. But he isn't motivated by a love of country or a desire to protect his fellow citizens, and nor does he risk his life to win honor or glory. Instead, the speaker flies into battle because he feels like the sheer pleasure and exhilaration of flying are the best that he can hope for in his life. The poem thus breaks with many of the traditions of war poetry. Instead of celebrating the speaker's heroism and courage, the poem meditates on the senselessness of war and the futility of patriotism. The speaker is well aware of the dangers he faces as he flies into battle. In fact, he is sure that he will die. But his sacrifice is not motivated by a desire to protect his fellow citizens. As he says in line 4, "Those that I guard I do not love." Nor is his sacrifice motivated by political feelings. As he says in line 3, "Those that I fight I do not hate." Later he insists that he was not motivated by politicians or "cheering crowds," full of patriotic fervor. Indeed, for the speaker and his countrymen, the outcome of the war doesn't really matter at all! It doesn't matter whether they win or lose, the speaker says, because either outcome won't "leave them happier than before." The speaker systematically dismisses all the reasons why people usually go to war. He isn't fighting for honor, for country, or even because he cares who wins. Readers might wonder, then, why the speaker bothers fighting at all. The speaker's answer to this is surprising. He fights simply for the sheer emotion of it---the sense of exhilaration it gives him. He is driven, he says, by "a lonely impulse of delight." Nothing else in his life seems worth pursuing: both his past and his future seem to him to be a "waste of breath." In other words, he regards his life as pointless, so he is willing to sacrifice it for this dangerous "delight." The speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" thus comes across as very pessimistic. He can picture his death, but he doesn't seem particularly troubled by it. He doesn't resist it; he doesn't fight to save his own life. And he doesn't strive to make his life---or his death---meaningful. He isn't interested in winning glory, or in making the lives of his fellow citizens better---and, in fact, he seems fairly certain that his death won't change anything for him or for them. Instead, he seeks a transitory and dangerous pleasure---arguing that it's the best thing he can hope for in life. In doing so the speaker offers a forceful critique of war itself, which he suggests is pointless. And he also critiques the patriotic fervor of those who support the war---suggesting that they are distant from and ignorant of the realities of the soldiers who fight it. In this way, \"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death\" not only breaks from the traditions of war poetry; it also criticizes war itself. ### Irish Identity and British War The speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" knows that he will die in battle, but he doesn't really seem to care. He also knows that his death won't change the lives of his countrymen, for better or for worse. The poem offers a subtle, implicit reason for this pessimism: the speaker is an "Irish Airman," fighting in World War I. In other words, he's fighting on behalf of Britain---which, at the time the poem was written, ruled Ireland in a brutal and oppressive fashion. The speaker's pessimism is thus intended as a sharp criticism of British rule. In the absence of Irish political freedom, the speaker suggests, his life is meaningless. Though the poem never explicitly critiques British rule, it does implicitly highlight the suffering and poverty of Irish people living under it. When the speaker describes his "countrymen," for instance, he calls them "Kiltartan's poor." Kiltartan is a region in County Galway, on the western coast of Ireland. Calling them "Kiltartan's poor," the speaker defines his "countrymen" in two ways: through their poverty and through their connection to the country where they live, to Ireland itself, with its rural churches and small communities. The speaker is then quick to note that Britain's participation in World War I won't help lift these people out of poverty. If the British win, he says, it won't make "Kiltartan's poor" any "happier than before"; if they lose, that won't "bring them loss." In other words, the speaker quietly accuses the British of neglecting the Irish. Instead of working to make the lives of their Irish subjects better, the British invest their time and resources in big projects like World War I---projects that don't matter to the speaker or his countrymen. And, worse, the British ask Irishmen like the speaker to fight and die in the war---even though it has no bearing on their lives. In this context, the speaker's pessimism about his own life seems political: it is a pointed critique of life under British rule. For the speaker, that life isn't really much of a life at all. The speaker goes so far as to refer to it as a "waste of breath." And, the speaker says, that's true of the past, and it's also true of the future, "the years to come" and "the years behind." Even if he survives the war, the speaker doesn't imagine that his life will take on meaning; it won't become rich, pleasurable, or rewarding. After all, as he has already argued, the war isn't going to change his life or the lives of his countrymen. In this sense, the speaker's pessimism subtly indicts British rule, suggesting that it has rendered his life so pointless that his only recourse is to seek the suicidal pleasure of fighting in a war he doesn't even support. British rule has rendered his life---and the lives of his countrymen---meaningless.