Edward Thomas
...Dulce Decorum Est,’ that he strongly opposes war and patriotism. In contrast, Thomas’ lack of experience on the front line seems to have made him blissfully ignorant and this is reflected in his poetry. J.W Haines, who had become an aquaintance of Thomas during August of 1914, noted of his opinion of war, ‘ He did not embrace it passionately like Rupert Brooke, nor revolt from it as passionately as did Wilfred Owen.’ It would be fair to say that a lot of Thomas’ poetry surrounds his response to army life, but also his reaction to the possibility that he could face his death upon leaving for France. It does not concentrate on life in France, because he had not experienced this yet. Instead, it relates to his hopes, fears, thoughts and emotions. As some of the analysis contained within this essay later shows, he also often embraces the idea of death, as though wishing for it to come. Thomas’ poetry provides strong links between the countryside and war. His work has been defined as containing ‘images of pastoralism and patriotism coming together out of force of feeling.’ For example, in the short poem, ‘The Cherry Trees’ , Thomas links the trees to death and remembrance. Not only is he referring to dead soldiers in this poem, but also the death of nature that has been neglected due to the war. He says the trees ‘bend over and are shedding’ . This could serve as a metaphor for dying men, however, I feel it also relates directly to a death of nature and ‘his’ countryside to make way for a more industrialised England, which was a way in which those Britains left at home during the war were affected by it. The whole country changed from being predominately pastoral to mostly cities, which grew considerably during this time. In the poem, ‘A Private’ , Thomas ties in themes of war, countryside and death. Death, the fear of it and the embracing of it is something Thomas often explored in his writing. He knew upon embarking for France, he could face his own death, which he ultimately did, of course, ten weeks following his arrival, but it’s very clear from some of his poetry that it was a fear that often entered his mind. The title of this poem immediately confirms an anonymity of the central character, who is the private and also that Thomas is not writing a memorium poem to an individual, but to a whole multitude of the dead. The title also provides a representation of war. He immediately links the war connotation to the countryside in the first line, by opening with ‘This ploughman’ It represents his love for the countryside and also establishes a firm connection between war and nature. He continues this theme throughout, suggesting that the private finds different spots of the English countryside to try and sleep. He finishes the poem with reference to the private’s death: ‘And where now at last he sleeps More sound in France – that, too, he secret keeps’ Thomas is saying that this soldier has gone to France to fight and has been killed in action. He has no known grave and has disappeared. This seems to be a very personal poem to Thomas. He wrote about how war affected him psychologically and emotionally, rather than physically and it’s clear from this piece that his scars were deep. However, despite this, it must be noted that there is no bitterness in these last words. Another poem, which more deeply explores the theme of death and war, is ‘Rain’ . In this poem, Thomas explores a feeling of longing for death and suggests death is a preferable alternative to a feeling of social alienation. He immediately brings a war element into it in the second line with reference to an army ‘hut’. He makes it clear he feels alone, using words such as ‘solitude’ and ‘me’. He goes on to suggest that soldiers who are already dead are in some way more fortunate than himself: ‘Blessed are the dead that the rain rains upon’ Thomas follows this with a long, drawn-out sentence that twists and turns. It almost metaphorically refers to his own inner turmoil, as he waits impatiently for death to come. Near the end, he refers to a ‘love of death’, but also says, ‘if love it be for what is perfect and Cannot, the tempest tells me, disappoint.’ This final line carries the idea that Thomas’ longing for death is accompanied by a doubt that it may be possible to love. Ultimately, I feel this poem explores some key thoughts of all men at war. A feeling of longing to die so your fear will end is a very powerful thought and the speaker is highly dramatised in this poem. Although Thomas could be described as a patriotic writer, ...