CONTENT 1 Anglo Boer War 2 Speaker adressee

CONTENT 1. Anglo - Boer War 2. Speaker, adressee, tone. 3. Analysis of the heading 4. Analysis line by line. 5. Physical features of the poem.

THE SECOND ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899 -1902 Boer Afrikaans & British Troops

Victorian frame of war ► In the nineteenth century, war was magnified by people. ► The soldiers were in love of religious and political eagerness.

► British troops faced a determined army of well trained Boer soldiers. (The Afrikaan speaking population of South Africa). ► Boers used Guerilla tactics – hit and run. ► This tactic tied down considerable numbers of British troops, so British changed tactics.

End of the War ► This war was the first war fought with ‘MODERN TACTICS’. ► The Boers were eventually defeated because the British cut off their sources of supply. They burnt down the Boer’s farms, herded the Boer women and children into ‘concentration camps’. Thousands of them were died as a result of their appaling conditions. ► The civilian population became deliberate targets, as opposed to ‘victims’.

► The Britain’s failure in understanding newly used tactics of the enemy and as they lacked new tactics the war lead to loss of life among British. ► Britain’s nineteenth century imperial ambitions indirectly produced the SLAUGHTER OF ITS YOUNG in the twentieth. ► The Queen died in 1901.

AFTER THE WAR ► The British troops learned new kind of uniform for the soldiers ► And webbing equipment.

► Boer War guerrilla commandos during the Second Boer

► The British taking care of their dead and wounded after the Boer war

► 26, 000 Boer women and children at the concentration campsite. 14, 000 black and colored of them were to die in appalling conditions.

ANGLO-BOER WAR CHESS

ANGLO-BOER WAR POEMS THEMES ► The patriotic responsibility ► The pointlessness of the war ► The incompetence of the strategic guidance from the central staff. ► Actual heroism is less frequently discussed.

ANGLO-BOER WAR POEMS ► Astronomy by A. E. Housman ► Song of the Sword by Henley. ► Barrack Room Ballads by Rudyard Kipling.

DRUMMER HODGE

THE SPEAKER ►An abstarct observer. ADRESSEE : HUMANITY

TONE ► His tone is often bleak and communicates a sense of loss, and longing for something. ► Despair ► Hopeless ► Bitter ► Witty ► Mournful

ANALYSIS OF THE HEADING ‘DRUMMER HODGE’

Its Orginal Heading THE DEAD DRUMMER was published weeks after the Anglo -Boer war began. At this time, Hardy was struggling to prove his worth as a poet. ►‘

§ ‘DRUMMER’

THE SECRET HISTORY OF DRUMS

DRUMMERS IN MILITARY ► Drums symbolises the SIGNAL INSTRUMENT for COMMUNICATION and CONDUCTING the WAR.

BATTLE STATIONS ► In 17 th century, considerable time was spent manouvering the men into position. ► In the battle, the sounds of cannon and musket, the neighing horses, screams of the dying and wounded, Captain or Colonel’s voice would not be heard and the beat of the drum continued to play a vital role in communicating orders to the troops.

At the onset of the battle, the roar of the assembled drummers were surely instil courage and fear in the HEARTS of soldiers. Possibly, in the heat of the battle, the beat of drum took a SPIRITUAL quality. ► So, it was considered dishonourable to knowingly strike or wound a drummer in battle. ► Also, they used to keep the machinery of battle oiled. ►

► Drummers were usually the YOUNGESTS of soldiers, considered too young to fight, (Line 7 -Young Hodge the drummer never knew), but they played a major role at wars. ► Each beat used to have a specific meaning instantly recognisable to the soldiers.

Beat ‘CALL’ ► When drummer’s call was heard, the men dropped what they were doing and immediately regrouped to await further signals.

Beat ‘TROOP’ ► The Captain’s order to beat the ‘troop’ was a signal to shoulder muskets, close rank and file.

Beat ‘MARCH’ ► Captain’s order to beat ‘march’ was a signal to advance, faster or slower according to the beat of the drum, to the point of rendezvous.

BOY SOLDIERS

A REAL EVENT ABOUT A DRUMMER BOY ► An 12 year-old drummer Boer boy is reputed because he shot and killed the BRITISH COMMENDER, General Colley at the battle of Mijuba Hill.

A Report on the Peninsular War ► Not a DRUM was heard, not afuneral note, as his corpse to the rampart we hurried; Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot over the grave where our hero we buried. ………………………………… The Drums of the Fore & Aft by Kipling.

ANOTHER INSTUMENT USED IN THE BATTLE ►BUGGLE:

► Hardy’s ‘HODGE’ stereotype character of his essay ‘DORSETSHIRE LABOURER’ ► Hodge is synonym of ‘agriculture labourer’ with poor wages. ► They are also called as ‘WORKFOLK’ ► Hodge label was the result of'social ignorance and class isolation ► Hodge was an agricultural labourer of rural England in nineteenth century, 'unimaginative, ill-clothed, illeducated, ill-paid, noncommunicative. ► Hodge symbolises the backwardness and lack of sophistication' ► They hardly dared to think at all, they have few thoughts of joy and little hope of rest, so they had lost sense of enjoyment of NATURE. (Line 6: night, line 12: stars, line 16: tree, line: 18: stars)

► They attended the National School, they would mix the printed tongue with unwritten, DYING WESSEX ENGLISH. ► Their names were Dick the carter, Bob the shepherd, Sam the ploughman, etc. ► (Look at the line 7 (YOUNG DRUMMER THE HODGE). ► Sometimes visitors came to their land stayed there for about a few months, even thogh at first they perceived Hodges as ‘DULL, JOYLESS…’, in their minds, they became another kind of men of MANY MINDS, some happy, a few deppressed, some CLEVER, some stupid. ► In short in fact they CAN NOT BE ROLLED TOGETHER INTO ‘HODGE LABEL’ as the visitors dreamt of.

A CONFLICT ABOUT HODGES ► They used to shave their beards without mirrors successfully, this proves their being clever, they use their mind than by the eye.

► They represent the changing economic, social and political position of the labourers, literarily. ► Thomas Hardy pointed out that DORSET was the county 'where Hodge in his most unmitigated form is supposed to reside ‘. ► Hodges lived in the South of England, where wages were lower, the rural community more fragile and the social separation of employer and employee more complete. They have MASTERS. ► In the North of England, labourers were sources of industrial employment, wages were higher, opportunities were greater.

BUT NO ONE CARES WHY THEY COME TO KNOWN LIKE THIS IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT: ► Hard working life prevented them from pleasures of life. ► Their wages were very low and social separation of employer and employee are more complete, in short they live in powerty. ► They are reflection of social ignorance and class isolation.

NEW PLACES FOR HODGES ► They had to be in search of a new master throughout his lifetime in APRILS (like immigrating birds) , that is they could not return back to their hometown, Wessex. ► Then these labourers and their family members were fetched from the old farm by the carters of the new master. Then, another family arrived the old house. Change was a kind of education for them, they would lose their pecularities as a class, they would widen their ideas and gain much more freedom.

IMAGE ‘TREE’ ► Their nomadic habit of labourer and enlightment enabled them to rise above the condition of a serf who lived and died on a particular plot, LIKE A TREE. ► (line 16)

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THOMAS HARDY AND HODGE ► Both travelled far enough from their hometown, Wessex (Dorset). ► Hodge was by no means killed off by the Union

HARDY’S VIEWS ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN HUMANITY AND HODGES ► Hardy similarizes Hodges with rural learner, who is often victimized by modern forms of education and put at risk by modern literacies. ► The point of publishing ‘Dorsetshire Labourer’ and ‘Tess of d’Ubervilles (another work of him as ‘the pitiable dununy known as Hodge’, to prevent further marginazition of these rural populations. That is also why he used undated words, under vanish of dialect of Dorset. ► Critics repeatedly neglected his works, 968 poems were undated, because they see these works as ‘true records of a vanishing life’ as he used vanishing dialects.

HODGES and the poem ‘Drummer Hodge’ ► The battle of life has always been a sharp one with them. ► He is the man of small frame (That is why he qualified the ‘drummer Hodge’ as ‘young’

HODGE AND AFRIKAAN FARMERS ►Boer farmer contents himself with raising a herd of a few hundred cattle which are left almost entirely to the care of the natives whom he employs. ►He never plants A TREE. ►He passes his day doing absolutely nothing. ►He is perfectly uneducated.

SOME OTHER POEMS ABOUT HODGE ► The Adventure of Hodge and the Monkey by William Gardiner. ► Benjamin Gough's poem John Hodge on Ritualism ( farmer Hodge )

HODGE in the poem ‘DRUMMER HODGE’

►A young, innocent , 13 or 14 years old drummer of British Military is supposed to conduct the war but he is non-communicative, unaware of his duty.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE POEM

Fisrt stanza ► Hodge is thrown, not lowered with dignity, into his grave just as he is found by his soldier fellows. He is not even placed in a coffin. ► He is given no headstone. The only landmark to show the position of his grave is the "kopje crest/That breaks the veldt around". (The foreignness of his resting place to him) ► He is buried thousands miles away from his home. ► And above his grave there alien constellations that reign over his grave.

SECOND STANZA ► He is away from his home, Wessex. During his life he never knew the pleasures of nature, such as bush, stars, night because he had no time to learn about nature and he was young to learn. But he was welcomed by his new surrounding.

THIRD STANZA ► Despite his ignorance of his surroundings, Hodge will be a part of South African velt for ever. His remains will nourish the roots of ‘some Southern tree’. In death he achives a worhiness he never received in life.

► The young soldier’s innocence and youth make his premature death seem all ‘WASTEFUL’.

§ANALYSIS LINE BY LINE

Line 1 They throw in Drummer Hodge, to rest. ► They throw in : Hodge’s fellow soldiers throw Hodge into his grave, not lowered with dignity. And his grave is away from his home, Wessex. ► Drummer Hodge: A young, innocent , 13 or 14 years old drummer of British Military is supposed to conduct the war but he is non-communicative, unaware of his duty.

Line 2 ‘Uncoffined - just as found’. ► Uncoffined: He isn’t even placed into coffin. He has neither a headstone nor mark the site of his burial. - The term ‘Un’ Hodge was longing to live, he was not ready to die. ► Just as found: As if there is no time to coffin him, it is better suited to an object rather than human being. His body hasn’t been properly laid out. ► Lack of mourning contrasting with the traditional GLORIFICATION of the dead soldier.

Line 3 ‘His landmark is a kopje-crest. ► Kopje- crest : It is a small hill implying he has just buried. ► Kopje-crest is the only landmark to show the position of his grave.

Line 4 ‘That breaks the veldt around’. ► Veldt: plain surface (One soldier alone can be remebered). The soldier’s grave breaking the ‘veldt’ surrounding the burial place.

Line 5 -6 ‘And foreign constellations west Each night above his mound’. ► Foreign constellations are visible only in the southern hemisphere. ► A romantic picture to create the effect of lessening reality of death.

Second Stanza

- Line 7 -9 -10 Young Hodge the drummer never knew, The meaning of the broad Karoo, The Bush, the dusty loam. ► ► ► During his life he could never learn about beauties of nature. Broad Karoo: A dry table-land region in South Africa The Bush: British Colonial word for an uncleared area of land. The dusty loam: still continueing issue of war. Hardy glorifies his YOUTH: beginning of his marriage after Emma died. ► Hodge was central staff (drummer) incompent in conducting the war.

Line 8 FRESH FROM HIS WESSEX HOME: ► WESSEX rules. HOME: He was full of rural family (like the beginning of their MARRIAGE).

THIRD STANZA

Line 13 -14 ‘Yet portion of that unknown plain Will Hodge for ever be’. He is immortalized as a part of an unknown plain, African plain.

Line 15 ‘His homely Nothern breast and brain’ ► Human vanity. ► His body and mind will continue to represent him after his death. ► Brain: He was simple but a valuable human nonetheless.

Line 16 ► Grow to some Southern tree: HE WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED IN THE FORM OF ‘SOME SOUTHERN TREE’ ► This alien landscape becomes his permanent home and he becomes aware of the pleasure of the nature. ► Nature’s attitude to Hodge: He is welcomed by death. Even though his death doesn’t evoke dignity in HUMANITY, the nature itself glamourized him. ► He will never be a hero among men, but he is elevated to a divine level through the Southern landscape. In death he achieves a worthiness he never received in life. ►

Line 17 -18 And strange-eyed constellations reign. His stars eternally. ► A romantic picture to create the effect of lessening the reality or tragedy of death. Because he is innocent. ► His stars eternally: Immortalizing him, ‘Drummer Hodge’ will continue to exist as a symbol of those fought in Boer war.

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE POEM

►The poem consits of three six-lined verses in plain and simple ballad rhythm.

First stanza (sestet) 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. a 6. b ……………………. Second stanza (sestet) 7. c 8. d 9. e 10. f 11. c 12. f ……………………. . Third stanza (sestet) 13. g 14. h 15. g 16. h 17. g 18. i

Figures of speech Visual images: stars, the Bush, night, plain, tree, strangeeyed. ► Audial image: Drummer ► Allusion: Hodge (Line 1 -7) : A historical people who were ‘agriculture labourers’ with poor wages in South ► England in nineteenth century. ► Allusion: Wessex (Line 8) : Dorset Alliteration: d (Line 1 -2): drummer, uncoffined, found, around, mound. ► T: they, throw, to, rest, just, kopje-crest, that, veldt ► O: young, Hodge, from, home, of, broad, Karoo, loam, ►

METAPHORS ► Drummer Hodge: Young, unaware soldier that died in the battle in vain. ► Kopje-crest (Line 3): The attachment of the soldier with nature. ► The Bush (Line 10): British colonial word of uncleared. ► Unknown plain (Line 13): African plain.

► Personification: Strange-eyed consellations (Line 17) : The world after death. ► Conflict 16) : Grow to some southern tree (Line ► Connotation: THE BUSH (Line 10) : For British colonial world of uncleared area of land. HODGE : Thousands of casualities of war.

► Dialect: Hodge(Line 1), kopje-crest(3), Karoo(9), Bush(10), shows Hodge belongs to Africa after he is dead. ► Situational irony: they throw in drummer hodge to rest (Line 1) : the act of burying ► Symbol: Drummer hodge: symbol of the Boer soldiers.