The Man he Killed by Thomas Hardy LO

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Starter Task Write down 5 things you can remember about the Boer War.

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Learning Objectives Level 3: Level 4: Level 5: All: Most: Some: Sound understanding of form and structure linking to effect, with clear awareness of the poet’s use of language and of its effect. Sustained analysis of form and structure and their effect with effective comments on the poet’s use of language and its effect on the reader. Perceptive grasp of form and structure and their effect, with a cohesive evaluation of the poet’s language and its effect on the reader. Will be able to understand how one example of form, structure or language create effect for the audience. Will be able to understand how a range of examples of form, structure or language create effect for the audience. Will be able to consider different conclusions about what the message of the poem is.

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail The Speaker of the Poem Is he a bumbling oaf or a shell-shocked veteran? Bumbling Oaf • He stumbles over his words and does not come to any conclusions or have any ‘deep’ thoughts about why he killed this man. Shell-shocked Veteran • He is deeply affected by the violence he witnessed and haunted by the idea that him and the man he killed are the same. Bit of Both He is just a normal man This allows us to relate to him and the poem and it’s ideas

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail The Setting 1. In a pub 2. The Boer War Massively contrasting settings A pub • ‘Normal’ environment that the audience can relate to • Shows the normality of his everyday life The Boer War • A messy and gruesome war • The audience cannot relate to it unless they have been part of it

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Form & Structure Form This poem is a Dramatic Monologue: • It sounds like a man talking • He stumbles, repeats himself & formulates his ideas as he goes • He uses accent/dialect and slang • Despite being in a strict meter, it is a chatty poem that is spoken • There are no grand speeches about war, etc. – he is just a normal guy

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Form & Structure Rhyme & Meter Each stanza has 4 lines = quatrain Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. Rhyme scheme = ABAB Da DUM da DUM sound = Iambic Meter 3 iambs in lines 1, 2 & 4 of each stanza = iambic triameters lines 1, 2 & 4 are always iambic trimeters 4 iambs in line 3 = iambic tetrameter Line 3 is always an iambic tetrameter

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Language, Imagery and Symbols Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. I shot him dead because — Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was; That's clear enough; although He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, Off-hand like — just as I — Was out of work — had sold his traps — No other reason why. 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. " Know little about the identity of them both, except that they are just soldiers doing their jobs The use of slang and the setting of a pub shows that he is just a normal man Repitition shows they are the same; they are both just a face without a name - an object to be obliterated. Again, they are the same – they both shot and both are guilty Lack of emotion to describe a death. Shows he was just doing his job. Shows hesitation – he is not sure why he killed him really Only identified as his enemy – no identity as a person Why are they enemies? They do not know – just been told and that is that Ironic – the reason isn’t clear to us or him The speaker makes up a story to give the other man an identity – projection He makes him like himself Emphasising the point – he is interrupting his own story so must mean it! Imagining the man’s life as he speaks – sense of realism He is trying but cannot really find a reason for shooting the man. Strange adjectives to describe war. Undercuts the violence of war, but also emphasises it as it makes us think that this is what war is NOT

‘The Man he Killed’ by Thomas Hardy LO: To know and understand the form, language and themes of the poem in detail Themes Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. I shot him dead because — Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was; That's clear enough; although He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, Off-hand like — just as I — Was out of work — had sold his traps — No other reason why. 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. " Warfare This is not your average war poem • Personal, brief & haunting • Not about glory or sacrifice • Just a normal guy telling a story Is this a pro or anti-war poem? • No – it is merely pointing out a fact of war: men have to kill each other • Yes – Hardy is commenting on the senselessness of these deaths Guilt • The speaker stumbles over his words • He tries to justify the killing but cannot • He killed a man just like himself Society & Class • The speaker is an infantryman – he is on the frontline, taking orders from officers • He assumes the other man is also working class • Do the upper classes suffer as much as the lower classes in war? IS THIS POEM ABOUT CLASS?