I need to write an analysis of the poem "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy. I need to know the theme, organization, rhyme, rhythm, figures of speech, and any other contributing element. If someone could help me, I would be forever grateful. Thank ya so much!!

Theme - folly of war.
Organization - quatrains, each rhyming abab, four feet in line three, three feet in all other lines (in each stanza).
Rhythm - iambic
Other contributing elements - conversational tone, mebb.
I will leave figures of speech for you.


"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."

Hugh-

I don't think I have ever known you to hand someone their homework on a silver platter before. It must have been the 'forever grateful' promise, or do you just have a thing for cowgirls?


Jack

I'm wondering how she will know what a quatrain is, or what iambic means. 'Twill be embarrassing when the teacher follows up with those questions!

And you almost had me believing in Santa Claus!

Thank you, Hugh. Just one tidbit of information... I do know what a quatrain and iambic pentameter is. Why is it that some people have to be such asses about helping someone else??? The only reason I asked for assistance is to get other opinions and to make sure I was on the right track with my thoughts.

In my case, I just enjoy being an ass about it. Others have qualms about doing someone else's homework for them. Can't learn that way, doncha know.

Whatcha got for figures of speech, anyway?

Meeee ow!

'Forever grateful' don't seem near as long as it used to.

Some people ask for assistance to get other's thoughts. Others (and you can see this by looking at other requests on the homework board) want someone else to do all the work. In Hugh's defense, your request was not immediately apparent as the former and not the latter.

pam

I notice she took off without sharing the tropes, more's the pity.

Sorry, Hugh, it took me so long to get back to you about the figures of speech... I've been busy. From what I can see, there are no noticable figures of speech in "The Man He Killed." I believe Hardy has tried to keep the poem as simple as possible in order to effectly get his point across. Any other question you have for me??

Restoring my faith in cowgirls everywhere, great!

Nipperkin could be a metaphor for having a drink. Sold his traps might be another one. Help to half a crown, for lending money, perhaps.

Only repeated 'because' once, in the next line, so not really anaphora, but worth a shot in an essay. What else? Hmmm ....

The only thing with using nipperkin and the other phrases as figures of speech... They were common speech when the poem was written. Therefore they can't really be considered a metaphor, etc. I honestly cannot find a figure of speech. The anaphora you mentioned... I am unfamiliar with the term. Perhaps you wouldn't mind enlightening me.

Oh and Hugh... Thank you for the tip on the rhyme scheme. Notice that you did not tell me this bit of information. See I do figure things out on my own. Thanks you for all you help though!!

Nipperkin was near obsolete by the time Hardy used the term, he used it as a colloquialism, a figure of speech.

Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase in several successive clauses. I would not consider this repetition anaphora.

Picky, picky.

I got one - for the Cowgirl - is it catalectic or acatalectic?

Chesil,

So is anaphora what Walt Whitman often used?

pam

Cataleptic- the guy is dead after all, which is close to unconsciousness.

(Oh, cataleCtic. Never mind.)

pam