The Soldier
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
Introduction
The poet, Rupert Brooke was a British Army officer who served in the First World War. He died in 1915 just after four months of joining in the war at the young age of 28.
The main themes of "The Soldier" are patriotism, sacrifice, and love for one’s country. Brooke presents death in war as something the soldier accepts with pride. The poem shows how deeply the speaker feels connected to England.
The poem is a sonnet (a kind of poem consisting of fourteen lines). The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABABCDCD ABCABC. This follows the traditional Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet form, with an octave (eight lines) rhyming ABABCDCD, followed by a sestet (six lines) rhyming ABCABC.
Summary
In this poem, Rupert Brooke shows the speaker’s deep love for England. The soldier imagines dying in a foreign land, but he believes the place where he is buried will become linked with England.
His body was born, shaped, and nurtured by England, so he sees himself as part of the country. Even after death, he imagines his thoughts, memories, and love for England living on.
Explanation Breakdowns
Lines 1–8 Analysis
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
concealed - buried
blest - (archaic) blessed
In these lines, the speaker reflects on the possibility of dying in a foreign land while serving his country. He asks that if he does die, he wants people to remember that even in a distant corner of a foreign field, there will always be a part that remains England.
He suggests that the earth there will hold a special richness, as it contains the remains of someone born and shaped by England. This dust, which was once a living person born in England, has been shaped and influenced by England's culture and experiences.
Having always breathed English air, England's rivers purified him, and he was blessed by England's sun.
Lines 9–14 Analysis
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
shed - separate
The poet imagines that after death his heart will be free from evil. His spirit will become part of a larger eternal life, while still carrying the thoughts and memories England gave him.
Rupert Brooke recalls the experiences and sensations he enjoyed in England: the sights, sounds, and dreams that brought happiness, the laughter shared with friends, and the kindness he encountered. These memories represent the essence of England for the speaker.
Finally, the speaker envisions these memories and qualities living on in the hearts of those who find peace beneath the English sky.
Questions & Answers
Why does the poet say that 'some corner of a foreign field' will be forever England?
The poet believes that even if he dies in a foreign land, that spot will forever be associated with England. His burial there symbolizes his deep connection to his homeland, as his English body reflects its rich culture and traditions.
What does the poet mean by a 'richer dust'?
It means that the foreign soil becomes connected with England because an English soldier is buried there. The speaker feels that his body still carries England with it, even after death.
Next Post
A Day
The poem reflects on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of life and how life is both unpredictable and short.