ngs that are not usually associated with war fully.
This stanza shows that the doctors that go to help in the war had to be strong hearted and that the job was not for those who were very emotional. It describes the ugliness of war without even mentioning the injury or telling what has happened to the soldier. The second stanza starts off by describing the tent in brief, “A tent with a table athwart”. It also mentions the simplicity of the field hospital and the basic necessities that were provided to help revive the wounded, “A waterproof cover – and nought”. The next line is where mention is first made of the soldier’s injury, “limp, mangled work of a gun”.
The poem then goes to describing the table. “A bottle that’s stuck by the pole, A guttering dip in its neck; The flickering light of a soul” The table, as it is described in the poem, has a candle on one of its poles. However, mention of an actual candle is not made but it is described as the “flickering light of a soul”. It is shown as if the life of the man depends on this candle. If the candle went out then that would mean the death of the man. The word “flickering” shows that the man has a half chance of surviving. It is similar to the glimmering of the street lamp in Hardy’s A Wife in London.
This line of the poem may be referring to the man directly and has no relation whatsoever with the candle. But in any case, the main object and purpose of the poem is to show the fine chances of survival that this soldier has of surviving. The next line of the poem, “the wondering eyes of The Wreck”, does not address the injured man by any title but is rather referred to as a “Wreck” to show the frail condition that he is in and to show the worthlessness and the lifelessness of the man. It also shows that the man has become from a Case, at the beginning of the poem, to a Wreck in the middle of the poem.
It shows how just one injury could change the physical state of a man from able to disable in no time. The last few lines of the poem are those of the doctor and they describe what is happening with the injured soldier. “And it’s War! ‘Orderly, hold his hand. I’m not going to hurt you, so don’t be afraid. A ricochet! God! What a mess it has made! ‘ And it’s War! and a very unhealthy trade. ” These lines show that the doctor is trying to help the injured man, but when he realises that the wound is one he cannot heal he is absolutely horrified at the sight of it.
It also shows that the doctor is trying to remain as calm as possible and he is trying to keep the patient in that same state. The last line again shows the gruesomeness and vanity of war. It shows how war is absolutely useless and that there are other ways in which problems can be resolved. It shows that war is an “unhealthy trade” between countries and a very cunning and sly one. It portrays war as a business matter between countries and shows how it is a dangerous game being played between those who are part of it.
I think this phrase portrays the act of war in a very explicit way and it just goes to show that war is waged solely for world domination and the conquering of countries through a trade that involves killing and murder. The last stanza of the poem describes the death of the soldier and the sympathy that the doctor feels for the soldier’s family. The second line shows that the soldier is going through the different stages of death, “A sigh as the chloroform drips”. This line shows that the wound which at first was seen as a mere injury had turned into a deadly wound.
The next few lines of the poem show that the soldier is now slowly dying. “… A cut, and the face has turned grey… ” This shows that the soldier is dead and there are no chances of his survival. The little flickering of life that was left has now gone. The last few lines of the stanza show the sympathy that is felt by the doctor for the soldier’s family. “And it’s War! ‘Orderly, take It out. It’s hard for his child, and it’s rough on his wife. There might have been – sooner – a chance for his life But it’s War! And – Orderly, clean this knife