Love and War Poems

Question 1

The Manhunt

Answer 1

• Armitage critiques masculinity through Eddie Beddoes, advocating for emotional expression instead of repression for men.
• Armitage challenges idealized love, emphasizing endurance and commitment through the speaker’s relationship with her partner.
• Armitage uses a female speaker to illustrate how war profoundly impacts relationships and families.

Question 2

Sonnet 43

Answer 2

• Barrett Browning redefines the Petrarchan sonnet, asserting women’s voices and love in 19th-century poetry.
• Barrett Browning celebrates love’s transformative power, helping her heal from past traumas and afflictions.
• Barrett Browning portrays love as transcendent, reflecting God’s love for humanity in her marriage.

Question 3

The Soldier

Answer 3

Brooke idealizes dying for one’s country, viewing martyrdom as the ultimate honor and heroism.